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Why Are Control Loops Operated in Manual Mode?
Why do manufacturers automate production? Why do they spend millions each year on new equipment and software? Those questions are pretty straight forward, and the answers seem obvious. Clearly automation allows manufacturers to improve the control of complex and business-critical processes. Surely automation reduces the cost of operation by enhancing production output while reducing production-related waste. But if that’s the case, then why do staff at automated facilities choose to operate production in any mode other than “auto”?
Read MoreWhat is Output Distribution? How Is It Helpful?
Most of us know what it means to give 110%. Whether by a coach urging players to finish strong or a supervisor encouraging staff to hit a project deadline, many of us have been asked to go beyond some normal expectation of output. Even though we’re limited to giving 100%, operating at such a high level can result in great achievements. When that high octane performance level is required for only a brief period the impact on staff can be minimal. If demanded for an extended period, however, the impact can be long lasting and even debilitating. We’re only human, right?
Read MoreWhat Tools Are Available for Optimizing the CS 3000 and Centum VP DCS?
What have you done for me lately? That question directly influences the behavior of most everyone within a production facility. Face it, we operate in a meritocracy that has little to no memory of past contributions and as professionals we’re constantly striving to demonstrate value. Unfortunately the need to deliver day in and day out can feel like Groundhog Day without Bill Murray’s sense of humor.
Read MoreDo CLPM Solutions Adapt to Changing Performance Expectations?
What have you done for me lately? That question directly influences the behavior of most everyone within a production facility. Face it, we operate in a meritocracy that has little to no memory of past contributions and as professionals we’re constantly striving to demonstrate value. Unfortunately the need to deliver day in and day out can feel like Groundhog Day without Bill Murray’s sense of humor.
Read MoreDoes Tuning a PID Controller Require a Bump Test?
It’s generally accepted that tuning a PID controller requires some form of testing. Whether a step, bump, doublet, or pseudo random binary sequence, the test forces a change to the Controller Output (CO) which drives a response in the Process Variable (PV). The dynamic relationship between the CO and PV provides the basis for modeling a process’ behavior. In turn, the model is converted into tuning parameters corresponding with your controller. All of this is made possible by conducting a simple test. But what if it’s not that simple.
Read MoreWhat Tuning Software is Available for Use With Rockwell Automation Controllers?
If you’re tired of manual tuning and you want more than the auto-tune function can muster, then you’re in luck. There are a variety of software products that support the array of PLCs and PACs from Rockwell Automation. No surprise that the only solution recommended by Rockwell Automation comes from your friends at Control Station.
Read MoreWhat is Model-Predictive Control?
Model-Predictive Control (MPC) is advanced technology that optimizes the control and performance of business-critical production processes. So is Control Loop Performance Monitoring (CLPM) software. But if both help practitioners to optimize control loop performance, then what’s the difference?
Read MoreWhat Is Cascade Control? How Is Cascade Control Configured?
As they say: Timing is everything. The lag between upset and response directly impacts a system’s performance along with the performance of other processes with which it interacts. Fortunately, there are a variety of approaches available that leverage the PID’s capabilities. These approaches improve a system’s ability to reject the negative impact of disturbances. Cascade Control is among them.
Read MoreWhat is Lambda Tuning?
Tuning a PID controller should always start with a clear understanding of both the control objective and the Design Level of Operation (DLO). Unfortunately a subsequent step (the calculation of tuning parameters) can often put practitioners in a bind relative to achieving the designated objective.
Read MoreWhat 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.
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