PowerBase
Enterprise Asset and Test Management System
Track and report on asset engineering and maintenance records
Doble PowerBase™ (PowerBase) integrates power system engineering and maintenance data into a central, comprehensive protection database platform that supports universal interfacing and automated office-to-field processes. Use PowerBase in your operations to consolidate device data and supporting documentation of unlimited power system components across your enterprise.
PowerBase puts you in control of designing device records, workflows and reporting functions that suit your needs. The interface is highly configurable and enables your teams to have uniform transactions across device types whether initiating test and maintenance work or researching auditable information required for compliance to regulatory mandates.
The true power of PowerBase is found in protective relay asset management where maintenance intervals and settings are linked to test procedures driven by Doble Protection Suite™ and Doble RTS™ software. Work assignment and settings data become embedded into the test process directly which produces relay test results that reflect maintenance program standards and verify settings of record.
With industry-driven features, scaled licensing, and expert professional services, PowerBase offers a comprehensive platform that promotes consistency, efficiency, a connected workforce, and compliance to PRC-005 and numerous other NERC standards. Let PowerBase support your company’s unique asset performance, maintenance tracking, and reporting needs.
FEATURES
GeneralAsset ManagementSettings ManagementTest ManagementWorkflowReportingSecurity
- Asset and test data warehousing with universal tracking over the lifecycle of protective relays and other power system components
- Configurability throughout: tabs, fields and templates; workflows and work assignments; reports and dashboards; user and device security; data and process governance, and more
- API and options for data integration with enterprise asset management, work management, and other commercial or in-house O&M systems
- Modules to popular protection engineering and relay configuration software applications
- Data control and management of test procedures and results
- Document archiving, versioning, comparing, and reporting
- Internal workorder system that supports linking to external work management software
- System messaging and user notification tools
- Configurable security setup and data partitioning that works with Active Directory authentication
- Localization of language, numeric formats and dates
- Expert implementation services
- Active user community
Included Features:
- Asset inventory information tracking: nameplate, active/spare/archive, location, history of modifications and ability to revert to previously archived datasets
- Engineering: lifecycle tracking of settings values, comments, and documentation
- Electrical test data: lifecycle tracking of test procedures and test results; reliable data backup for PB Field, Protection Suite and RTS
- Documentation: policies & procedures, manuals, photographs; central repository that collates documentation to associated asset, settings, and test records
- Database maintenance utilities for field modification, consistency checking, data migration and cleanup
- Searchable and reportable records archive
System Interface Options:
- PowerBase API and/or External Sync Interface for exchanging data with EAM systems including SAP and Maximo
- Cascade Module for viewing PowerBase settings and test results data within Cascade
Included Features:
- Universal device configuration and setpoint tracking, including relay protection settings
- Configurable settings templates: Global settings (common to all relays) and relay-specific settings; view/hide options; settings tracked in table/grid format and native file format; settings status definitions and workflow, etc.
- Horizontal and vertical settings views
- Metadata tracking: Issued By, Tested By, Approval Date, etc.
- Storage, listing, comparisons, searches, reporting, archiving
- Settings lifecycle management: configurable status assignments (Pending, Deployed, Completed, etc.) and tracking
- Automated settings-embedded test procedure deployments and settings-verified results with PB Field, Protection Suite and RTS
- Settings file management: Associations to discrete sets of settings; comparisons and printing; versioning (utilizes OEM software)
- Support of multi-group settings
- Settings formatting and bounds checking
- Extensive catalog of templates and file parsers for popular relay models and other electrical devices: ABB, Alstom, Ametek, Areva, Basler, Beckwith, Cooper, Elastimold, Fischer Pierce, GE, GE Muiltilin, GEC, G&W, PowerComm, Protecta, S&C, Schneider, SEL, Siemens, XRIO and more!
Protection Engineering Interface Options:
- Aspen OneLiner Module for extracting settings from PowerBase and bringing them into OneLiner
- CAPE Module for moving settings to and from CAPE and building CAPE settings forms in PowerBase
Relay Settings File Interface Options:
For creating templates and importing settings from OEM configuration software file formats. Built-in file comparisons and reporting are included.
