3 - Introduction to Overwatch in Design Pad

Owned by Gary Cane
Last updated: Oct 23, 2023
2 min read

Design Pad is a tool created by Fairmount Automation to configure, program, and simulate our products.  For the Overwatch System, Design Pad can import / export configuration spreadsheets, provide a free-form environment for creating custom programs and network interfaces, simulating one or more panels in the system, and interfacing with live panels for configuration and diagnostics. 

This video contains the following information:

  • Design Pad General Layout and Feature Location

  • Creating a New Fire System

    • New Workspace

    • Import Excel Configuration

    • Validation

    • Create Hardware Interface Files (HWI)

    • Resulting Window Layout from Import

  • Network View (6:25)

    • Ethernet Network Settings

  • Change Excel Configuration and Re-Import (7:20)

    • Indication of Pending Changes to Save

  • Exporting the Configuration to a New Excel File (9:15)

    • Export Post-Processing In Excel

  • Changing Configuration to Use Panel Notification Appliance Circuit (NAC) (11:00)

    • Add NAC to Zone 1 Alarm Output

    • Setting Wheelock Sync Pattern

    • Re-import in Design Pad

  • Communicating With the Panels (13:20)

    • Select Panel to Communicate With

    • Use Ethernet or USB / Serial

      • Set USB Communications Port

      • Note: The Ethernet and USB micro-B connections are made on the rear of the main screen inside the panel

  • Panel Firmware Update (14:45)

    • Note: Firmware files can be found in your Design Pad installation folder or downloaded from our Product Software Repository site

    • Note: You can set the initial Ethernet IP Address of the panel using the top-left Menu → Diagnostics → Network on the panel screen.  This ability is only available on a panel that has not yet been configured

  • Query Panel Hardware Information (20:40)

  • Programming Panel With Configuration (21:55)

  • Other Communication (24:40)

    • Erase Configuration 

    • Set Date/Time (25:20)

    • Reboot Panel

    • Retrieve System Log

  • Example Imports with Verification Errors (26:25)

    • Add Two Errors To Configuration

    • Review Import Errors

    • Fix Errors and Re-import

You can download the Design Pad workspace used in the video here.