PCS and Automation

ABB Advant OCS with MOD 300 Software

We have quite a bit of experience with this system, although we're seeing more and more companies turning towards the newer Windows based solutions such as ABB's Industrial IT line and Emerson's DeltaV (see below). Our experience with the Advant OCS includes but is not limited to:

• SC and AC460 Controllers
• Batch300
• Taylor Control Language (TCL)
• Continuous Control Functions (CCF)
• Operator Interface Graphics and Environment Configuration

ABB Industrial IT System 800xA

We have also worked with ABB's newest DCS offering, the System 800xA. Our experience with 800xA includes but is not limited to:

• 800M Controllers
• Integration with existing Advant Controllers
• PLC Interfacing (OPC)
• Database Configuration (Functional/Control Structure)
• Designing and Implement Operator Graphic Displays and Libraries.

Since we have worked in plants that have used both the ABB DCS and DeltaV DAS (yes, Emerson decided to create yet a new acronym ... Digital Automation System), we have a unique perspective on the different design philosophies and implementations of each.

Asea Brown Boveri, or ABB, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, operating mainly in the power and automation business areas. It operates in around 100 countries, with about 103,000 employees.

The MOD 300 Distributed Control System (DCS) was introduced in 1984 with features such as Integrated Control Languages CCF and TCL , Redundant Communication Network (DCN), Redundant Controllers, History and Reports, and Bulk Data I/O. In 1988 the MOD 300 was enhanced by the addition of the SC Controller, Taylor Ladder Logic (TLL) and TRIO. In 1992, the MOD 300 system began it's evolution to Advant OCS introducing high capacity controllers and I/O with an improved redundancy scheme. Also included were modern UNIX workstations, and in 1996 S800 I/O was added providing modular flexible remote I/O.

Emerson DeltaV

Emerson's DeltaV product is probably one of the hottest systems being talked about today in Industrial Control environments. We've had the opportunity to use this system in some limited situations and it is definitely a major contender. However, we can honestly say that even though the DeltaV system is the latest and greatest thing, that it is definitely not the 'default' choice for a new installation. Again, it has it strengths and weaknesses.

The DeltaV digital automation system, from Emerson Process Management, a business of Emerson is a process control system built with digital technologies to improve the performance of process manufacturers' plants.

The DeltaV system is a part of Emerson's PlantWeb architecture and it incorporates a suite of digital busses(FOUNDATION fieldbus, DeviceNet, AS-Interface, Profibus DP, HART), to embedded advanced control (model predictive control, neural networks, fuzzy logic, automatic PID tuning, variability analysis, to easy enterprise integration and optimization, the DeltaV system helps process manufacturers to precisely control their process and predictively diagnose process conditions. The software to engineer control strategies is based upon the IEC 61131-3 programming languages.

For batching types of manufacturing processes (often found in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, specialty chemical, and food & beverage manufacturing processes), DeltaV Batch provides phase logic execution, recipe execution, and campaign management. The DeltaV software provides many tools and applications (DeltaV Capabilities for Electronic Record Management) to support regulatory compliance in these industries including audit trails, electronic signatures and secure access. This system is a foundation for compliance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Process Analytical Technology (PAT) initiative to better risk-manage pharmaceutical development, manufacture, and quality assurance.

For manufacturing processes with hazardous areas (oil & gas production, refining, petrochemicals, etc.), DeltaV SIS provides a safety instrumented system which digitally diagnose the entire safety loop from the DeltaV SIS logic solver to the safety sensor and to the final control element.

Note: The text in italics above is copied (hopefully not out of context) from external sites and a link is provided to the source for your convenience. This is not meant to be an advertisement or endorsement, but a general summary of the products offered by these various manufacturers.