Realizing the need to overcome the luxury stigma often associated with simulations, Mynah Technologies worked with Emerson Process Management to develop its mimic, version 2.6, process simulation software to meet four principles. Mynah reports that mimic had to be easy to setup, configure, and use; support digital fieldbus technologies; support multiple hardware platforms; and simplify commissioning, validation, and training activities.

Consequently, mimic uses non-intrusive, auto-sensing technology to detect the fieldbus technology being in used in its application—such as FOUNDATION, HART, AS-i, Profibus DP, and/or DeviceNet—and then applies the appropriate characteristics and capabilities for each connected I/O device. For example, if mimic's auto sensing detects that PID control resides in a control valve, it then simulates the transmitter, the PID control algorithm, and the valve. If PID control resides in the controller, then mimic simulates only the transmitter and the valve.

Mynah designers say mimic provides similar capabilities across multiple platforms, including Rockwell Automation's Allen-Bradley PLC3, PLC5, and SLC; Emerson's DeltaV; GE's Series 6, 90-30, and 90-70s; Schneider Electric's Modicon 984 and Quantum; and Siemens' TI 565.

Mimic helps minimize potential problem sources by providing a complete simulation of everything except field wiring and physical device presence. And, because mimic is non-intrusive, disconnecting from simulation and reconnecting to live I/O points doesn't introduce new unknowns. Also, because the product can mimic digital field-device characteristics, a multitude of configuration and software errors can be detected and corrected before commissioning begins. www.mynah.com

• Non-intrusive method for conducting software acceptance test
• Realistic process response for operator training
• Non-intrusive testing of new control strategies, recipes, products
• Effective testing of MES integration and electronic batch records