WIRED MONITORING VS DIGITAL MONITORING

At a Glance

Wired / Hardwired Monitoring

CCR
 │
 ├── RUN contact ──────────→ Control Panel
 │
 ├── FAULT contact ────────→ Control Panel
 │
 └── REMOTE/LOCAL contact ─→ Control Panel

Digital Monitoring

CCR
 ↓
Controller
 ↓
Digital communication
 ↓
Network
 ↓
AGL Control System
 ↓
Control Room

Worked Example: Simple CCR Monitoring

Suppose the control room needs CCR ON, CCR FAULT, remote mode, and circuit fault status.

CCR
 ├── Signal 1 → ON
 ├── Signal 2 → FAULT
 ├── Signal 3 → REMOTE
 └── Signal 4 → CIRCUIT FAULT

CCR
 ↓
Digital Interface
 ↓
Network
 ↓
AGL Monitoring
 ↓
ON / FAULT / REMOTE
CIRCUIT STATUS
CURRENT / VOLTAGE
TEMPERATURE ...

One Signal vs Many Data Items

This is one of the biggest differences between the two approaches.

1 physical signal
      ↓
Usually 1 defined function

1 communication link
       ↓
Many data parameters

How Each Approach Scales

More equipment
     ↓
More signals
     ↓
More cables
     ↓
More terminals
     ↓
Larger control panels

Many devices
     ↓
Network switches /
communication
infrastructure
     ↓
Control system

Digital architecture can significantly reduce point-to-point control wiring as the number of monitored devices increases.

What Each Approach Can Tell You

CCR FAULT = ON

CCR
 ↓
Fault code
 ↓
Temperature
 ↓
Output current
 ↓
Operating hours
 ↓
Event timestamp
 ↓
Control room

Getting Signals to the Control Room

AGL
 ↓
Hardwired signals
 ↓
Remote I/O
 ↓
Control room

AGL
 ↓
Network
 ↓
Control system
 ↓
Control room

Digital Monitoring Does Not Mean Wireless

Digital ≠ wireless. Digital communication can run over copper Ethernet, fibre optic, serial cable, other physical network media, or wireless communication where specifically designed.

Where Each Approach Fits Best

Conventional AGL vs Smart AGL

This connects directly with the broader Smart AGL discussion — digital monitoring acts as an important enabler of Smart AGL.

AGL equipment
 ↓
Hardwired status
 ↓
Control panel

Smart AGL equipment
       ↓
Digital data
       ↓
Network
       ↓
Central monitoring
       ↓
Diagnostics
       ↓
Condition-based
maintenance

What Gets Verified at FAT

Verifying the Complete Path

Equipment
 ↓
Cable
 ↓
Terminal
 ↓
I/O
 ↓
Control system

Equipment
 ↓
Network
 ↓
Switch
 ↓
Gateway / server
 ↓
Control system
 ↓
Operator workstation

How Each Approach Can Fail

Digital systems provide greater capability but introduce additional failure modes beyond the purely physical/electrical ones.

A Digital-Specific Concern

Hardwired monitoring has relatively limited exposure to network-based cyber threats. Digital monitoring introduces networked equipment.

AGL
 ↓
Network
 ↓
Servers / workstations
 ↓
Other systems

Digital AGL systems therefore require appropriate:

• Network segmentation
• Access control
• Authentication
• Configuration control
• Logging
• Secure remote access
• Cybersecurity management

This becomes particularly important if AGL is integrated with A-SMGCS or other airport operational systems.

How Troubleshooting Differs

Equipment → Cable →
Terminal → I/O

Equipment → interface →
network → protocol →
server → application

Where the Costs Sit

Best Architecture Is Often Hybrid

For critical AGL systems, it does not have to be hardwired OR digital — a hybrid architecture can be advantageous.

                 AGL Equipment
                      │
          ┌───────────┴───────────┐
          ↓                       ↓
    Hardwired signals       Digital interface
          ↓                       ↓
    Critical status          Diagnostics
    Safety signals           Measurements
          ↓                       ↓
          └───────────┬───────────┘
                      ↓
                AGL Control System

For example:

• Critical/interlock signals → hardwired
• Detailed diagnostics → digital
• Routine status → digital
• Emergency functions → dedicated architecture where required

The actual architecture should follow the project's safety and control philosophy.

How to Remember the Difference

WIRE = ONE SIGNAL,
ONE PHYSICAL PATH
      ↓
Equipment
   ↓
Dedicated wire
   ↓
Control system

NETWORK = MANY DATA
ITEMS, ONE COMM SYSTEM
      ↓
Equipment
   ↓
Digital interface
   ↓
Network
   ↓
Control system

Wired Monitoring vs Digital Monitoring

Critical/interlock and safety signals often stay hardwired; detailed diagnostics, trends, and condition-based maintenance data increasingly move to digital monitoring as AGL systems scale.

Engineering & Expert Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

Governing Documents

For an actual project design, always verify the current edition of the applicable documents.

Wired and digital monitoring are not two versions of the same signal — one is a dedicated physical path carrying a predefined function, the other is a shared network carrying rich, structured data.

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