- Beckwith Module (IPS/TPT)
- GE Module (URS)
- SEL Module (5010/5030)
System Interface Options:
- PowerBase API for exchanging settings data with external protection engineering software
- SynchroGrid SARA API for exchanging settings data with SynchroGrid SARA (Settings Automation Relay Assistant) software for efficient compliance to NERC PRC-027 requirements
Included Features – PB Field/Protection Suite/RTS
- Test procedure and results data warehousing
- Embedding of nameplate, settings and workorder data into test procedures
- Configurable import/export options
- Online upload/download using PB DirectTM with Protection Suite and PB Live TestingTM with PB Field and RTS
Included Features – General
- Pseudo DevicesTM for tracking maintenance on non-serialized ancillary devices such as DC cabling and CT/PT wiring
- Test procedure versioning and approved-only version controls
- File attachment storage, version control, tracking and reporting
- Deployment and results retrieval filtering
- Lifecycle results storage, trending and reporting
- Supervisory accept/reject controls
Test Interface Option:
- PB Field Module for a universal field testing and maintenance application that connects data and records from external test software and forms-based manual testing to the PowerBase system.
Included Features:
- Work Assignment Interface for configuring main actions and tasks in logical track-to-completion sequence in accordance with instituted operational practices
- Configurable monitoring and automated internal messaging upon change-of-status of devices and work assignments
- Interfaces to external messaging systems (Outlook or other SMTP mail service)
- Visibility and tracking via configurable dashboards
- Ability to integrate with external work management systems, engineering software and PB Field, Protection Suite and RTS test software applications
System Interface Options:
- PowerBase API and/or External Sync Interface for exchanging workorder data with external systems (Maximo, SAP, and others)
- Cascade Module for aligning Cascade maintenance orders with PowerBase work assignments
- Wizard-based Report Generator offering field selection, conditional logic and advanced layout/formatting capabilities. Numerous configurable templates are provided:
- List Report – generates device information in a list view
- Comparison Report – compares two datasets
- Associated Device Report – lists devices associated to an original device dataset
- Multi-Device Compliance Report – lists relays, pseudo device dates and associated devices
- Results (Protection Suite and RTS) – queries test results filtered by test routine and test selections
- Result Drift (RTS) – compares As Found and As Left values
- Results Trending (RTS) – trends test results and test values
- Global Settings Report – searches Global settings (values that are common to all settings templates)
- Template Settings Report – searches specific settings values of given relay types
- Multi-Template Settings Report – searches specific settings values across multiple settings templates
- Setting File Report – searches attached settings files for specific settings values
- File Report – searches attached files by name and description
- Device Change Report – searches device nameplate changes
- Copy an Existing Report – create a new report from a copy of an existing report
- Import Report – allows reports exported from a different database to be imported
- Custom SQL-based report generation capabilities
- Custom testing progress reports for configuring start/end date ranges for devices to test and completed device testing
- PB Field and RTS quick reports for As Found/As Left queries by date range
- Configurable Dashboard for individual and global visibility of reports and monitored data
- Report saving, editing, and sharing
- Configurable role-based security with internal (to database instance) authorization
- Seamless interface with Active Directory for users and groups of users
- Data visibility, edit ability, and value constraints (data integrity) controlled by security constants assigned to groups (roles)
- User configurable contact manager tied to security groups
- Logging of events in the application (login/logout, file access, etc.)
- User data partitioning for access and restrictions to any district, division and department-specific data
BENEFITS
Standardization Process EfficiencyConnected Teams Compliance Readiness
PowerBase brings clarity to the different kinds of asset data and information involved in maintaining power system components. Whether basic or highly specific, the mission critical engineering, testing, and administrative details you need can be tracked and managed in PowerBase for standardized, source-of-truth records in your operations.
- Interfaces – Rules governing data exchanges with external software ensure consistency of records between systems.
- Devices – One master template per asset type (relay, battery, breaker, etc.) ensures individual records have a consistent data structure regardless of different model/style characteristics.
- Settings – One master template per model/style tracks device-specific settings alongside settings lifecycle metadata in a uniform format that accommodates all types of protective relays and other configurable assets.
- Test Records – One master procedure (PB Field, Protection Suite, RTS) containing baseline requirements per device model/style provides the means for ensuring consistent testing and maintenance practices and consolidated results analyses.
- Tracking and Reporting – The design of the database schema enables powerful system functions for maintaining record consistency and querying template, device and operational data limitlessly for any tracking and reporting needs you have.
