In this third and last installment of the article, important guidelines will be given to make an intervention in existing projects and to renew technology in Electronic Security in an efficient and fruitful way for all parties involved.
By Germán Alexis Cortés Hdez*
Order, clarity and detail
Then the Design team must, as you can see, do a much more detailed and exact work.
Plans must be available identifying exactly the existing and new elements. New and existing pipeline layouts, new, existing and shared vertical crossing points.
In the minutia and accuracy of references, serials and identification of each existing or new device, there is the success of this new design, which not only updates the specifications and performance of the system, but also provides greater coverage, better functionalities and guaranteed operation for each site and for each case.
The quantity tables (Existing and New) are complemented by indications of new uses for existing devices. The greatest entanglements and delays arise in the transfers of physical elements. That can be solved by placing alpha-numeric identifiers and colors in planes and boxes.
Vertical and horizontal spaces
Sometimes, real estate does not have the minimum spaces that current constructions usually have to house racks, cabinets, ups, among others. So a very common problem in Retrofit projects is the non-existence of these spaces and the felt need for them for new systems.
It must be taught and shown the innumerable benefits of having this type of spaces on each floor, area or section of the property, which serve to intercommunicate the entire system, either as a backbone joining the horizontal sections with verticals or as a central communication bus.
Then here it can be achieved carefully, change the use to some existing spaces and create the interconnection rooms. However, I must admit that not all projects allow it, much less in condominiums where a change in areas implies a change in all co-ownership coefficients.
When you can, perfect. In the other cases, we must accommodate a mixture of these two situations:
to. Make small centers of interconnection on top of false skies. (Through closed cabinets, with or without an interior rack). Preferably monitored, with tamper on their doors and video verification.
b. Extend the wiring paths more than normal, with the aim of placing a smaller number of interconnection points. Remember that not everything should be under Ethernet networks in IP protocols. Remember that there may be longer distance RS485 communications and IP extenders that, although they do not meet the 300 feet indicated by the EIA / TIA standard, have worked very well in electronic security elements.
Finally it is important to remember that all these elements need continuous access, for maintenance work, therefore, windows in false sky (regardless of the type that is), become mandatory. Here special care must be taken in the aesthetic, functional and safety part.
Compatibility
It is of vital importance in Retrofit, to make absolutely clear the levels of integration and coupling between existing and new equipment. The "zero boundary" between the two devices must be precisely defined. That is, detail what will be connected to what and how the interaction of analog, digital or data signals is expected to be.
Special emphasis should be placed on data protocols (if different) and their coupling gateways. And in the minutia of the data protocol and its fields (if they are apparently the same).
The operation should be left suggested, so that it is understood how the subsystems can coexist
mutually and make clear the performance that is expected.
Real example
For example, standard resolution analog cameras were recently used in conjunction with a 5Mpx resolution IP camera system. It was decided to replace the DVRs with ones with a better processor, memory and large hard disk, which would allow them to record at the highest speed and resolution. On the other hand, the NVR system was installed for storage of high-resolution cameras. The integration was made in the VMS, which allowed to "map" the analog cameras through the new DVRs and handle them in the same way as each IP camera, so that the video analytics server could provide its services to both worlds.
IP cameras were placed at the highest risk sites, replacing some analog cameras, which were moved to observe minor doors and that their resolution was adequate for that purpose.
The modifications to ducts, cables and equipment, resulted in a saving for the end user of more than 60%, compared to the total change of the system, as intended by a local integrator. The improvements to the system generated satisfaction to the end user, achieving the levels of detail they wanted and expanding their coverage. The company that designed, tested and generated the final certificate of conformity was proud.
And of course the integrator who supplied, installed and integrated the solution with the existing, understood that he has a profitable project with good expectations.
It was a win-win project for all the actors.
Budget analysis and evaluations
Once retrofit's technical design is approved by the end user, various technical and economic offers must be analyzed, with a number of alternatives. Almost always the companies that present their quotes and offers, recommend as an alternative, that the whole system be bought totally new.
You have to understand that it is a normal situation, because any commercial advisor wants a bigger sale.
However, the presence of the Designer's team is critical at this stage. Not only defending the update design and avoiding total change, but analyzing the offers and experience of each company to know its ability to integrate between existing and new technologies.
The research with the factories, visit of similar projects and technical verification in detail with each person in charge, are fundamental to discover the right company.
Then the proposals must be evaluated objectively, that is, assigning score and weight to each element requested, as well as to the financial, legal and experience part. Only in this way, objectively, it is known exactly which offer has the greatest advantages over the others. This objectivity in the evaluation, ensures that the selected company plays a good role and a smart purchase is achieved, for the benefit of the end user.
The multiplicity of alternatives that each company normally suggests, means that comparative tables must be made and discard the options that least favor the Retrofit project, until they are left with few options that are analyzed with the end user, supporting the negotiation phase and agreeing to assign the project to the company that best suits the project, without really caring if it is the cheapest or not.
A design company usually provides this service, to prevent the project from being orphaned and the original guidelines are changed, a fatal situation for a Retrofit project.
