To help operators in critical industries such as oil and gas, nuclear and power generation upgrade their alarm systems, Omniflex is supporting the transition from legacy CSA alarm annunciators to its modern OMNI16R platform. This allows the upgrade of ageing alarm infrastructure, including MPAS 90 and SA9100, while maintaining the clarity and reliability essential for safe operations.
Alarm annunciators have long played a vital role in high-risk environments. While digital control systems have evolved significantly, the need for clear, unambiguous alarm indication is as important as ever. Industry standards such as SIL, IEC 61508 and EEMUA 191 continue to emphasise effective alarm management, reinforcing the role of annunciators as a critical safety layer.
“While control systems have advanced, the need for clear and reliable alarm annunciation has not diminished,” says Ian Loudon, international sales manager at Omniflex. “Many operators still rely on legacy systems that are increasingly difficult to maintain and integrate. With OMNI16R, we are enabling a practical upgrade path, retaining the clarity and dependability of traditional annunciators while introducing the flexibility, connectivity and long-term performance required for modern industrial environments.”
Many facilities still operate decades-old legacy CSA annunciator systems, increasing the pressure on operators to modernise. These are often large, panel-based installations with extensive hardwiring, making them difficult to expand, maintain and integrate with modern control environments.
OMNI16R has been developed as a direct replacement for these legacy systems, offering a compact and flexible alternative. Its modular architecture reduces wiring complexity and simplifies installation while enabling scalable configuration to suit both small and large alarm systems.
The system incorporates advanced features and built-in communications, enabling integration with supervisory, SCADA and reporting systems. This allows operators to move from isolated alarm panels to fully connected alarm management environments, improving visibility and operational efficiency. The technology has been installed at sites across the United Kingdom and at the Uganda Electricity Generation Company, highlighting the growing demand for future-ready annunciator systems.
Designed with longevity in mind, OMNI16R is expected to support operations for decades, making it a sound platform for organisations planning phased upgrades of legacy alarm systems.
How DCS can step off the hardware obsolescence treadmill Schneider Electric South Africa
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Schneider Electric argues that virtualising DCS environments breaks the cycle of hardware obsolescence, giving plant operators a smarter path to lifecycle modernisation without production disruption.
Read more...Rethinking corrosion protection in process plants Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Remote monitoring is changing how cathodic and anodic protection systems are managed in process plants, giving operators continuous visibility of corrosion protection performance and enabling more proactive maintenance decisions.
Read more...Loop signature Part 2-6
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
The Loop Signature series turns to frequency plot theory, explaining Bode open-loop plots and how dynamic gain, phase lag and crossover frequency can be extracted from test data to inform more accurate control loop tuning.
Read more...PC-based control in surgery Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Researchers at the University of Basel are using Beckhoff PC-based control technology to develop a miniature laser robot for minimally invasive bone surgery.
Read more...Rethinking corrosion protection in process plants Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Omniflex explains how integrating remote monitoring and cloud-based platforms into cathodic and anodic protection systems is helping process plant operators stay ahead of corrosion and make smarter maintenance decisions.
Read more...Preserving a French heritage landmark Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Omniflex supplied a remotely monitored impressed current cathodic protection system for the Perret Tower in Grenoble, a protected French heritage site, combining 24/7 corrosion protection with integrated surge protection against lightning strikes.
Read more...Lessons in long-distance telemetry Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Industrial Wireless Data Acquisition & Telemetry
Key engineering lessons from decades of deploying wireless telemetry systems in demanding industrial applications, covering network management, power constraints, physical challenges and the value of open, simplified architectures.
Read more...How the DCS can step off the hardware obsolescence treadmill Schneider Electric South Africa
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Ageing servers and unsupported operating systems are quietly eroding the stability of process plants that rely on distributed control systems. Kobus Vermeulen of Schneider Electric explains how virtualising the DCS environment can break the hardware obsolescence cycle without disrupting operations.
Read more...Long-distance signal delivery is critical to rail safety Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
A remote monitoring specialist explains why fibre optic technology is increasingly replacing copper cabling in safety-critical railway signalling systems.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version