PowerBase is more than just a data repository…it’s a virtually limitless data warehouse that integrates system records into trackable workflows that handle the intricacies of office and field operations. Linking PowerBase to external software increases efficiency by automating dataflows between enterprise work management, protection engineering, and field maintenance systems.
- Asset Management – Expansive nameplate data tracking in PowerBase — asset details, test completion dates, last test results, latest settings status, NERC-reportable information, etc. — and integration with EAM simplifies administrative control and change management.
- Settings & Configuration Management – Numerous features – ability to manage all types and quantities of relay or other device settings centrally; numerous modules and parsers that automate extract/exchange operations when working with settings and configuration data; integrations with protection engineering software – reduce complexity and save time while increasing accuracy.
- Maintenance Management – Integrations w/PB Field, Protection Suite, and RTS preserve the use of procedures and test systems that are familiar to test crews and give them simplified records management with upload/download operations that are automated.
- Work Management – Parameters defined in the Work Assignment Interface produce workorders that are as basic or as elaborate as desired and integration with WMS or CMMS enables automatic updates and sustains records consistency between systems.
PowerBase interconnects diverse utility electronics lifecycle data that teams from different operating areas can access centrally rather than searching through separate shared drives, in-house database systems, or EAM/WMS/CMMS locations. The data and information ecosystem created by PowerBase fosters effective collaboration among teams, breaking down the silos that separate workers.
- Administrators – Tremendous configurability simplifies adapting and expanding data tracking capabilities in system records to suit the needs of a diverse user base. Specific user, group, and role-based access and permissions are also highly configurable and easily controlled.
- Compliance Officers – System interfaces enable test results from the field and records from engineering teams to be consolidated into one source-of-truth location with tracking and reporting functions that simplify audit readiness.
- Engineers – Settings and configuration data, along with associated notes, comments and documentation, integrate into the workflow, simplifying peer reviews and supervisory approval processes.
- Relay Technicians – Test procedures are embedded with correct workorder and device data from administrative staff and approved settings data from engineering. Results provide required evidence needed by compliance officers.
- Supervisors – Standardized testing driven by procedures that integrate workorder, engineering and compliance data provide the means to produce results that address the needs of stakeholders consistently and allow controls and standards to evolve non-disruptively.
PowerBase gives organizations the ability to design their ideal compliance data and process tracking environment, a highly configurable one that scales to handle existing mandates and adapts easily as standards evolve. On top of consolidated and standardized evidence, PowerBase offers comprehensive reporting that equips compliance officers with tools for querying auditable system data as desired.
Tracking NERC Standards in PowerBase
Whether with simple checkboxes that identify devices that fall within given standards, or full device layouts that hold numerous compliance-related datapoints, PowerBase offers an array of features for capturing and producing evidence needed for a host of NERC compliance standards. This list highlights some of the NERC standards being tracked in several PowerBase implementations:
- PRC-004 – Interfaces to protection engineering software promote efficient misoperation studies; features for control – like settings bounds checking – promote accuracy; test result data confirms settings as present on device and pass/fail tolerances accepted; associated comments visible in intra-engineering and office-to-field workflows.
- PRC-005 – All elements – relays, CT/VT, station batteries, DC circuitry, communications equipment – and maintenance, including point-to-point wiring checks, breaker trip checks, etc., can be tracked for supporting time-based, condition-based, and performance-based maintenance plans.
- PRC-006 – File attachment features accept any documentation and keep revision histories and comments; scheduling features support due dates for UFLS assessments; device/location associations support UFLS island configurations per plan designs.
- PRC-008 – Configurability of, and associations between, asset records support identification of UFLS equipment; interface to PB Field software integrates UFLS equipment maintenance.
- PRC-019 – Asset records support configuration of facility, synchronous condenser, and protection devices as desired; interface to PB Field software integrates field inspections and evidence retrieval in support of coordination.
- PRC-023 – Asset record configurability (nameplate and settings) supports identification by operating/loadability levels; interfaces to Protection Suite and RTS support control of test records (procedures and results) that enable analysis.