Special considerations
Although we have already talked about how it is very different to do the installation in a new system than to work in a Retrofit from an existing system, we recommend taking into account:
- Budgets are made as if you have to work on the whole project, at night and weekends.
- Take into account not only labor, but night transportation, night feeding, and unforeseen events at night. Remember that on weekends or at night, everything is closed, it is more expensive and difficult.
- Teach a lot of kindness and extreme patience to your officials. You will need it when you have to interact with the residents of the property, either in the private or communal part.
- Always have a resident engineer on site with a technician, who is responsible for anticipating the exact routes and spaces, where the rest of the group must work. A lot of time is wasted when something had been planned in plans and finally you do not get what was planned and must be modified.
- When a change is made (however small), immediately record it at the level of plans and quantities. This means that your "as Builded" plans are always updated and serve to make decisions the next day. In addition, it is obviously advancing work for the final delivery. The amount of infrastructure is normally going to be a little more than planned, sometimes it is difficult to justify it.
- Maintain smooth and continuous communication with the end user or their technical representative (controller, inspector, auditor or supervisor). Whenever you find something abnormal, indicate it immediately to speed up the change processes and/or special authorizations.
During the work of Retrofit, although the installation stage can be compared to a new installation, you must be especially careful with the changes that may occur, as a result of the inaccuracy of the information you have with the existing systems and spaces. Plus all the unforeseen events caused by third-party activities that were not taken into account in the project.
At the level of unforeseen events, please place a higher percentage in this area. I assure you that it will save your budget on several occasions.
Change control causes inconvenience to the end user, however, it must be explained from the beginning and generate a procedure for those changes to be authorized technically and economically; hopefully by the same person (preferably a supervisor, with decision-making power, authorized by the administration). Just as the integrator must have a person in charge on site, it is suggested that the intervener also does so, in this way a lot of time is gained and useless discussions and misunderstandings are avoided.
When you need to integrate something existing with the new, take special care. Record photo and video (if required) the coupling and have the entire team (including your client) approve the situation. Don't wait to finish for someone to pass, you may lose your job.
Hold regular meetings (every week is a good time), indicating progress, delivering plans, charts and getting the end user involved in the project.
The big drawbacks arise when time is allowed to pass, and someone does not agree with what was done, especially since in a Retrofit project, all those interested usually appropriate the building and think they know everything.
Appropriation and responsibility after retrofit
Keep in mind that now your company is responsible for everything. That is, be very careful with the existing elements involved, because for the end user – and it is part of the basic assumptions of a technological update – at the end of the Retrofit, all the devices (existing and new), are already under the responsibility of the company that makes the renewal of technology.
Then the problems at the end of the Retrofit are normal, but annoying, where the tests fail due to one or another factor, which always falls on the old element. The list of apologies is usually long:
It was badly installed, we did not realize that it failed, that we did not install it, so we found it, that was what we did when we started, that we can not fix, that is additional, among many other phrases.
Our suggestion is that the Integrator company that makes the Retrofit, understands that they are now responsible for ALL the devices that exist in the electronic security system, whether they have been supplied and installed or not.
Obviously the guarantees start at different times and nobody asks for an answer in the same magnitude, but once an existing system joins and integrates a new one, it is understood as a whole that must work in a unified and efficient way. That's the exact reason for an upgrade, renewal, or Retrofit.
Retrofit Commissioning
Once the new system is well advanced, it becomes necessary to start the stage of detailed tests to each element within each subsystem and integration tests. Ask about the testing protocols with which they will evaluate the Retrofit.
The Commissioning will be exactly the same as a new system, but understanding that now
all existing items and devices are considered new and part of your final system.
The test protocols to generate the certificate of conformity include all existing and new devices, remembering that the tests are done exhaustively to each device, acting autonomously and then integrating into your control hardware.
Exactly the same, as each subsystem is tested autonomously and then integrated to the others.
Suggestions for parameter or configuration improvement, i.e. that "fine tuning" of the entire integrated system, will take into account existing and new devices.
The documentation that must be delivered, must cover both worlds (new and existing elements) and of course the detail of the integration. Drawings, wiring diagrams, marking, licensing,
operating manuals, among others.
The Commissioning of an integrated system that has been the result of a Retrofit, does not differ in
nothing of a totally new one.
Maintenance after modernization
The company that has made the supply and integration of the new and existing elements, obviously expects that the preventive and corrective maintenance contract will be awarded to it.
This can be very desirable, because no one better than that company knows the updated system better. From that moment on, there is no longer any differentiation between existing and new elements.
The entire unified system is understood as a complete block that offers levels of security
important to the property. In case it is another company in charge of maintenance, special care must be placed in
the documentation that is delivered from Retrofit, especially the clarity, detail and updating of all
subsystems.
Conclusion
Electronic Security systems in Latin America have been starting Retrofit work for some time, which updates and modernizes its devices, generating better functionalities and security.
To achieve efficiency levels, you must have a work team that analyzes, designs, accompanies and certifies that all new systems are fully integrated with existing systems.
The integrator company that supplies and installs equipment, must appropriate the complete systems and respond for all the equipment (new and existing), generating a complete and efficient update and modernization
* If you want to contact the author of this article write the emails: [email protected] - [email protected]
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