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The the Emerson Process EnTech™ Toolkit has been designed
to provide an effective means of gathering and assessing the
process and measurement signals that monitor and control various
process functions. This information gathered can be used to
determine the process variability or the dynamics of the process
or to assess the quality of control or the condition of the
instrumentation.
The software modules of the EnTech Toolkit run under popular
versions of Microsoft Windows® on PCs.
Together with the customized Signal Conditioning Module, your
computer can become an easy-to use, portable process control
workshop.
This toolkit is the direct result of years of experience doing
process control audits and variability analysis and is designed
to enhance the productivity of the control specialists: It
is currently used by Emerson Process Management control
performance specialists and is available for those who want to
engage in systematic and scientific loop tuning and process
troubleshooting.
The Collect, Analyse, Tuner and Signal Conditioning Modules
are offered as a package or individually, allowing for need-based
selection.
Signal Conditioning
Module for Collect Analog Module
Acquiring process
information with a high degree of data integrity requires
that the signal being sampled be protected against aliasing
and sampled at the proper frequency to capture the spectrum
of the variability. Without this aliasing protection, the
information may contain ghost signals, which may cause the
user to misinterpret and possibly draw the wrong conclusions
from the data. Data that is typically available from most
distributed control systems or standalone controllers usually
contains a large amount of aliased information due to the
lack of protection against aliasing. This usually necessitates
interfacing directly with existing measurement and output
devices to capture a true picture of the variability spectrum.
The EnTech Toolkit products include such aliasing protection
to ensure data integrity.
Field process signals are normally acquired through a signal-conditioning
module. EnTech has designed one that meets our stringent requirements
for signal isolation and protection against aliasing. The
optical isolation units allow the connection of our sampling
equipment to the process measurement device without the danger
of loading down the signals or introducing ground loops, which
may cause a process upset. The low noise design of the EnTech
Isolators includes seventh-order anti-aliasing hardware filtering
to ensure integrity of the data being sampled.
The Signal Conditioning Module (SCM) comes in a portable hard-shell
case with signal terminations, EnTech isolators, the appropriate
50-pin connector cable, test points for each channel, test
leads with clips for each channel, AC power outlet, power
switch and power connecting cable. The SCM is available in
an 8-channel model (SCM-8) or 16-channel model (SCM-16). The
SCM's have been designed to accept four commonly used full-scale
voltage ranges (1V, 5V, 10V, 25V). The voltage range is switch
selectable on a per channel basis to allow the user to digitize
the available signal at the highest resolution. The EnTech
isolators are specially designed and built to our specifications
and may be replaced with other industry-standard 5B isolators
for specific voltage ranges or special signal interfaces,
such as thermocouples or RTDs
Collect Module
The Collect Modules are for the acquisition and storage of
information. There are two methods of acquiring data, one
is to interface directly to analog field signals via the Signal
Conditioning Module and the other is to acquire digital data
directly from a DDE or OPC data server. Collect supports file
sizes with up to 65,536 data points and has an auto-repeat
function that will continue to collect for 10,000 times. Collect
displays the data in real time as it is being collected to
provide the user with insight into the data that is being
stored for further analysis. The Collect Modules are essential
tools for operations having an intensive program of variability
management, process control optimization and loop tuning.
Collect OPC/DDE Module
The Collect OPC/DDE option allows Collect to interface with
remote data servers to acquire real-time process data. The
difference between the options is the methodology used to
communicate with the data server. The OPC/DDE option allows
the user to collect data from data servers on up to 256 process
signals simultaneously at a maximum data collection rate of
1-millisecond limited only by the throughput of the data server.
The Collect OPC/DDE option is integrated into the base Collect
Analog software for ease of use. The Collect software functionality
has been enhanced to handle the increased number of data points
that can be collected during one data run. This includes up
to 64 system plot pages and 16 user plot pages to display
the real-time data. This option includes a browser for searching
the service tag database and exposing tag properties to ease
integration into Collect.
The OPC (OLE for Process Control) Specification is a non-proprietary
technical specification that defines a set of standard interfaces
based upon Microsoft's OLE/COM (Object Linking and Embedding/Component
Object Model) technology - now known as ActiveX®. The
application of the OPC standard interface makes possible interoperability
between automation/control applications, field systems/devices
and business/office applications. The OPC standard allows
data gathering applications like Collect to access real time
data from different hardware vendors in a consistent manner.
The DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) interface provides similar
features to the OPC interface for data access but is based
on the Microsoft Windows DDE specification.
Collect Analog Module
In the analog mode, data integrity is ensured using the Signal
Conditioning Module, and proper sample interval selection
through an Analog-to-Digital Converter (A/D) card. An automated
file numbering system creates the structure needed for effective
data storage in the computer. Process signals have both single
and two point calibration procedures and controller output
signals have a special calibration feature for ease of determining
their true values. The 16 channel simultaneous collection
at sample rates as fast as 2 milliseconds provides the user
with a means of evaluating multiple cause and effect relationships
in numerous process variables.
