Automated Technician Alerting at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport
- =Automated Alerts
- =Professional Alerting System with Smartphone App
- =Smooth Integration with Control Systems using S7 and OPC
- =Established Local Vendor
Challenge
Flight operations at BER rely on a wide range of critical infrastructure to ensure smooth, uninterrupted flights with quick turnaround times. This includes the baggage handling system, passenger boarding bridges, the docking guidance system, ground power supply, lighting, and other systems. Initially, BER needed a solution to automatically alert service technicians when malfunctions occurred in the baggage handling system.
The goal was to ensure that any issues could be resolved within three minutes.
Solution
Through Derdack, BER Airport partnered with an established local vendor that offered an innovative and powerful alerting system for critical infrastructure using SIGNL4. The initial focus was on automating alerts for the baggage handling system. SIGNL4 was connected to the system’s control computer (PLC) through an edge proxy using the S7 protocol. In the event of a fault, it can alert available technicians within seconds.
Relevant messages and alarms are filtered from over 18,000 different messages and alarms. The goal is for technicians to acknowledge technical or baggage-related fault alarms within one minute and begin resolving the issue within three minutes. The SIGNL4 mobile app provides technicians with comprehensive information, including maps of the affected components. If there is no acknowledgement within the required time, the alarm is automatically escalated to other technicians.
As the system has demonstrated its value, additional systems are gradually being integrated into the automated fault alarm process, such as the automatic docking guidance system.
Currently, SIGNL4 manages 80 technicians across 10 maintenance teams.
Benefits
With mobile delivery of critical alerts, relevant staff are notified immediately, regardless of their location. This plays a key role in resolving incidents quickly and minimizing downtime. Automated alerting saves valuable time and significantly improves response team efficiency. SIGNL4 also supports standard industrial interfaces and can be seamlessly integrated into any existing infrastructure, while remaining flexible for connection to additional systems.
- Guaranteed Response Time
- Fast Fault Resolution (“MTTR”)
- Optimized Workflows and Processes
- Support of Standard Industry Interfaces
- Flexible Integration of Additional Systems
“Thanks to SIGNL4, we have an automated, reliable and fast alerting process for our baggage handling system and other critical systems.”
Next Steps
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