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ThePowerofIntegration
ChooseanAutomationInfrastructureThatWillBoostPerformanceTodayandReadily AdapttoTomorrowsDemands
ByKeithLarson,VPContent
Thepotentialandthepowerofintegrationliesinwhatcanbeachievedwheninformationismade available,incontext,toallofthedevices,systemsandindividualsresponsibleforcontrolling,maintaining andmanagingproduction. Imaginethatwithoneclickanoperatorcanaccessanyinformationrequiredtomakeaninformed decisionregardlessofwherethedataresides.Orthatamaintenancetechniciancanaccessfromher wirelesstabletthecommissioningdisplays,diagnosticsandactiveworkordersforthetransmittersheis troubleshooting. Realizingthisvisionrequiresseamless,transparentaccessto Martin dataandinformationfromalltraditionalhierarchicallevelsof Hollenders plantinformation,fromfielddevicestocontrolsystem primer applicationstobusinesssystems.Andoneschoiceofprocess Collaborative Process automationarchitecturecanplayamajorroleinjusthow Automation easyorimpracticalrealizingthepowerofintegrationcan Systemsis be. availablefrom ISAPressand through ABriefHistoryofIntegration Amazon.com. Inthecontextofprocessautomation,thepursuitof integrationhasalongandstoriedhistory.Indeed,eversince thefirstdigitalnetworksandmicroprocessorswereusedfor processcontrol,establishingmeaningfulcommunicationlinks amongfielddevices,controllersandsoftwareapplicationshas beenacentraltaskofprojectwork. Butintegrationoftenwasabigandcomplexjobdisparate systemsandapplicationsfrommultiplesolutionproviders madeconnectionsbothtimeconsumingandexpensiveto build.Further,sinceeachlinkwastypicallyapointtopoint,customcodedsolution,theyproved inflexible,fragileandamaintenanceheadache:Changeorupgradeonesystemandbreakthelinks betweenthem.Asaresult,realizingthefullpromiseofrobust,seamlesslyintegratedsystemsandthe collaborationandinformeddecisionmakingtheywouldallowremainedmoreimpracticalaspiration thanachievablereality. Fastforwardtotoday,andagrowingnumberofprocessmanufacturersarefindingthattheirchoiceof automationarchitecturecandramaticallystreamlineintegrationtasks,inturnenablingnewlevelsof businessbenefitsintheformofincreasedlevelsofcollaborationandproductivity,improvedoperator effectiveness,aswellasstreamlinedsystemengineeringeffortandlowerlifecyclecosts.Further,because theproperinfrastructurearchitectureabstractsprocessdataandinformationitselffromtheunderlying communications,thebenefitsofintegrationcanmorereadilybepreservedinthefaceofinevitable changesintechnology,controlstrategyandbusinessprocesses.
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FromDCStowardCPAS Theevolutionofthetraditionaldistributedcontrolsystem(DCS)intotodaysmorecapableandmoreall encompassingprocessautomationarchitecturehasbeenchronicledbytheanalystsattheARCAdvisory Groupastheadventofthecollaborativeprocessautomationsystem,orCPAS. Fromafunctionalpointofview,CPASrecognizesonlytwosystemsinaprocessplant:thebusinesssystem andtheCPAS,eachwithdifferentclassesofapplications,writesDaveWolloftheARCAdvisoryGroupin MartinHollenders2010bookCollaborativeProcessAutomationSystems.TheCPASvisionleveragesa single,nonhierarchicalEthernet/TCPIPcommunicationsbackbonesuchthatfielddevices,controllers andapplicationsareabletoexchangedataandinformationwithoutbarriers,Wollnotes.Indeed,the CPASguidingprinciplesofacommoninfrastructurethatisfunctionallytransparent,logicallyconciseand basedonstandardsgoalongwaytowarddescribingtheoptimalautomationarchitecturethatmakes possibletheseamlessintegrationofplantsystems. IndustryTrendsandControlSystemImplications
IndustryTrend AutomationApproach ControlSystemRequirements
Systemmustproviderealtime informationaccesstoallstakeholders
Informationintegrationplatformwith visualization
Extensiveintegrationcapabilities
FromInstrumentstoApplications Attheleveloffieldinstrumentation,avarietyofstandardsbasedfieldbusand,morerecently,wireless networksprovideanefficientandtransparentmeansofgatheringbothprocessanddiagnosticdatafrom intelligentfielddevices.Oncewithinthecontrolsystemnetwork,thisdatacanbeusedforcontroland visualizationaswellasforconditionmonitoring,assetoptimizationorothernoncontrolapplications. Fromanarchitecturalstandpoint,itisimportantthatonescontrolsystemoffertheflexibilityto communicateoveranyofthestandardfieldbusandwirelessprotocols,allowingultimatefreedomof choicedependingonaparticularapplicationstechnicalandbusinessrequirements. Fromapracticalstandpoint,too,variousinstrumentsandfielddevicesmaycommunicateoveramore limitedrangeofstandardprotocolseitherbecauseoftheirspecializednatureorevencountryoforigin. Further,thereisanenormousopportunitytodaytointegrateintelligentdevicesthathavenot traditionallybeenpartoftheprocessautomationmix,notablyintelligentelectricaldevices,the integrationofwhichviatheIEC61850communicationstandardenablesadvancedautomationstrategies suchasintegratedpowermanagement.
