Application Solutions (Safety and Security) Ltd

View of City Thameslink train station which is now equipped with iVENCS 3D control and supervisory platform  iVENCS is aimed at mission-critical facilities that require lifelike representation of events within an integrated control environment across many disciplines and sub systems. ASL Safety & Security has delivered its iVENCS 3D control and supervisory platform at City Thameslink train station in London as part of the Thameslink programme. iVENCS is a sensor and event fusion environment in which voice, data and video can be filtered, analysed and directed from the full range of subsystems used at transport hubs. At City Thameslink, iVENCS is monitoring public address and voice alarm (PA/VA), CCTV, help points, alarm reporting and voice recorders. The PA/VA systems employ ASL's own Vipet IP audio controller, a hardware platform developed in conjunction with the VIPA software suite that provides a VoIP and digital voice announcement solution for railway stations and airports. iVENCS is aimed at mission-critical facilities that require lifelike representation of events within an integrated control environment across many disciplines and subsystems. Use of a distributed and open standards-based 'publish and subscribe' model for messaging ensures efficient use of bandwidth compared with rival 'hub and spoke' architecture control room software. City Thameslink train station has got upgraded fire safety and security from ASL's iVENCS systems The installation at City Thameslink is the first stage in a three-part infrastructure project that ASL is providing for the rail division of engineering design consultancy Atkins who in turn are working for Network Rail. The Thameslink programme will deliver longer, more frequent trains across London. The Thameslink route franchise has been operated by the train operating company (TOC) First Capital Connect since 2006. In a second stage, ASL will supply its subsystem supervisory software and VoIP hardware at Blackfriars Station, a site that poses unique logistical challenges for all contractors since it lies on both sides of the River Thames. The final phase of the project will be Farringdon Station to the north of the city's financial quarter. All three stations will have their own operational centres employing the iVENCS control solution. ASL Safety & Security won the contract in open tender based on the functionality of iVENCS shown in successful deployment at a major international airport and at St. Pancras International Station - currently Europe's busiest rail hub where the software controls over 8,500 field devices across 16 subsystems. Sousan Azimrayat, Founding Director of ASL, said: "All safety, security and communication systems at City Thameslink are being represented to First Capital Connect as meaningful images in real time. Our remit has included configuration, installation, creation of training material and consideration of the end-user's corporate culture and working practices. During temporary enabling works as the station neared completion, ASL even installed an interim public address system before the central monitoring process went live." She continued: "City Thameslink is unusual in that it is a mainline station whose platforms are underground, a feature that affected the design of many of the communication subsystems and the fully-interactive 3D GUI model created by ASL. In addition to equipment supply, ASL's software remit included an architectural design overview, operator interface design and preventative maintenance procedures." 

