Newest Release Supports All Rockwell Automation Controllers and Fills Technology Void
November 16, 2011 – Control Station today announced availability of LOOP-PRO Tuner (Allen-Bradley Edition) version 1.6. The new release extends the range of controller forms supported with the important addition of the Internal Model Control (IMC) block structure among other product enhancements. These latest improvements arrive with positive end-user feedback and come on the heels of termination of RSTune® and RSLoop Optimizer from Rockwell Automation.
LOOP-PRO Tuner targets the needs of manufacturers primarily within the process industries. First introduced in 2009, LOOP-PRO Tuner provides a valuable complement to the PlantPAx suite. The software integrates seamlessly with other Rockwell Automation assets using either RSLinx® or FactoryTalk® Gateway. It supports both Logix-based programmable automation controllers and MicroLogix controller algorithms. LOOP-PRO has quickly become the preferred PID controller tuning software for many of the largest process accounts supported by Rockwell Automation.
If tuning software requires a steady-state to function properly, then you’re usually better off flying by the seat of your pants to calculate tuning coefficients,” shared Jim Sybrandy, MPC Engineer at Praxair, Inc. “It’s LOOP-PRO’s integration with our existing Rockwell Automation assets and NSS technology that sets the product apart.“
LOOP-PRO’s patent-pending Non-Steady State (NSS) Modeling Innovation equips end-users with significant technical and economic advantages when tuning dynamic processes. LOOP-PRO software eliminates the need for a steady-state condition prior to the performance of traditional bump tests. As a result, LOOP-PRO can accurately model and rapidly tune PID controllers in a broader array of industrial applications, including normal operations as well as the start-up and commissioning of production processes.
Jim Sybrandy continued, “We recently evaluated LOOP-PRO against a variety of tuning tools and used LOOP-PRO to tune several interactive PID loops that would go unstable when outside a narrow range of operation. The results were evident: LOOP-PRO handled these difficult loops and allowed us to quickly stabilize control and to implement our MPC strategy. Additionally, LOOP-PRO cut tuning time by two-thirds, utilizing a repeatable and effective tuning method.“
LOOP-PRO is actively supporting a broad range of application needs within the Rockwell Automation user community. For the second consecutive year LOOP-PRO has been promoted in the Toolkit Program as an add-on product. A special licensing option has been established by Control Station for systems integrators, OEMs, and other groups which allow them to benefit from the software and enhance the delivery of both products and services. Licenses of LOOP-PRO have also been provisioned to the regional offices of Rockwell Automation for demonstration purposes.