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Atthecontrollerlevel,consideranarchitecturethatleveragesthefullsuiteofOPCstandardsfromOPC DA(DataAcquisition)toAE(Alarms&Events)toHDA(HistoryDataAccess)aswellastheupandcoming OPCUA(UnifiedArchitecture)toprovideaconsistentmeansofintegratingthirdpartyprocess controllers,includingprogrammablelogiccontrollers(PLCs)andotherdevices.Thisapproachallows productionfacilitiestogainthe Atthefield level, benefitsofintegrationwhile lookforthe evolvingtheircontrolplatform abilityto overtime,avoidingtheneedto seamless ripandreplaceolderyetstill accommodate multiplefieldbus functionalsystems. andwireless protocol Theoperatorcanthenviewand standards. interactwithallofthe equipmentthatheisresponsible forwithouthavingtolookat multiplescreensorloginto multiplesystems.Thismakesthe operatormuchmoreefficient andprovideshimacomplete viewoftheunitorplant.Further,itprovidesamigrationpathforoldersystems,enablingalongeruseful life,andreducestrainingrequirements. Attheapplicationslevel,todaysmostadvancedautomationarchitecturesincludeacommonengineering, informationandvisualizationenvironmentaninformationbusofsortsthatfacilitatesseamless integrationofthirdpartyapplicationssuchasforintegrateddocumentmanagement,electroniclogbooks andlaboratorysystemsthattraditionallyhavenotbeenintegratedintotheprocessautomation architecture.Withtheseandotherintegratedsolutions,commonvisualizationacrossplantareasdelivers savingsinengineeringaswellfacilitatingtherightoperationalandbusinessdecisionsandactionsto maximizeproductivity. Finally,atthebusinesssystemslevel,ensurethatintegrationalreadyhasbeendemonstratedbetween yourchoiceofprocessautomationarchitectureandyourcompanysbusinesssystemplatform. Meaningful,realtimeconnectivitybetweenyourplantsprocessautomationsystemsandenterprise resourceplanning(ERP)systemsisanincreasinglyessentialrequirementoftodaysmoreagileprocess manufacturingcompanies.Averifiedintegrationsolutionwillreducemaintenancecostsandprovidea configurableandconsistentwaytosharedatabetweenthetwoenvironments. TowardMoreEffectiveOperators Onekeyconsequenceoftheproperchoiceofautomationarchitectureisimprovedoperator effectiveness,whichinturncanyieldenhancedproductionperformance.Integrationimplicationsofones architecturechoicesincludetheability(orinability)toprovidecontextbypullingtogetherinformation regardlessofsourceorlocation,aswellastheabilitytofilteroutirrelevantinformation.Personalized, roledependentworkstationsandeffectivealarmmanagementareexamplesofthisadvancedintegration functionalityatwork. Acrossindustry,satellitecontrolroomsaregivingwaytocentraloperationscentersascompaniesfind thatthisapproachcanyieldimprovementsinbothoperationalexcellenceandfinancialperformance throughmoreeffectiveutilizationofoperationsstaffandimprovedcollaboration.Theproperautomation architecturecanaidinintegrationofthesemultipleplantareasandfunctions,providingbothfieldand controlroomoperationspersonnelwithaquickandeasytousedecisionsupportenvironmentfor analyzingandtroubleshootingbothroutineandupsetconditionsacrosstheplant.
