• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Your Membership
    • Edit Your Profile
  • Services
    • Advertising
    • Case studies
    • Design
    • Email marketing
    • Lead generation
    • Magazine
    • Press releases
    • Publishing
    • Sponsored posts
    • Webcasting
    • Webinars
    • White papers
    • Writing
  • Shop
    • My Account
    • Cart
  • About
    • Contact
    • Terms of use
  • Events

Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

  • News
  • Features
  • Webcasts
  • White papers
  • Case studies
  • Press releases
norway national rail system, copa-data

Norway’s railroad network replaces 40-year-old technology with new automation software

March 3, 2016 by David Edwards

norway national rail system, copa-data
Norway has integrated an automation solution from COPA-DATA into the national rail network

The rail travel network in Norway has taken its very own “great leap forward” in technological terms with the introduction of new automation software.

The Norwegian National Rail Administration (NNRA, also known as Jernbaneverket) decided to perform a major upgrade to its infrastructure in order to modernize rail service delivery and optimize maintenance and performance.

The technology for controlling the power transformer stations throughout its nationwide operations was more than forty years old in some areas, so a modern solution for controlling and monitoring these stations was required. The decision was made in favor of zenon, the HMI/SCADA software from COPA-DATA.

A new generation

Accomplishing a major reorganization of the technical electrical infrastructure for a national railroad network is by no means an easy task. It operates on its own specific alternating current frequency, and uses numerous existing power transformer stations which are situated throughout the network.

Before any solution could be considered, a thorough analysis of the current infrastructure was required in order to produce a detailed step-by-step plan for the entire upgrade. By upgrading the network’s performance, the project will give Jernbaneverket the potential to meet today’s requirements and standards.

However, the implementation of the whole upgrade operation is complicated by the fact it needs to take place without disrupting the regular train service. A challenge, to say the least.

Much of the technical infrastructure at the network’s substations dates back to the sixties and seventies, when the last major change in technology took place. Outdated technology results in poor performance, and requires regular attention and maintenance.

The fact that this maintenance has to be performed in-situ, means that skilled and qualified maintenance staff need to travel to the substations on a regular basis. This travelling takes up time and is not very efficient. Consequently, the costs rise continuously.

A modern solution would result in big improvements to the daily routines for controlling and running the power network, and also add the capability to control every individual electrical substation from the main operational headquarters. Improved safety and a better working environment for the employees are also important factors in the equation.

Pilot project

NNRA/Jernbaneverket began by initiating a series of pilot projects. These projects marked the starting point for this huge and complex upgrade to the technology controlling the entire network.

The Swedish System Integrator, IETV, a Qualified Partner of the COPA-DATA Partner Community, was selected for one of the pilot projects. The scope of this pilot was the complete rebuilding of the substation in Lundamo, south of Trondheim.

For the project, IETV created a completely new concept for the controlling and monitoring equipment, including all hardware and software solutions. IETV chose zenon, COPA-DATA’s control and monitoring software, as the SCADA platform for the concept.

Malin Fridmar, Project Manager at IETV, explains why IETV felt zenon was the best choice for the project: “We chose zenon as the HMI/SCADA because it offers a complete solution for the IEC 61850 protocol, which is vital in this type of application.”

Get the train rolling

The pilot project concept took six months to design and deploy. Based on the success of the pilot project, Jernbaneverket selected IETV to rebuild and modernize the controlling and monitoring equipment for sixteen additional electrical substations in its network.

This framework agreement runs until 2020, and production is now progressing at full speed. Every project at each site comprises several steps: first, IETV visits the location to take photos and make notes about the specific installation and requirements for the substation in question. Then, a complete solution for the electronic schema and circuits is designed. When the design is finalized and approved, the metal cases for the electronics can be built, and the complex work of programming every circuit can begin.

A modern network solution

NNRA/Jernbaneverket chose a solution based on zenon for many reasons. The built-in flexibility is one key reason – since a zenon-based solution is highly scalable; from a simple HMI all the way to a zenon Energy Edition supervisory system. zenon’s uniquely open communication is another key benefit. zenon incorporates an Integrated Gateway to the central control stations, with communication over IEC 60870-5-104.

Internal communication inside the substations is handled with Siemens and VAMP relay protection systems over IEC 61850, and also with Beckhoff PLCs via IEC 60870-5-104.

Two further major contributions in favor of the zenon-based platform are the fact that zenon enables IETV to easily create intuitive, modern user interfaces at each location for the operators, plus zenon’s ability to enable the users to adapt their own user interfaces within the parameters of the general solution.

