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Global Monitoring System

Configure the Global Monitoring System

To set up the Global Monitoring System go to Configuration -> Plugins -> Global Monitoring System.

global_messaging_config.png

Working with configured monitors

The monitoring system provides five main functions for managing monitors:
Create, Delete, Duplicate, Import, and Export.

1. Create a Monitor

  • Press the green plus (+) button.

  • A new, unnamed alarm monitor is added to the list.

  • The new monitor is automatically selected for editing.

2. Delete a Monitor

  • Select the monitor you want to remove.

  • Press the red X button.

  • The selected monitor is deleted from the list.

  • The system automatically selects the next monitor in the list.

3. Duplicate a Monitor

  • Select the monitor to be duplicated.

  • Press the two-paper icon button.

  • A new monitor is created with all settings copied from the selected one.

  • The duplicate appears in the list, ready for editing.

4. Import Monitors

  • Press the downward arrow button.

  • Select the INI file containing the monitors to import.

  • Imported monitors are added to the list.

  • If a monitor with the same name already exists, the system asks whether to overwrite it.

5. Export Monitors

  • Press the upward arrow button.

  • Choose which monitors to export.

  • Specify a file location to save them.

  • The selected monitors are saved to an INI file for backup or transfer.

Active Monitor

The monitor selected in the leftmost list is the one currently active for editing.
All changes apply to the monitor highlighted in this list.



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Configure Action

The monitoring system can initiate four classes of actions: Alarm, Warning, Notice, and Process.
Each class defines how the system responds to detected conditions.

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1. Alarm

  • Used for emergency conditions.

  • Can take immediate safety actions, such as:

    • Disabling the machine.

    • Stopping all motion.

  • Requires operator intervention before restarting.

2. Warning

  • Used for non-critical issues that still require attention.

  • Can perform various automated actions.

  • Prevents Cycle Start while active.

  • Alerts the operator through a visible or audible signal.

3. Notice

  • Used for informational messages only.

  • Takes no automatic actions.

  • Displays a message to the operator for awareness.

4. Process

  • Used for background control actions.

  • Has the same potential actions as a Warning,
    but does not alert the operator and does not block Cycle Start.

Tip: Use Alarm for safety-critical faults, Warning for operational issues, Notice for information, and Process for silent automation tasks.

global_messaging_warning_actions.pngAfter selecting the Action Class, you can define the specific action the monitor performs when it becomes active.

Primary and Secondary Actions

  • Each monitor has one primary action.

  • Some actions allow a secondary action.

    • Example:

      • A Warning with Action: Escalate to Alarm can trigger a chosen Alarm action after a delay.

Action Timing

  • The Action Timing field defines the delay (in milliseconds) between the first and second actions.

  • Example:
    If Action Timing = 5000, the secondary action runs 5 seconds after the primary action.

Repeating Actions

  • You can configure the monitor to repeat actions while it remains active.

  • When enabled:

    1. The monitor executes the first action.

    2. Waits for the defined Action Timing period.

    3. Executes the second action (if configured).

    4. Repeats this cycle until the monitor condition is no longer active.

Tip: Use repeating actions for persistent conditions that require continuous alerts or repeated control signals.


global_messaging_action.png

Custom Actions

global_messaging_custom_action.pngIf none of the standard actions suitdo not meet your purposes,needs, you can also create custom actions. This can only be doneactions for the Warning and Process classesclasses.

of
monitors.

Enabling ToCustom createActions

a
    custom
  1. action,

    In the Action List, select Custom.

    from
    2. the
  2. action list, and then click on

    Click the Customize button next to the action.action field.

    • This button is only enabledactive when youCustom selectis selected.

  3. A Custom Action Editor window will open.

Building a Custom Action List

In the Custom itemAction from the action list. Pressing this button will open a new window.

HereEditor, you can createdefine a listsequence of thingsactions tothat happenoccur when the monitor activates.

You

Steps:

first
    select
  1. and

    Select an Action Type – Choose what kind of task the monitor will perform.

  2. Fill in Action Details – Provide required parameters or settings.

  3. Press Add Action – Adds the defined action type, fill outto the detailscustom aboutaction list.

Managing the action,Action andList

then
    press

  • AddReorder actions: Action. This list can be reordered by selecting
    Select an item and usinguse the up or down arrow buttons to movechange themits uporder.

    or
    • down

  • Remove an action:
    Select it and the red x to remove them frompress the list.red X button.

The monitor will execute the actions in the listed order each time it is activated.

image.png

image.png

global_messaging_custom_action_types.png

An item can be double-clicked on to be edited, and then you should press Update Action to save your changes.

Items will be resolved sequentially in the order they appear in the list, with no pauses in between items.


Setup Details

global_messaging_details.png

monitor

Most monitors will display an alert when their conditions are triggered.
All alert information and related settings are managed in the Details section of the monitor configuration.

Alert Information

  • The Details section controls what information appears in the alert message when the monitor conditionsactivates.

    activate.
    • The
  • information

    You can edit titles, messages, and other displayed fortext from this section.

Password Protection

  • You can password-protect a monitor from the alertDetails aresection.

    edited
    • in
  • the

    When detailsenabled:

    section
      of

    • The password is required to edit the monitor.

