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Meet Apprion's ION Applications, ION Collaboration and ION Mustering

ControlGlobal.com
02/20/2012

By Apprion

Apprion unveils two new applications, ION Collaboration and ION Mustering, both integrated into the ION System and presented in ION's unified dashboard interface. This results in a tightly focused, highly tailored solution which addresses the complex challenges of managing and monitoring critical processes and activities in industrial environments.

In the harsh environments of industrial processing facilities, complex requirements and activities can lead to chaotic and even dangerous situations. There is a pressing need for a centralized information platform with clear, up-to-the-second communications about the status and safety of personnel and equipment. Apprion's ION platform sits at the heart of a facility's plant network, automatically integrating numerous applications that can be selected in a plug-and-play fashion, as needed.

ION Collaboration

ION Collaboration, part of the ION Communications Family, is a real-time communication system that allows work teams to communicate collaboratively with message streams filtered according to topic, avoiding unnecessary distractions. Similar to consumer-oriented social networking systems, plant, field, or control room personnel can post critical messages on a topic-specific "stream," so that all members of a team are up to date on events and activities related to a particular process.

Each activity feed has its own secure stream, and user groups are established so that only members of that group have access to a specific wall or information stream.  Mobile users can view and contribute to the stream via mobile devices such as phones or electronic tablets. Tailoring communications so that everyone contributes and receives strictly relevant messages, and in real-time, vastly improves communication within and around an industrial facility, leading to enhanced productivity and – most important - safety.

ION Mustering

A part of the ION Location family, the ION Mustering Application provides wireless technology and the integrated ION dashboard to verify the location and status of all personnel during an emergency. The solution leverages real-time personnel tracking via WiFi, GPS, or RFID Tags and visual confirmation of the safety of every individual within a facility, providing a much faster, accurate and more efficient system than traditional manual processes. When an alarm is activated, all safety wardens can immediately identify which personnel are already in the mustering area and who might be missing.  Personnel icons on regional maps show specific location as well as a visible trail of recent movement.

These new industrial applications together provide for a unique yet critical approach to team collaboration, personnel safety and efficient workflow in daily activities. Like all ION Applications, they are easily integrated into the ION System to provide limitless functionality. For example, when combined with ION Video, safety wardens have access to a visual check on mustering areas to identify personnel and view live status. ION Emergency Notification activates an audible alarm for hazardous situations and evacuation and field personnel can communicate their status in a live activity feed via ION Collaboration.