Newest Product from Control Station Simplifies Data Access and Caters to Multinational Manufacturers
October 30, 2018 – Manchester, CT – Control Station today published the latest release of its award-winning LOOP-PRO™ process modeling and PID controller tuning technology. Among other feature enhancements the Fall 2018 Release introduces an innovative capability for connecting live to any commercial PID controller. The new release also enhances the software’s overall performance and security via a comprehensive rewrite, and it now caters to the multilingual needs of Control Station’s growing base of international customers.
A key feature of the Fall 2018 Release is the software’s ability to connect live to any commercial Proportion-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller. The new capability utilizes OPC Data Access (DA) to identify and connect to the essential PID tags found within a licensee’s control network. Once identified LOOP-PRO stores the path to each controller tag, facilitating future tuning sessions and continuous process improvement. In contrast to offline analysis LOOP-PRO’s live connection feature allows users to interact directly with control loops and adjust PID tuning parameters in real-time.
“Enhancements like LOOP-PRO’s live connection capability equip our customers with valuable options for improving control loop performance,” shared Rick Bontatibus, Control Station’s Vice President of Global Sales. “Whether based on its online or offline tuning capabilities LOOP-PRO continues to distinguish itself as the industry’s most intuitive and innovative loop optimization solution.”
The new live connection option extends LOOP-PRO’s existing DirectConnect™ capability. DirectConnect utilizes an OEM’s unique API to connect live to PIDs that are discoverable on a licensee’s control network. The fully integrated DirectConnect option is available for leading OEMs such as Emerson, NovaTech Process Solutions, Rockwell Automation and Yokogawa. All LOOP-PRO products follow a highly intuitive and repeatable procedure for loop tuning. Additionally, they are all powered by the company’s proprietary Non-Steady State Modelling Innovation which eliminates the requirement for a steady-state condition prior to initiating the tuning procedure.
With the Fall 2018 Release all LOOP-PRO licensees also benefit from a comprehensive rewrite of the software’s code. The new release leverages Microsoft’s Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) which accommodates the resolution requirements of modern industrial displays. The updated code also elevates LOOP-PRO’s compatibility with other cutting-edge automation technologies while also enhancing its overall security.
“This release represents a significant milestone for our research and development efforts as the transition to WPF will facilitate future innovation,” stated Brett Beauregard, the company’s Director of Product Development. “Even in the world of PID controller tuning we see meaningful opportunities to make technology simpler and more impactful.”
In support of Control Station’s growing base of international and multinational customers LOOP-PRO now supports a broad array of languages. The Fall 2018 Release automatically detects a licensee’s language preference based on his or her computer settings and selects an appropriate translation. Languages currently supported by LOOP-PRO include English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish with others to be added based on market demand. Today LOOP-PRO is licensed to customers in over 55 countries. In acknowledgement of Control Station’s international success the US Small Business Administration recognized Control Station with the 2018 Exporter of the Year Award for the State of Connecticut.
Control Station is a leading provider of process diagnostic and optimization technologies. The company’s products have been recognized with numerous awards for innovation, and they have been licensed to nearly 40% of all manufacturers listed on the Fortune 500.
About Control Station
Control Station empowers process manufacturers to increase production efficiency and throughput. The company’s software-based solutions actively monitor and optimize plant-wide control loop performance.
The company’s products are both highly innovative and award-winning. PlantESP™ is the leading CLPM solution for identifying and isolating issues that negatively affect control loop performance. Control Station’s portfolio of LOOP-PRO™ products is recognized as the process industry’s leading solution for PID controller tuning. It is the only controller tuning software that accurately models oscillatory and noisy process data.
Control Station’s solutions are licensed to leading process manufacturers worldwide and they are available direct from Control Station and through its network of distribution partners. The company is headquartered in the United States.