A platform to take rail transport into the future

The Lundamo project has been working at full tilt for one year now, and the response from the everyday users of the system is very clear. Jernbaneverket reports that operators and maintenance staff are very satisfied with the entire solution.

A key factor in its success is the vastly improved reliability. An electrical substation does not require increased productivity. Instead, it focuses entirely on reliability over a longer period of time.

The new solution has resulted in a big reduction in the need for reactive maintenance or troubleshooting, since it is now possible to control and operate the substations from the control room at Jernbaneverket’s headquarters. Alerts about possible faults or events are acknowledged much earlier in the process too, which makes them far easier to resolve.

A vastly reduced scheduled maintenance program is another important differentiator compared with the old solution. The new zenon-based solution for operating, controlling and monitoring the railroad’s power network on a daily basis has proved itself as a reliable platform over the long run.

Roland Johansson, Head of Technical Development at IETV is delighted with the success of the project. He says: “Zenon has proven itself the perfect solution here; it is a SCADA solution for the entire energy corporation.”

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Skype
  • WhatsApp
  • Telegram
  • Pocket

You might also like…

Filed Under: Computing, Features, Transportation Tagged With: copa-data, hmi, infrastructure, jernbaneverket, network, scada, solution, technology, zenon

Join the Robotics & Automation News community

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Most Read

  • Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
    Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
  • Top 25 vertical farming companies
    Top 25 vertical farming companies
  • Top 25 AI chip companies: A macro step change inferred from the micro scale
    Top 25 AI chip companies: A macro step change inferred from the micro scale
  • Automation and digitalization will re-shape the logistics industry, says DHL
    Automation and digitalization will re-shape the logistics industry, says DHL
  • 30 industrial robot manufacturers to watch
    30 industrial robot manufacturers to watch
  • How to become a G-Code master with a complete list of G-Codes
    How to become a G-Code master with a complete list of G-Codes
  • ABB robots ring in the holiday season at Bloomingdale’s iconic New York flagship store
    ABB robots ring in the holiday season at Bloomingdale’s iconic New York flagship store
  • John Deere showcases autonomous electric tractor and other new tech
    John Deere showcases autonomous electric tractor and other new tech
  • ADAS: Features of advanced driver assistance systems
    ADAS: Features of advanced driver assistance systems
  • Siemens further expands portfolio and partnerships for industrialized additive manufacturing
    Siemens further expands portfolio and partnerships for industrialized additive manufacturing

Overused words

abb ai automated automation Automotive autonomous business cars china collaborative companies company control data design development digital driving electric factory industrial industry kuka logistics machine manufacturers manufacturing market platform production robot robotic robotics robots sensors smart software solutions system systems technologies technology vehicle vehicles warehouse

Secondary Sidebar

Latest news

  • Blue Ocean Robotics raises $12 million to develop service robotics market
  • ISO unveils ‘world’s first’ drone safety standards
  • Retailers expected to buy more than 150,000 robots by 2025
  • Collaborative robotics market to account for 30 per cent of total robot market by 2027, says report
  • The mundane revolution: Unexpected innovations in robotics
  • OnLogic unveils new line of mini PCs powered by AMD Ryzen Embedded processors
  • Siemens further expands portfolio and partnerships for industrialized additive manufacturing
  • IBM joins the Mayflower autonomous ship project
  • HP expands and enriches its 3D printing ecosystem
  • NASA launching ‘Robot Hotel’ to the International Space Station

Shop

  • Red Geometry Mug $11.00 – $15.00
  • Blue Geometry Mug $11.00 – $15.00
  • Green Geometry Mug $11.00 – $15.00
  • Short-Sleeve Unisex T-Shirt $16.00 – $20.00
  • R&AN T-Shirt – Black $16.00 – $20.00
  • R&AN T-Shirt
    Rated 1.00 out of 5
    $16.00 – $20.00
  • R&AN Mug $11.00 – $15.00

Footer

We are…

Robotics and Automation News was established in May, 2015, and is now one of the most widely-read websites in its category.

Please consider supporting us by becoming a paying subscriber, or through advertising and sponsorships, or by purchasing products and services through our shop – or a combination of all of the above.

Thank you.

Independent

robotics and automation news logo

Archivists

March 2016
M T W T F S S
« Feb   Apr »
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031  

Complex

Social

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Google
  • YouTube
  • Reddit
  • RSS Feed

Old-skool

This website and its associated magazine, and weekly newsletter, are all produced by a small team of experienced journalists and media professionals.

If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to contact us at any of the email addresses on our contact page.

We’d be happy to hear from you, and will always reply as soon as possible.

Future-facing

Communicative

Free, fair and legal

We support the principles of net neutrality and equal opportunities.

Member of The Internet Defense League

Copyright © 2019 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in