Learn how to build a substation in a fast pace

1 - Importing a component

  1. Copy the attached file Substation.tcomponent and paste into directory C:\Action.NET\Components;
  2. Create a new project and select the following options: Run>Extensions>Component>Refresh;
    1.  First select the desired component then select the option: Add component;
    2. Make sure that the option Add and merge to project is selected in the dialog box then click OK.
  3. The next step is to build the project by selecting the following options: Run>Build>Messages>Build.





2 - Project Setup

  1. The first step after importing the component is to create an object.
    1. To create objects, you must select the following options: Edit>Tags>Objects;
    2. The object name can be defined following the model: <Substation acronym>_<Bay>;
    3. This object can be set as Capacitor (BC_SETUP), Feeder (FD_DW or FD_UP), Line (LT_DW or LT_UP), Transfer (TRANSF_DW or TRANSF_UP) or Transformer (TR) in the Type column;
    4. The Description column must have the same name of the created object;
    5. The Level column must have the correct level of the object into de substation;
    6. Right-click at the tilte row to select the Comment and Category columns;
      1. In the Comment column, NodePrefix and AddressPrefix must have the same name of the created object;
      2. In the Category column, you must select the NODE_IED option.


  2. In order to set up a device, it is necessary to create nodes and channels:
    1. You must select the following options: Edit>Devices>Channels;
      1. On this page you can select the desired Communication Protocol and create a channel with the following model name: <NodePrefix><Category Suffix (IED in this case)>;
      2. Configure the ProtocolOptions column as shown in the image;
      3. Do not forget to enable the InitialState before starting a device communication.
    2. Selecting Nodes instead Channel option:
      1. You can set up a node for the created channel and follow the same instructions to name it.


  3. The next step is to create the alarms, historian and points from categories and attributes already defined as comments:
    1. You must select the following options: Run>Extensions>Import>Deploy;
    2. A dialog box will appear, and you must select only the required items.




3 - Building a Substation

  1.  To draw a page, you must select the Drawoption and choose or create a new display.
    1. In this example, you can choose the AN_MainPage display and insert all the symbols that you want by clicking in the Insert Symbol option and selecting the desired bay;
    2. To configure the symbol, you must double-click and rename the tag with the name of objects you created;
    3. If you want to change the line color of the inserted symbol, return to the Edit option and configure ZDIST object. The change will appear in the running project.
      1. Right-click on the object name and select Go to Template option;
      2. Follow the same instruction, but now with the ZDISTConfigure template;
      3. Right-click at the title row to select the Comment and StartValue columns.
        1. If you want to change the color, insert the new color code in the Comment column;
        2. To enable the change, the StartValue must be 1, otherwise the line will continue gray.


  2. Select the following options to run the project: Run>Startup>Run Startup:
    1. The username is SUPER and there is not a password to login;
    2. In order to interact with the inserted symbols on the page, you must change the tag values on the Property Watch;





4 - Device Communication Using IEC 61850 Protocol

  1. For this application, you need to run the IEDExplorer simulator;
    1. The first step is to open the SPF_11F1.CID file by clicking on the Open SCL File option;
    2. Make sure that the steps in the Project Set Up section have been followed before proceeding;
    3. Run the project with the Devices option checked under Run Modules;
    4. Returning to the IEDExplorer simulator, you must insert the correct IP (127.0.0.1) then click on the Run option;
    5. Right-click on the SPF_11F1 option then click on the Run SCLServer option;
  2. If you want to test the communication by entering values in the simulator, choose an object and find it in the simulator.
    1. Go to Edit>Devices>Points on Action.NET and copy all the points you want (pay attention to what you select, command points will not work in this test);
    2. Paste these points into list 2 of the Property Watch window and look for their address in the Object Properties column;
    3. Then search for the same point in the simulator and right-click on the point to activate Write Data option;
    4. Enter a value in the EditValue window, click on Ok and observe the change in the running project.