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What is Variance? What Metrics are Useful in Identifying Process Change?
Ever walk onto the production floor and just sense that something was different? Whether it was something you saw, heard or even felt, a certain sixth sense kicked in and triggered an alert something’s changed. With what takes place at a production facility change is an everyday occurrence. Considering the typical facility’s size, the interconnected unit operations, the network of piping and instrumentation, and the nonstop throughput, there’s no avoiding change. In fact, a key part of the job is simply staying one step ahead of it.
What is Cross-Correlation?
Do you remember when school kids simply lined up according to height before heading to the library or to gym class? Shortest in the front. Tallest in the back. A quick glance forward and backward is all anyone needed to do to more or less confirm his or her place in the queue. Any outlier (generally the class clown) could be identified and adjusted quickly by the teacher. Wouldn’t it be nice if the process for isolating and correcting controller issues was that simple?
What Training is Available for Process Control and PID Controller Tuning?
The latest report published by the Manufacturing Institute underscores the growing shortage of skilled labor here in the United States. Their 2014 study of skills and training Out of Inventory simply affirms what manufacturers knew coming out of the Great Recession. Years of trimming staff during the downturn would come at a cost during the upturn. Apparently the bell has sounded it’s time to go to class.
How Do I Isolate the Root-Cause of Control Loop Performance Issues?
Finding controller performance issues in a typical production facility is not hard, but isolating and correcting their root-cause can present real challenges. Ask around stories abound of production staff who tune a PID control loop or re-pack a valve but ultimately fail to correct their problem. What may seem like the source of a performance problem is often little more than a symptom.