Top Secret: How Regulatory Control Evaluations Uncover Hidden Opportunities for Production Gain

While most technology investments require proof before a purchase can be made, each
production facility has unique attributes for which general industry-wide benefits don’t necessarily apply. A short-term, highly focused evaluation can equip manufacturers with clear financial evidence. Equally important, an evaluation illuminates how the associated KPIs both align with the facility’s annual production goals and allow management to remain on top of progress.

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What Should I Look for in Performance Monitoring Software?

You’ve probably heard it referred to as Control Loop Performance Monitoring, Loop Performance Monitoring, Controller Performance Monitoring, or even just Monitoring software.  The long list of names aside, the technology is relatively new and it addresses a need shared by most manufacturers.  That need is for improved awareness of issues negatively affecting a plant’s control loop performance.  The benefits of these monitoring tools range from increases in production output and quality to reductions in energy consumption and waste.  While more and more of PID controller monitoring technologies are popping up the question remains: What’s needed in Control Loop Performance Monitoring solution?

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When Profits Are Hidden in Plain Sight

If you drive a car, then you probably benefit from McGard’s products.  Their proprietary lug nuts keep automobile tires where they belong – on your car.  In fact, McGard is the nation’s leading manufacturer of mechanical anti-theft devices.  When market demand outpaced McGard’s production capacity they focused their attention on existing production lines.  With the help of PlantESP the engineering team at McGard successfully tapped into opportunities that had been seemingly hidden in plain sight.

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Is the Harris Index Right for Your Loop Assessment Needs?

Predicting the weather is difficult – just ask a meteorologist. Even with the help of advanced analytics few seem to get it right with consistency – just ask any parent who has dealt with an unplanned snow day. In addition to more advanced tools meteorologists rely on basic measures such as Temperature, Wind Speed, and Atmospheric Pressure. Their continued reliance on these simpler metrics provides food for thought.

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Using the Oscillation Metric to Uncover Tuning Issues

There’s a wealth of information available in most every data historian. The data can be used to evaluate the performance of a plant’s regulatory control systems in general and to uncover PID controllers that require tuning in particular. Capitalizing on that resource can help manufacturers keep their processes within designated constraints and avoid out-of-spec production.

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