Process control software suite adds analysis, reporting capabilities

Latest release of Control Station ’s Loop-Pro product suite includes enhanced process control monitoring, analysis, and reporting capabilities that reportedly improve bottom-line plant profitability. Version 4.1 is designed to help users eliminate costs associated with production defects and process shutdown by providing early identification of negative process trends.

Package includes modules for the modeling, tuning, and simulation of complex process control systems as well as a module for real-time collection, analysis, and reporting of business-critical process data. It was developed with the support of Control Station customers and provides an array of industrially relevant solutions, the company says.

Integral to the suite is OPC Inbox, which allows real-time access to and analysis of process controller data and provides reporting features for performance documentation. Compliant with OPC 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 standards, it can be implemented quickly and used to collect data at speeds up to 100 ms. Templates can be developed to recall individual controllers or groups of controllers for data collection and analysis. Software includes performance measurement options, such as standard statistics and graphic meters that depict performance compared to user-defined benchmarks.

Other enhancements include the addition of a statistical loop report and a pre-configured PID controller selection form. Launching the statistical loop report gives included controller data in numerical and graphical formats. Data can be used to identify important loop performance characteristics, such as error distribution and variable travel. With the controller selection form, users can obtain PID tuning parameters customized to their PLC or DCS system.

Among other core suite offerings are Engineer and Developer. Engineer provides tools to identify, quickly and consistently, optimal model and controller tuning parameters. Developer expands on core modeling and tuning capabilities with the inclusion of tools for custom simulation, including pre-formatter simulations for cascaded control architectures. OPC Inbox is an option module for both products.

—Jeanine Katzel, senior editor, Control Engineering, jkatzel@reedbusiness.com

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