2005
Expertune And IPCOS Form Partnership For Delivering Plant Performance
Solutions
Alternate Title: Expertune And IPCOS Create Partnership For Plant
Performance Solutions
Hartland, Wisconsin (United States), Leuven (Belgium), 12 December 2005
ExperTune Inc. and IPCOS have signed an agreement to provide best-in-class
performance supervision and process optimization solutions for Europe, the
Middle East and North Africa. The combination of IPCOS consultants applying
ExperTune's best-in-class software will benefit many processing plants in the
region. IPCOS has more than 200 man-years experience in advanced control
applications. ExperTune's software consistently wins awards for innovation
and optimization.
"The combination of expert talent, leveraged with best-in-class software,
has been proven to accelerate optimization efforts. Process plants using
IPCOS services together with ExperTune software can expect to see these
benefits directly on the bottom line, including energy savings, quality
improvement, and production rate increases," says John Gerry, President and
founder of ExperTune, Inc.
Christiaan Moons, Managing Director of IPCOS, adds "IPCOS has chosen
ExperTune because of their proven solution for plant performance supervision.
Plant Performance Supervision Systems are indispensable for the industry to be
competitive in the market. Especially in the case of Advanced Control, it is
crucial that the control system is performing well before implementing
Advanced Control. PlantTriage® makes a perfect fit with the services and
software solutions IPCOS already delivers to the industry."
Services offered through this partnership include:
- Process Plant Dynamic Optimization
- Sales & Installation of ExperTune PlantTriage®
- Identification and ranking of highest-priority problems
- Solving Problems and Quantifying Benefits
- Training, from Overview to In-Depth training, always with a hands-on
approach
John Gerry continued, "We are very excited that process plants in Europe,
the Middle East, and Northern Africa will be better able to step-up their
optimization efforts. When two strong teams come together, we are able to
push the optimization envelope even further than before."
About ExperTune: ExperTune is the company behind PlantTriage®, an
enterprise-wide, performance supervision system that pinpoints opportunities
for maximum economic benefit. ExperTune can be found online at
http://www.expertune.com.
About IPCOS: IPCOS provides Advanced Process Control (APC) and plant
optimization solutions (software and services) for the Chemical, Glass, Power
and Oil & Gas industry. IPCOS can be found online at http://www.ipcos.com
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Finding the Most Important Plant Upsets
ALTERNATE TITLE: Find the Most Important Process Upsets with Oscillation Significance
PlantTriage now shows the impact that cyclic upsets have on your plant’s
performance. PlantTriage’s new "Oscillation Significance" identifies cycling
problems in a plant, and ranks them according to importance.
Oscillatory upsets are always a problem. They cause energy losses, lower
product quality, and reduced equipment life. Oscillation Significance uses a
combination of statistical and frequency-domain information to calculate a
single, meaningful measure of significance for each process parameter.
Drill-down reporting ranks every process parameter in the plant by Oscillation
Significance.
John Gerry, President of ExperTune, says "Our customers have asked for
more tools to make use of the enormous warehouse of information within
PlantTriage. With Oscillation Significance, you can look at a single number
and evaluate a very complex cycling problem."
John Gerry continued "Using traditional approaches, solving oscillation
problems may take days or weeks. Now, in minutes, you can have a prioritized
assessment of the cycling for every part of the process."
PlantTriage Oscillation Detection analyzes every process variable in a
system, looking for patterns of cyclical behavior. It then identifies the
source of oscillation to be valve problems, tuning, or load disturbances.
Oscillation Significance further refines these assessments by using a
combination of loop variability, oscillation detection, and percent of power
by frequency. The resulting measure of oscillation detection can be ranked
directly, or in combination with economic criteria. A list of process
parameters ranked by oscillation significance is then displayed in a
drill-down report.
About ExperTune: For 19 years, ExperTune has created award-winning
optimization software that runs in thousands of plants world-wide.
PlantTriage Performance Supervision Software oversees the optimization of an
entire plant. PlantTriage optimizes the entire process, including
instrumentation, controllers, and valves. ExperTune's full suite of
optimization tools is designed to increase the efficiency of processes. The
company's analysis tools include simulation, modeling, robustness,
linearization, valve wear analysis, pH linearizer, time series analysis,
multivariable, statistical, frequency response, and PID tuning tools.
ExperTune is a member of the OPC Foundation. For more information, set your
browser to http://www.expertune.com.
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PID Tuning Translator Eases Conversion to New Control System (August 2005)
ExperTune's PID Tuning Translator easily converts PID tuning from one
industrial PID controller to another. It converts PID values from any of over
490 different industrial PID controllers to the new system.