The Collect package supports Type II PCMCIA analog to digital
(A/D) converter cards (credit card size) for mounting in a
notebook computer. Both 12-bit and 16-bit resolution, 16 channel
A/D cards with their appropriate drivers are available. A
7th order Thompson-Bessel anti-aliasing software filter has
been implemented at the A/D card base scan rate to ensure
data integrity.
Analyse Module with Data Manager
The most powerful component of the toolkit is the Analyse
Module. This time series analysis and data manipulation software
is the best available tool for process troubleshooting and
optimization. Functions include editing, analysis, display
and export data features that make this a very versatile tool.
Displays are presented in flexible and usable formats, as
is export or printing of information. The analysis functions
have been specifically developed for process control variability
monitoring and troubleshooting, including the determination
of variability, the quality of control and to help with loop
tuning.
The Analyse Module was originally developed to assist our
Process Control Consultants with the variability analysis
of our process and control evaluation and tuning work. To
make the job of ongoing analysis and data file management
even easier, a new management tool has been created. Called
Data Manager, this addition creates various databases of key
information contained in all the data files. The Run database
includes the header information, data mean, maximum value,
minimum value, 2-sigma, and the period and variance of the
five most dominant peaks in the Power Spectrum. Through the
selection mechanism it is simple to browse through standard
Analyse functions for large numbers of data files collected
at different times. Data Manager's Tag database generates
one record for each different tag found in the Run database
and is useful for summarizing the findings of a process audit
by each Tag. Database update features keep the information
current and a Browse function utilizes Analyse features and
functionality.
The Analyse Module has the following features: Windowed prompt routines for function selection Data file filtering and editing capability Multiple variable display of time series data Data sets can be entered manually or obtained from ASCII
files (txt)
Analysis functions and displays include: Time Series Plots;
Auto-Correlation; Power Spectrum Analysis; Integrated Power Spectrum; Cross-Correlation; Histogram;
Statistical Data (mean, 2-Sigma, % 2-Sigma), Power Spectrum
Peak Picking, and many other functions File and data transfer to other programs; single or batch
print options
The Analyse Module may be used in conjunction with either
Collect Module or as a standalone package if data is being
collected through some other means. It is strongly recommended
that the Signal Conditioning Module and the Collect Analog
Module be used to ensure data integrity via the designed-in
protection against aliasing and provide ease of use via the
file management structure. When using the Collect OPC/DDE
Module care must be taken to ensure that the data received
from the data server is representative of the true process
signals.
Tuner Module
The Tuner Module is a multi-purpose package that provides
previously unattainable levels of effectiveness for users
who want to optimize a process. The first part of this software
is the tool for evaluating the dynamics of process changes
through a formalized testing routine that records and validates
individual bump test data and determines the process characteristics.
The program is applicable to all types and orders of processes,
including first-order systems, all types of integrating
systems and those with higher-order, more complex process
dynamics.
The tuning software uses EnTech Tuning rules and techniques
that have been derived from advanced Lambda tuning-based
concepts. EnTech Tuning is an approach that tunes for optimal
process stability through the implementation of a tuning
strategy that matches the operating requirements of the
process. This approach facilitates user determination of
the tuning objectives, such as, coordinate with other loops,
fast as possible, achieve a desired cut-off frequency, etc
and requires input and decisions on the nature of the loop
and its current disposition. The Tuner Module ensures that
the proper steps are taken, that the calculations are error
free and that minimal time is used to determine the most
effective tuning parameters for each loop.
The Tuner Module also includes a simulation feature that
allows the user to visualize the dynamic response that will
be attained from the implementation of the recommended tuning
parameters. The simulator uses the dynamic response information
from the bump test data and the recommended tuning parameters
and simulates the response that the user should expect from
the revised tuning. The simulator also allows the user to
simulate various types of disturbances, including step,
ramps, cyclic and IMA noise. These disturbances can be applied
as a setpoint or a load disturbance. The user can also inject
manual setpoint and controller output changes. Numerous
analysis plots are also included.
With a database function for recording, recalling and reviewing
loop information, this tuning utility is a critical component
in a program of ongoing process monitoring and optimization.
The Tuner Module may be used in conjunction with either
Collect Module or as a standalone package if data is being
collected through some other means. It is strongly recommended
that the Signal Conditioning Module and the Collect Analog
Module be used to ensure data integrity via the designed-in
protection against aliasing and provide ease of use via
the file management structure. When using the Collect OPC/DDE
Module care must be taken to ensure that the data received
from the data server is representative of the true process
signals.
Some of the features of the Tuner Module are: bump test detection and analysis determination of process non-linearities graphical tools replace ruler and pencil first-order, integrating and higher-order, more complex
system loop tuning tuning parameter evaluation using simulation.
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For questions or interest in the Emerson EnTech Toolkit, please contact us at AAT@EmersonProcess.com
or call +1 (512) 832-3575
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