    • This same section is where you can also password protect a monitor. The password willis bealso neededrequired forto editing and clearing the monitor.

      global_messaging_alert.pngAdditionally, you can create a register thatclear the monitor willafter activation.

Register Output

  • The monitor can write it'sits current status to.to Thisa willregister.

    include
    • information
  • about

    The theregister enabled/disabledincludes:

    state
      of
    • the

      Enabled/Disabled state.

    • Idle/Active state.

  • Use this to track monitor andstates thethrough idle/activeexternal statesystems ofor thescripts.

    monitor.

Script Execution

  • If yourthe selected action is Execute Script, thisconfigure section is where you will set whichthe script toin run.this Thesection.

    configured

  • Specify the script shouldfile havename awith the .mcs extension.

    • Lastly,Example: thereMonitorAlert.mcs

      is
      • an
    option
    • to

Disabling a Monitor

  • You can disable the entire monitor here.without Thedeleting it.

  • A disabled monitor willwill:

    not
      be
    • deleted,

      Not butcheck its conditions.

    • Not perform any actions.

  • Re-enable it willlater notto checkrestore conditionsnormal oroperation.

    activate
    • until
the		 is

global_messaging_details.png

re-enabled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

global_messaging_alert.png

 

 

 

 

Set Conditions

A monitor will do its configured action based on the conditions that are set for it. To edit these conditions, you will need to select the Edit Conditions button. The following window will be displayed.

global_messaging_conditions.png

ConditionsMonitor conditions define when a monitor becomes active.
They are madeorganized upinto ofsets and items, which together form the logical rules that trigger a monitor.

Structure Overview

  • Sets: Groups that define the logical relationship between their items or subsets.

  • Items: Individual conditions within a set.

  • Subsets: Nested sets andthat items,allow wherecomplex eachlogical combinations.

Set Types

Each set can contain items and subsets. Sets determine what logic to use on the items and subsets they contain. There are three options for sets: AND, OR, and NOT. An AND set requires all of its items and subsets to be true before it will say it is true. An OR set only requires that at least one of itsthree itemslogic ortypes:

subsets
is
trueforittotrue.NOTsetrequiresthat inorderforitBycombiningthesesets,
Set beType Logic ADescription
ANDTrue only if all contained items and subsets are false,true.
OR True toif beat least one item or subset is true.
NOT True complicatedonly logicif canall becontained created.

items and subsets are false.

Tip: Most monitors will only needrequire a single AND set.

Adding Sets

  1. Select the parent set where the new set should belong.

  2. Choose the set type (AND, OR, or NOT) from the list.

  3. Press Add Set.

This creates a new logic group inside the parent set.

Adding Items (Conditions) global_messaging_condition_types.png

  1. Select an item type from the dropdown menu.

  2. Fill in the condition details.

  3. Press Add Condition to include it in the selected set.

Example: Machine Enabled Condition

To add a newcondition set,that selectrequires the parent set it should belongmachine to be enabled:

  1. Choose Condition Type: Signal.

  2. Select Output Signals.

  3. Choose Machine Enabled.

  4. Press Add Condition.

Editing Sets and Conditions

  • Edit a set:
    Double-click the set type fromin the left-hand list, andchange the set type, then press Add SetUpdate.

  • global_messaging_condition_types.pngTo add an item toEdit a set, selectcondition:
    Double-click the itemcondition, type from the drop down and fill inmodify the details, then press Add ConditionUpdate.

ASaving commonChanges

condition
    is

  • Press OK to requiresave theall machinemodifications.

  • Press Cancel to be enabled. To add this condition, select condition type of signal, then output signals, and then machine enabled. After those are selections are made, press Add Condition.

    To edit a set, double click on it in the left-hand display. This will allow you to change the set type and press update. Similarly, you can double click on a condition to edit and update the condition.

    Pressing OK will save changes and Cancel will discard allany unsaved changes.

global_messaging_condition_enabled.png

Save Changes

Pressing Save will save changes to all monitors and exit config. Pressing Cancel will discard all changes and exit config.

global_messaging_saveandclose.png

Common GMS Templates

See the attached ini files to download and import standard GMS functions. 

SpindleWarmupBackup.ini 

If you run a file when the spindle is not warmed up, it will warm up the spindle and then go ahead and run the file. As a safety feature, you can prevent a file from starting until spindle warmup is completed to avoid this issue. 

Diagnostics

The Global Monitoring System icon is on most screens, and will indicate if there is currently an alarm or warning active. If there are no alarms or warnings active, then the icon will be a green checkmark. If there is an alarm or warning active, it will flash a red and yellow error triangle. Clicking on the icon will open the diagnostics window.

gms_good.jpg      gms_bad.jpg

The diagnostics window will show all configured monitors and their data. The condition tree will show the state of each condition by highlighting true conditions in green. A red condition means that the condition is incorrectly configured and cannot be checked.

Alarms and warnings must be cleared to operate the machine. Pressing Reset on the operator panel will clear alarms. They can also be cleared in the diagnostics be clicking Clear All. Resetting a monitor will transition the monitor back to the idle state and reset the timers on all conditions. If the conditions on a monitor are still true, then the monitor will activate again immediately.

A monitor can be temporarily disabled here. The monitor will continue to check it's conditions and change states, but will not take any actions when it transitions out of the idle state. The monitor will re-enable itself when it transitions back to idle state or when the operator enables it again.

gms_diagnostics.jpg

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