30th March 2005

Since our last Newsletter, significant progress has been made in the development of new products. It has at last become possible to complete the specifications for development of PD6662:2004-compliant control equipment (CIE).

This is because there are new requirements inherent within the standards that required agreement as to protocol between manufacturers that have only just being finalised.

The most significant relates to PD6662:2004 clause E.1.1, which requires the CIE to indicate the difference between a "single path" fault and an "all paths" fault from an ATS. You will be aware that current equipment - particularly STUs - do not permit this. Hence CIE and ATE manufacturers came together late last year to agree a protocol to comply with this new requirement. Following various comments and adjustments, the agreement was circulated for final ratification -finally being resolved during February so that we can now, at last, move forwards.

Additionally, most detector manufacturers have indicated their intention to jump straight into use of the TS50131-2-x family, rather than settle for minimum PD6662 requirements. Unfortunately, these specifications are not inherently compatible with the corresponding CIE specification (TS50131-3) - or even with EN50131-1!!

Consequently there are a number of issues relating to the inter-connections between detectors and CIE that - again - require cooperation between the respective manufacturers to establish a workable interface between their products. This has very recently reached agreement stage, but has seriously hampered the completion of CIE development.

Bearing in mind that the resolution of these issues only now permits us to complete specifications; the development and testing of product still has a way to go. At Castle, we will have compliant product available as soon as practical. However, at this stage we cannot accurately predict how long this process will take - and hence we cannot be certain when product will become available. As soon as it does, we will ensure that you are advised.

Incidentally, it is worth noting that - contrary to what some recent announcements may suggest - this has affected EVERY manufacturer of CIE equally. We do in fact have a simple summary check list available to measure up claims of compliance. Please let us know if you would like a copy.

ATE manufacturers are also affected, of course, so that there may also be some delay in the availability of compliant signalling equipment .

Please let us now if you are interested in training etc.