For example, when migrating from a PLC to a DCS, the PID tuning parameters are
converted directly to the proper units and time bases for the algorithm
choice. This maintains the established dynamic performance of the control
loop.
John Gerry, President of ExperTune said "Customers have loudly requested the
ability to quickly transfer PID settings when upgrading to a new control
system. The Translator does that, saving time and avoiding human error".
John Gerry continued, "On a typical DCS conversion project, loop re-tuning can
take days, or even weeks. With PID Tuning Translator, all loops retain their
basis of performance, and are converted in just hours."
The software converts PID settings from any DCS, controller, or PLC to any
other DCS, controller or PLC. In addition to the included 490 PID algorithms,
you can customize your own combinations. Many manufacturers have several
different PID algorithms available, and the software also converts between
different algorithm types within a single manufacturer's controller.
About ExperTune:
For 19 years, ExperTune has created award winning optimization software that
runs in thousands of plants world-wide. ExperTune's full suite of optimization
tools is designed to increase the efficiency of processes. One of ExperTune's
products is PlantTriage which is a Performance Supervision System for the
entire plant, ensuring optimal operation. The company's analysis tools include
simulation, modeling, robustness, linearization, valve wear analysis, pH
linearizer, time series analysis, multivariable, statistical, frequency
response, and PID tuning tools. ExperTune is a member of the OPC Foundation.
For more information, set your browser to
http://www.expertune.com.
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ExperTune home page | Information request form
ExperTune and TiPS Form Partnership to Integrate Best-in-Class Plant
Performance and Alarm Management Tools (July 2005)
ExperTune and TiPS® Form Partnership to Integrate Best-in-Class Plant
Performance and Alarm Management Tools
Alarm Management and Performance Monitoring have until now, been independent
software applications. TiPS and ExperTune have leveraged their respective
expertise to develop a combined solution that offers even more targeted
insight into opportunities to improve plant performance and gain competitive
advantage.
ExperTune and TiPS have consistently demonstrated leadership in their
respective markets through 15-plus years of operation; ExperTune in the area
of performance monitoring and PID optimization, and TiPS in the area of
process alarm management.
Contact us for more information about how this partnership will help you
improve operations and plant performance.
About ExperTune: ExperTune is the company behind PlantTriage®, an
enterprise-wide, performance monitoring and diagnostic system that pinpoints
opportunities where maximum economic impact to operations can be realized.
ExperTune can be found online at http://www.expertune.com.
About TiPS: TiPS develops and distributes LogMateAMS®, an advanced alarm
management software package and provides the highest quality of services
available from any vendor in the alarm management field. With the largest
alarm management specific customer base in the industry, TiPS provides an
unequalled resource for alarm management software and services. TiPS can be
found online at http://www.tipsweb.com.
ExperTune home page | Information request form
Visual Mapping Gives Performance View of Entire Plant (June 2005)
PlantTriage latest release includes Visual Performance Mapping. It
shows the performance of thousands of assets on one browser screen.
With a glance, the Visual Performance Map allows management,
engineering, and maintenance to determine how the plant is performing,
and where effort is needed for improvement. By drilling down into an
asset, engineering and maintenance can view complete diagnosis of
problems.
The Visual Performance Maps include several layers of drill-down.
Users can zoom-in on specific plants within the site, and specific
unit operations within a plant. Then further drill down into specific
loops for detailed diagnosis.
All of the assets on the map are spaced into one congruent area. Each
asset is represented by both size and color of a rectangle. The
larger the size, the more important the asset. The brighter the
color, the more opportunity there is to make improvements. For
example, bright asset represents a large opportunity for improvement.
PlantTriage continues its industry leading innovation by linking
Visual Performance Mapping with biggest payback and historical
performance at a glance.
About ExperTune:
For 19 years, ExperTune has created award winning optimization software that
runs in thousands of plants world-wide. ExperTune's full suite of optimization
tools is designed to increase the efficiency of processes. One of ExperTune’s
products is PlantTriage which is an automatic diagnostic system for the entire
plant, ensuring optimal operation. The company's analysis tools include
simulation, modeling, robustness, linearization, valve wear analysis, pH
linearizer, time series analysis, multivariable, statistical, frequency
response, and PID tuning tools. ExperTune is a member of the OPC Foundation.
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ExperTune home page | Information request form
New PlantTriage Measures Profit and Performance in Real-time (April 2005)
ExperTune's new release of PlantTriage assesses the performance of batch
processes. It pinpoints areas where improvements can increase yields,
throughput, and decrease turnaround times. Once the areas are identified,
specific analysis recommendations are made to improve the control of the batch
process.
