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Cable security with RMACS

Extreme Automation Projects’ locally manufactured Reticulation Monitoring and Control System (RMACS) provides South African businesses and building owners a reliable and cost-effective cable theft detection solution.

Copper cable theft is having a devastating effect on the South African economy, resulting in indirect costs of an estimated R5bn for the country’s fixed line operator Telkom and parastatals Eskom, Transnet, Prasa and Metrorail alone.

This crime not only costs state enterprises billions annually in damages due to the destruction of essential power and telecommunications infrastructure but the costs associated with power outages and telephone communication interruptions for private entities can be crippling.

The Reticulation Monitoring and Control System is locally designed, engineered and assembled by Extreme Automation Projects – a Johannesburg based engineering solutions company.

The core function of the RMACS is to provide reliable earth cable monitoring and thus prevent or deter cable theft. RMACS operates in standalone mode but can easily interface and enhance the functionality of any existing building management system using modbus. Although RMACS is modbus based, suitable drivers can be made available to interface with other building management systems.

RMACS provides various purpose-made input/output modules to monitor and control MV and LV voltage main and sub distribution boards. RMACS monitors events such as power supply failures, earthing abnormalities or any other equipment typically found in large buildings. RMACS is well suited for office buildings, shopping centres, hospitals or any other complex.

RMACS’ scada-based graphic user interface provides for the easy viewing of system events with full data logging and provides security graded access levels for management, maintenance personnel and operators.

Features include:

• Cost-effective way of monitoring electrical reticulation of buildings, shopping centres.

• Locally engineered system and installation teams.

• Protection of all major cables through the building.

• The RMACS monitors powered and unpowered cables.

• The system is scalable and can connect to existing building management systems.

• The system is based on reliable module communication.

• Security personnel viewing screen on entire building displaying events.

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