This is one of those tips that you cannot appreciate until you have worked on a control system that did NOT have adequate messaging programmed in it. Operators want to know what is going on, and system messaging is usually their only clue. Imagine running a complex or dangerous process and not having any feedback [...]
At the end of the day, a process automation project is measured by how it delivered the unit of production – or in many processes, the “molecule” – to the client. I know, we hang our hat on a lot of other metrics, such as improved asset utilization, better selectivity, increased throughput, higher quality, less [...]
Throughout the month of June, Houston will be home to an intensive educational experience designed to meet the automation and control community’s needs for comprehensive technical training in a highly condensed format. Over four consecutive weeks, the ISA Houston Section will host ISA’s Technical Training Camp. The Section will be sponsoring a three-part training event, [...]
In the 1970s, there was a concerted effort at the chemical company I worked for to provide extra process measurement connections throughout the plants for pressure and temperature measurement. These connections could be used as needed to help identify and solve unforeseen problems. The installation of a wired transmitter on a temporary basis was not [...]
ISA is sponsoring a free Alarm Management Bootcamp webinar with MAVERICK Technologies on Thursday, May 30. By attending, you will learn how to whip your alarm system into shape. Two of the industry’s top alarm management experts will share their insights – real engineers presenting real solutions and real results. Topics include: Approaches for new [...]
Abstract: This paper deals with the design of PI controllers which achieve the desired frequency and time domain specifications simultaneously. A systematic method, which is effective and simple to apply, is proposed. The required values of the frequency domain performance measures namely the gain and phase margins and the time domain performance measures such as [...]
At one time, I worked in a large continuous process plant that had alarms coming in constantly. The operators could hit the “Silence” button in their sleep. We had a case where a process flow was accidently diverted to the wrong tank, and it eventually filled and overflowed the tank. Even though the tank had [...]
If recent events in St. Louis, Mo., are any indication of the future of automation, then prospects are indeed bright. More than 10,000 students from around the globe, from ages 6 to 18, gathered April 24-27 at the Edward Jones Dome to put their engineering skills and scientific know-how to the test at the annual [...]
Safety experts and ISA authors Bill Goble, Ed Marszal, Paul Gruhn will participate in a webinar on the latest safety instrumented system performance developments. The webinar, co-sponsored by ISA and hosted by Knovel, will be held Thursday, 16 May at 2 p.m. Eastern time and will cover the pros and cons of the following areas: • [...]
Presidential Executive Order on Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity draws comprehensive response from ISA and AF U.S. Presidential Executive Order 13636, announced in President Obama’s 2013 State of the Union address and signed on 12 February, is intended to confront the growing threats and risks of destructive and potentially deadly cyber attacks on the nation’s critical infrastructure. [...]
