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Reflections from a Computer Science Major. Wandering in process control for 30 years. A Brief History. 1970s – 1980s: Minicomputers in direct digital and supervisory control 1980s – present: Programmable controllers in discrete and analog control
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Reflections from aComputer Science Major Wandering in process controlfor 30 years
A Brief History • 1970s – 1980s: Minicomputers in direct digital and supervisory control • 1980s – present: Programmable controllers in discrete and analog control • Mid-1980s – present: personal computers in supervisory control, human interface, management • Right now: distributed, device-based control; information management
Typical Applications • Design and Configuration • Data Acquisition • Direct (Loop) Control • Alarm Detection • Trend Analysis • Advanced Control • Scheduling and Production Management
Outcomes • Lower costs • Energy, raw material • Throughput • Improved speed, nameplate capacity • Safety • Quality • Consistency • Higher profit margins • New Products
Some Delivered BenefitsThrough Additional Control • Gas at the King of Beers • Megawatts on Wheels • A Sticky Situation at 3M • 7,000,000 Smiles a Day at SKB
Trends to Consider • Sensors and Control: • There are loops that are not controlled because sensors or controllers don’t exist • Sensing technology • Size, Power • Distributed, interoperable control, (Fieldbus) • Human Interface • Centralized “Industrial Nintendos” are giving way to hand-held devices, Internet browsers • How to interact with people given limited tools
Visualization Trending Alarm Management Advanced Control Optimization Configuration PID PID Regulatory Control Calculations AI AO AI 4 -20 mA 4 -20 mA 4 -20 mA Today’s Control Implementation
Today’s Control Implementation Supervisory Software Configuration Visualization Trending Alarm Management PID PID Regulatory Control Calculations AI AO AI PLC 4 -20 mA 4 -20 mA 4 -20 mA
PID PID AI AI Control in the Field With FOUNDATION Fieldbus Visualization Trending Alarm Management Advanced Control Optimization Fieldbus Regulatory Control Calculations AO
Trends to Consider • Networking • Wiring sensors and controls are expensive • Self-discovering, self-correcting, secure instrumentation networks are being developed • Can we apply WiFi, Bluetooth, low-end networks(e.g. 9600 baud serial over radio)
Trends to Consider • Information Management • What is “real time”? • How to handle, relate, archive and retrieve different, asynchronous data • e.g. process continuous & event, human demand • After MRP there was ERP. ERP begat “supply chain management” which begat “customer relationship management” • Is there a successor on the horizon? • Who is affected? (The 3-day car)
The Future is Interdisciplinary • Mechanical Engineering: • Sensors, materials, devices, controllers, actuators • Electrical/Computer Engineering: • Sensors, networks, protocols, wireless devices and applications • Computer Science • human interface, data compression, CAD integration, subsystem integration • Mathematics • Modeling, new control algorithms, advanced control (the new neural networks) • Biomedical Engineering • Fermentation, manufacturing process development • Management • Key Performance Indicators, Global operations