- PRC-027 – The API to SynchroGrid SARA software automates the verification of settings of record in PowerBase. SARA utilizes PowerBase settings data, and short circuit modeling data from Aspen and CAPE, in the performance of automated coordination studies enabled by computations via smart templates that use settings and fault values. Settings updates are returned to PowerBase, if any. The solution satisfies PRC-027 by establishing a consistent settings development process, enables protection engineers with fast and consistent coordination studies and data availability that aids the discovery of fault level deviations from baseline.
- CIP-002 – Configurable nameplate fields support identification of cyber systems and tracking of Low/Medium/High criticality.
- CIP-008 – Response plan criteria supported by purpose-built “incident” record type configured with required fields.
- CIP-010 – Asset records support secured lifecycle tracking and baseline comparisons of changes to cyber assets/TCAs – passwords, firmware, security software versions, device replacements, maintenance histories.
- CIP-011 – Evidence of information protection supported by Active Directory authentication and configurable security parameters granting or restricting user access to specific records as desired. FAC-008 – Asset records support datapoints for tracking facility design and construction information; lifecycle commissioning and performance testing results supported by PB Field interface.
WEB VERSION
The tool you trust, now with a modern web interface that features solid functionality and numerous customer-driven enhancements.
Key Features and Benefits:
- Keeps desktop version setup intact.
- Supports popular web browsers.
- Mobile friendly screen resizing.
- Modern look and feel.
- Easy setup and version control among users.
- Fast synchronization with the thick client (desktop) version.
- Reliable alternative if desktop version is offline or unavailable.
- Follows industry standard security policies for web applications and uses your existing PowerBase security setup including Active Directory.
Tools offered in the web interface replicate essential functions found in the desktop version, such as report, dashboard, and upload/download utilities, while offering general layout and navigation refinements that allow multiple ways to tailor your experience to your specific requirements.
Below are images of the modern look and feel of the PowerBase web platform:
Click an image to enlarge
The PowerBase web interface is available through [email protected] for customers with maintenance and support in active status. Additional information can be found in the Resources tab.
USE CASES
The virtually limitless possibilities PowerBase offers for data control and process tracking give power generation, transmission, distribution, and industrial companies numerous options for managing diverse protection system devices and other electrical components. Experts from Doble transfer knowledge and offer best practices throughout the system design and implementation process. Customers become equipped with the skills and understanding to utilize administrative tools effectively for hands-on creation and sustainment of their own unique PowerBase environments.
LICENSING
From small teams that manage relatively few assets to large multi-site operations, PowerBase implementations vary in scale and configuration as differently in profile as the individual utility and industrial companies that comprise the user community. Software maintenance and support services provided by Doble include access to knowledge base information and free attendance to monthly online PowerBase user group meetups and the annual Doble Protection Seminar where in-person PowerBase forums are held.
The PowerBase License
PowerBase is a central source of record that is highly-configurable, secure and reportable. All asset types are supported, making PowerBase the ideal component to complete your asset management program.
The base license scales by quantities of assets and user seats. System interface solutions are available for connecting PowerBase to other software in your environment. Modules can be added that work with popular relay and protection engineering applications. Import/export and parsing tools are provided that automate working with proprietary setting files from numerous manufacturers. Settings data managed in PowerBase become embedded into Protection Suite and RTS test procedures and can be tracked throughout relay lifecycle and work processes flowing through these protection testing systems.
System Features:
- Asset quantity and concurrent seat license scaling
- Configurable forms, tabs and views
- Lifecycle asset data tracking
- Documentation control and versioning
- Configurable reports and dashboards
- Pseudo Devices (non-serialized, ancillary components like device-to-device wiring, etc.)
- Interfacing to Protection Suite, RTS, and other Doble test system software
- Work Assignment Interface
- Active Directory authentication and configurable user/security setup including data partitioning
Available Options:
- PowerBase API™
- PowerBase SyncService™
- Cascade Module
- PB Field™
- Aspen Module
- CAPE Module
- Beckwith Module
- GE Module
- SEL Module
- SynchroGrid SARA API
Implementation Training and Consulting:
A custom program of training along with Tier 1 and Tier 2 consulting services ensures your team becomes in-house PowerBase experts. Training and consulting professional services are hourly as defined in a Statement of Work that accompanies new PowerBase system licensing. Training and consulting services can also be scoped for assisting customers with implemented systems.
RESOURCES
BLOG
PowerBase Overview Video
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