What to Learn from a Plant’s Frequency Data
If you’re old enough to remember the Internet browser called Netscape, then you may remember the company’s CEO – Jim Barksdale – who once quipped: “If we have data, let’s look at data. If all we have is opinions, let’s go with mine.” Fortunately for those that come to this blog there’s typically sufficient amounts of data. That said, a question often raised relative to a plant’s process data is: What gems are hidden in it? Read More
What’s the Difference between FactoryTalk Historian and PI?
The market for data historians continues to expand rapidly. Credit that trend to the growing appetite among process manufacturers for advanced analytics. As the market grows so too does the number of questions about the different products that are available. Read More
Where Can I Get Control Station 3.7? What Happened to Control Station v3.7?
While not all things get better with time some things do actually improve as they age. Anyone over 40 might argue with that statement, and they might have every reason to do so from a personal and physical standpoint. Even so, just a casual glance around – whether in an academic or an industrial setting – offers signs of progress nearly everywhere. To be sure there’s been plenty of progress here at Control Station. Read More
How Does Loop Monitoring Help with Root-Cause Analysis?
For most individuals, a house is the most expensive asset that they’ll ever purchase. And while living there a homeowner can expect a significant problem or two to arise whether that problem involves a leaky roof, termite damage, or some other costly issue. A downside of such problems is that the damage is typically and irrevocably done before the homeowner encounters the first visible signs that the issue even existed. Read More
What Relationship Exists Between Loop Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance?
Let’s say you take your car in for an oil change. The oil you select is rated for traveling a distance of 5,000 miles. In all likelihood the technician places a stickeron the car’s front window – a simple reminder of when the oil will be due for another change. In roughly 4 months this routine will be repeated. Read More
What Value is Hidden in a Plant’s Process Data
While a typical Distributed Control System (DCS) keeps a watchful eye on production and scheduling there are other important details that a DCS simply overlooks. To be clear, a DCS consumes process data in order to measure and regulate the flow of material through a plant. It interprets sensor data and orchestrates adjustments to Final Control Elements in order to maintain Set Points. Read More
Who Should Use Feed Forward Control? What applications are best for Feed Forward?
It’s not uncommon for process control discussions to focus on use of the PID to improve a loop’s ability to track Set Point. Oftentimes tweaks to controller tuning parameters either seek incremental reduction in Settling Time or strive to limit Overshoot. Indeed, many PID tuning courses position optimization of a control loop’s Set Point Tracking as the ultimate goal. Such a bias overlooks the value of other strategies like Feed Forward Control. Read More
What Methods are Available for Accessing OSIsoft’s PI Server?
When someone jumps into a project without thinking things through we’ll often say that he or she took the “hard way”. While the easy way usually involves a little more thought at the start, it typically results in a faster and more satisfactory finish. Racing into a project often results in delays, cost overruns, and general dissatisfaction. This is especially true in the world of software application development. Most every software technology firm can share stories to corroborate the value of a well-planned project versus the hazards of a poorly planned effort. Read More
The Benefits of Feed Forward Control
By nature most people are reactive when it comes to dealing with life’s big expenditures. Think of happy occasions such as graduations and weddings. Then consider more somber milestones like retirement. By most accounts the average worker is wholly unprepared to absorb the costs linked to these and other of life’s events. Even though the timing and amount of those costs can be forecasted, the typical approach to saving for the future isn’t up to the task. Face it: As a species we’re wired to be reactive! Read More