The 39 stations will have ASL’s iPAM400 amplifiers developed specifically for railway infrastruture projects ASL Safety & Security along with Babcock Rail in Glasgow will upgrade the Network Rail’s long line public address (LLPA) system at 39 stations. ASL Safety & Security are working with Babcock Rail in Glasgow to replace Network Rail’s legacy long line public address (LLPA) system at 39 stations operated by ScotRail around the city centre and surrounding urban areas as part of an infrastructure upgrade. ASL’s VoIP-based iPAM long line PA solution is operating from intelligent amplifier mainframes installed at individual stations encompassing an area as far as Newton, Barrhead and Neilston. Amplification is provided by highly efficient modular amplifiers using proprietary Adaptive Class-D technology. The IPAMs combine routing, Ethernet connectivity and loudspeaker line monitoring in a compact 2U fanless frame which is rigorously tested for rail and other transport infrastructure applications. The Glasgow project uses iPAM400 amplifier units running the VIPA operating system. VIPA is ASL’s scalable Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) public address software, a library of IP-enabled solutions such as text to speech, message fragment storage and multicast functionality for Windows and Linux platforms. ScotRail’s operational hub for the area is at Paisley. Here, the operator oversees the system’s front end using ASL’s mini-iVENCS® PA/VA control and monitoring platform which offers real-time display of announcement zone status and translucent overlay of customisable PA/VA zones. iVENCS® uses distributed architecture with a messaging backbone based on the Open Source XMPP messaging and presence protocol. This innovative technology will deliver a reliable and high-quality service to the travellers Ian Findlay, Senior Project Engineer at Network Rail, said: “The adoption of this innovative technology in our stations will deliver a reliable and high-quality service to the travelling public and make journeys a more enjoyable experience by providing clear, up-to-date train information.” ASL’s iPAM400 amplifiers have been developed specifically for rail projects where close integration of PC/DVA (Digital Voice Announcements) with Customer Information System (CIS) functions is called for. Operators and maintainers receive status information on all PA equipment via mini-iVENCS, with a seamless upgrade path allowing related safety and security subsystems such as CCTV, access control and passenger help points to be controlled and monitored using the same 2D or 3D GUI. Peter Andrews is ASL’s Head of Projects.  He said: “Babcock Rail, in cooperation with Network Rail, has put together a well-engineered solution and a delivery team who are committed to working with ASL and Cisco as suppliers to provide an equipment replacement strategy that guarantees high-quality message delivery while working reliably on legacy copper.  Another notable success was Network Rail’s unusual decision to record announcements using a member of staff. This has introduced a bright, fresh and friendly accent to Strathclyde’s commuters.” He continued: “In contrast with the previous generation of public address systems, VIPA allows assembly of message fragments at the station level. Operators are merely triggering data that is stored locally. Telecoms engineers will immediately recognise the bandwidth efficiency and built-in redundancy of this approach.” Babcock Rail is the Glasgow-based rail division of Babcock International. It is a major player in the UK rail infrastructure market, delivering track renewals works, signalling and control systems as well as rail power solutions. Babcock is the largest track renewals contractor in the UK. Network Rail is the rail network infrastructure owner and maintainer, and is Babcock Rail’s client for the LLPA equipment renewal project. ScotRail is a member of FirstGroup plc, Britain's leading transport provider. The company operate 95% of passenger rail services in Scotland, providing 2,000 services a day. ScotRail also operates all but three of Scotland's 344 passenger stations, of which 142 are staffed. 

Nuclear facilities require special security measures, as they are prone to hazards and fatal accidents ASL Safety & Security have supplied a high-integrity building evacuation system (BES) to Sellafield Ltd at the company's nuclear processing facility in Cumbria. Sellafield currently performs multiple tasks geared towards decommissioning the UK's nuclear legacy as well as fuel recycling, manufacture and waste management. As a key safety system at this nuclear-licensed site, the equipment is required to be entirely dual redundant, with emphasis placed on a design that meets key objectives for a robust architecture, unaffected by environmental and electromagnetic factors as defined in BSEN 61000-6-4 and BS EN 61000-6-2. The system also meets the stringent BS5839:8 standard for voice alarm systems. Nuclear facilities have unusual requirements and safety is so critical at this location that a 'confidence tone' is broadcast at 15-second intervals around the clock. The presence of these regular pips reassures personnel that the evacuation system is functioning correctly. If an event is activated manually by criticality incident detectors or activity-in-air monitors specific to a building, a distinct warning tone is broadcast within 300 milliseconds and the location in question is evacuated. At the same time, "Keep Out!" warning beacons are triggered throughout the evacuation zone. Local residents are automatically contacted by telephone and can also ring a number to hear a description of various emergency sirens. Failure of any of the components will not affect the operation of the system as a whole. The amplifiers employed are ASL's M400 rack-mounted main frame units which use the company's unique class-D adaptive technology to minimise power consumption, meaning a reduced sizing requirement for battery back-up. The system features dual power supplies, routers and standby amplifiers modules with speaker line monitoring and automatic switching carried out via DC surveillance.