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About Diagrams

A Diagram represents one option for the physical layout and construction of a system. A Diagram consists of a root System Subsystem record, which is linked to System Subsystem, System Sensor, System Buffer, System Link, System Asset, and System Switch records that together make up the Diagram.

When you create a System Scenario record, a System Subsystem record is created automatically and linked to the System Scenario record. Therefore, after you have created a Scenario, there is no manual step required to create a Scenario Diagram. You can build out the Scenario Diagram by adding the necessary elements and connections.

Elements of a DiagramClosed

The following table lists the elements that are available in a Diagram and the associated records that are created automatically in the GE Digital APM database when you add each element to the Diagram. Select the element in the Element column in the following table to view the properties associated with that element.

Icon Element Record Description

Start

Start None

Represents the starting point for all paths in the Diagram. This element is created by default when you create a new Diagram. You cannot enter data for this element in the Properties pane because no record is associated with this element.

End

End None Represents the ending point for all paths in the Diagram. This element is created by default when you create a new Diagram. You cannot enter data for this element in the Properties pane because no record is associated with this element.

Diagram Asset

Asset System Asset Represents a piece of equipment or location in the system. An Asset element can either be imported from an Equipment or Functional Location record that exists within the GE Digital APM database, or it can be added manually.

Buffer

Buffer System Buffer

Represents an intermediate storage container between two other elements. For example, consider Scenario A in our System Reliability Analysis example without a Water Tank element. The Water Pump produces output (water) that is fed into the Bottling Subsystem. If the Water Pump were to fail, the Bottling Subsystem would not receive any input (water) and the entire system would fail. Similarly, if the Bottling Subsystem were to fail, then the output of the Water Tank would have nowhere to go, and the entire system would fail.

Alternatively, and as is constructed in the Scenarios in our System Reliability Analysis example, a Buffer element (Water Tank) is inserted between the Water Pump and the Bottling Subsystem. If the Water Pump were to fail, the Bottling Subsystem could continue to function as long as input (water) was available from the Water Tank. If the Bottling Subsystem were to fail, the Water Tank could serve as storage for output (water) until the Bottling Subsystem could be restored or until the Water Tank could accept no more additional output. In either case, a failure of the entire system could be avoided or minimized.

Link

Link System Link

Connects other elements that work together to produce output. For example, consider the Bottling Subsystem in our System Reliability Analysis example. Each of the three Bottling Lines produces bottles filled with water. In the Link element, the Bottling Lines combine their respective outputs into one stream of output for further use beyond our example. A Link represents the "hub" where the outputs of equipment and locations meet before connecting to the rest of the Diagram.

Sensor

Sensor System Sensor

Detects the failure of a piece of equipment or location and notifies Switches of the failure. A Sensor cannot be connected to any other elements in the Diagram. If an Asset element in the Diagram fails, the Sensor that is monitoring that element will activate designated Switches to start elements running and deactivate other Switches to put other elements in standby. If the Asset element is deleted from the Diagram, then the connection between the Asset element and the Sensor will be deleted as well.

For example, consider Scenario C in our System Reliability Analysis example. Sensor 1 monitors Water Tank 1 for failures. When a failure is detected, Sensor 1 deactivates Switch 1, which deactivates the failed Water Tank 1, and activates Switch 2, which activates the available Water Tank 2.

Switch

Switch System Switch

Represents a component that is activated or deactivated by a Sensor when a failure occurs. Switches allow you to connect or disconnect an entire branch of the Diagram when failures are detected.

For example, consider Scenario C in our System Reliability Analysis example. Switch 1 is deactivated by Sensor 1 when a failure of Water Pump 1 is detected.

Subsystem

Subsystem System Subsystem

Represents an entire system of equipment and locations. You can build Subsystems within other Subsystems within the main Diagram to model production units.

Connecting ElementsClosed

After you add elements to a Diagram, you must connect the elements to create the Diagram. Depending on the structure of the system for which you are creating a Diagram, you will want to connect elements to each other in a series or parallel to one another.

Note: Interaction with diagramming and design canvases is not available on touch-screen devices.

Elements Connected in a Series Closed

When you connect elements to each other in a series, every element has one preceding connection and one succeeding connection, with only one path from the Start element to the End element. For example, in the following image of Scenario A in the System Reliability Analysis example, the elements in the Diagram for Scenario A root subsystem are connected in a series: every element between the Start and End elements has one connection from an element and one connection to an element, and you can reach the End element from the Start element in only one way.

Elements Connected in Series

Elements Connected in Parallel Closed

When you connect elements in parallel to one another, one or more elements will be connected to multiple elements, and there will be multiple paths from the Start element to the End element. For example, in the System Reliability Analysis example, the Bottling Line elements in the Bottling Subsystem root subsystem are connected in parallel. In this case, the Start element and the Linkelement are connected to three Subsystem elements: Bottling Line 1, Bottling Line 2, and Bottling Line 3. Therefore, there are three different paths from the Start element to the End element, depending on which of the three Bottling Lines that you pass through.

Elements Connected in Parallel

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