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Operatorseffectivenessintheseoftenexpandedrolesalsoisenhancedbyoptimalergonomicand presentationtechnologies,includingadvancedkeyboardswithhotkeys,directionalsoundsystems, integratedandadjustablelighting,andmotorized/adjustableworkstationconfigurations.Inadditionto betterdecisionmakingbyoperators,thisattentiontohumanfactorsinthecontrolroomcanresultin reducedturnoveramongthesehighlytrainedpersonnel,attractionandretentionofnewstaff,anda reductioninworkplacehealthissues. Finally,theassuranceofoperatorcompetencethroughpropertrainingalsoisaffectedbyintegration factors.Acloselyintegratedtrainingenvironment,forexample,makesitpossibletotrainoperatorson simulatorsthatbehaveessentiallyidenticallytoactualplantsystems,instillingconfidencethatoperators canrespondcorrectlytoabnormalsituationswhentheyarise.Anintegratedsimulationenvironmentalso providesaplatformforoptimizationstudiesandknowledgecapture. ObjectsandStates:EmpoweringEngineers Theabilityofonesautomationarchitecturetoreadilyenableseamlessintegrationrestsinnosmallpart onmakingthenecessaryengineeringtaskseasiertodo.Ratherthancustomcodinganinterfacebetween twoapplications,whynotdraganddroptheneededdatapointfromonewindowtoanotherinthe engineeringconsoleandlettheunderlyingarchitecturetakecareoftherest? Perhapsmorethananyotherunderlyingtechnology,theincreasinguseofobjectorientedarchitecturesis makingthisstreamliningofintegrationeffortareality.Inshort,theconceptofobjectorientation encompassesthosesoftwaredevelopmentandsystemsengineeringprinciplessuchasinstantiation, inheritanceandencapsulationthathelptomakepossiblemanagingandeffectivelyintegratingthe enormousnumberofdetailsinvolvedwiththethousandsofpiecesofequipmentandinformationina typicalprocessplant.
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AgilityfortheFuture Thechoiceofautomationarchitecturehasclearimplicationsfortheabilityofenduserstoevolvetheir systemsovertimeandtoprotecttheirintellectualpropertyinvestments.Anarchitecturethatsupports freedomofchoiceinstandardcommunicationprotocolsandintegrationmethodologiesprovidesthe clearestpathtofacilitatingintegrationatalllevelsofplantsystemsfromfielddevicestocontrollersto applicationstobusiness Process & Power Workplaces systemsintotheoverall Theseamless controlandvisualization Control Room integrationofprocess architecture. automationandpower
Control System
Process Control Server Plant Network
automationsystems
allowstheuseof Further,itsimportantthat standardcomponents Controller Controller systemsuppliersprovide Control andsimplified continuedinvestmentand IEC 61850 Profibus/Profinet interfaces;lowers support,aswellasanactive investmentand LV Switchgear lifecyclecosts;aswell pathforportingtheircontrol Drives Motor starters asprovideshigher codeandgraphicsdirectlyinto the levelsofsystem Instruments latestsystemcontrollers,thus availability,reliability, Process reducingcostsandrisk.And safetyandsecurity. Process Process Substation becauseeffectiveintegration Instrumentation Electrification Automation infrastructurearchitecture abstractsprocessdataand informationitselffromtheunderlyingcommunications,thebenefitsofintegrationcanmorereadilybe preservedinthefaceofinevitablechangesintechnology,controlstrategyandbusinessprocesses. Ultimately,thepromiseandthepowerofIntegrationlieinenablingprocessmanufacturerstoachieve theirbusinessobjectives.Andtodaymorethanever,architecturalconsiderationsandtheextentto whichtheyenableseamlessintegrationandeffortlesscollaborationhaveimplicationsforrealizingthose objectives,andforsustainingthemintothefuture.
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