PlantTriage prioritizes areas for improvement, so personnel are focused on the
most profitable areas. It also directs engineers to the product codes where
the greatest profit improvements can be made.
A new equation builder allows assessments of batches to be synchronized to
periods within a batch when the control loops are operating. This eliminates
erroneous assessments of data during batch filling, emptying, heat-up or other
irrelevant times
PlantTriage automatically performs 46 assessments on every controller on each
batch process. Assessment and diagnosis include detecting oscillations,
non-intrusive field instrument diagnosis, controller performance, interaction
detection, process modeling, and control system availability. It connects to
automation control systems via industry standard OPC or OPC HDA.
For 19 years, ExperTune has created award winning optimization software that
runs in thousands of plants world-wide. ExperTune's full suite of optimization
tools is designed to increase the efficiency of processes. PlantTriage is an
automatic diagnostic system for the entire plant, ensuring optimal operation.
The company's analysis tools include simulation, modeling, robustness,
linearization, valve wear analysis, pH linearizer, time series analysis,
multivariable, statistical, frequency response, and PID tuning tools.
ExperTune home page | Information request form
Performance Improvement for Batch Processes (March 2005)
ExperTune's new release of PlantTriage assesses the performance of batch
processes. It pinpoints areas where improvements can increase yields,
throughput, and decrease turnaround times. Once the areas are identified,
specific analysis recommendations are made to improve the control of the batch
process.
PlantTriage prioritizes areas for improvement, so personnel are focused on the
most profitable areas. It also directs engineers to the product codes where
the greatest profit improvements can be made.
A new equation builder allows assessments of batches to be synchronized to
periods within a batch when the control loops are operating. This eliminates
erroneous assessments of data during batch filling, emptying, heat-up or other
irrelevant times
PlantTriage automatically performs 46 assessments on every controller on each
batch process. Assessment and diagnosis include detecting oscillations,
non-intrusive field instrument diagnosis, controller performance, interaction
detection, process modeling, and control system availability. It connects to
automation control systems via industry standard OPC or OPC HDA.
For 19 years, ExperTune has created award winning optimization software that
runs in thousands of plants world-wide. ExperTune's full suite of optimization
tools is designed to increase the efficiency of processes. PlantTriage is an
automatic diagnostic system for the entire plant, ensuring optimal operation.
The company's analysis tools include simulation, modeling, robustness,
linearization, valve wear analysis, pH linearizer, time series analysis,
multivariable, statistical, frequency response, and PID tuning tools.
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ExperTune home page | Information request form
Engineers Alerted to Abnormal Conditions Before they Affect Plant
Performance (February 2005)
ExperTune's new version of PlantTriage automatically sends technicians and
engineers an email if a controller or process area behaves abnormally.
PlantTriage detects problems well before they show up as an operator alarm.
Now the PlantTriage alert email will announce the potential problem in good
time for it to be fixed. Shut-downs are avoided. Product quality is
increased and production becomes more efficient.
PlantTriage alerts are easy to set up from a desktop browser. For example,
engineers may want to be alerted when a critical controller or an entire unit
operation is underperforming. Or they may wish to be alerted if a number of
controllers in a certain area start to oscillate. Plant managers may wish to
know if the variability of a critical process variable increases. Alerts are
fully flexible. Any user can choose any assessment of any loop or unit
operation.
PlantTriage includes a browser alert summary window which shows which alerts
are outstanding for which user, now and at any time in the past. This makes
sure that the alert is not overlooked until the underlying problem is
diagnosed and fixed. For documentation purposes there is a browser-based log
of when alerts occurred and returned to normal.
For 19 years, ExperTune has created award winning optimization software that
runs in thousands of plants world-wide. ExperTune's full suite of optimization
tools are designed to increase the efficiency of processes. PlantTriage is an
automatic diagnostic system for the entire plant, ensuring optimal operation.
The company's analysis tools include simulation, modeling, robustness,
linearization, valve wear analysis, pH linearizer, time series analysis,
multivariable, statistical, frequency response, and PID tuning tools.
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ExperTune home page | Information request form
ExperTune's New Wizard Guides Engineers to Best Level Control (January
2005)
ExperTune has released a new software wizard to help process engineers
optimize the control strategy of level control loops in all types of process
vessels. The wizard uses the design experience of Greg Shinskey.
Level loops present a unique challenge to process control since the control
objective varies widely, from tight level control in reactors to averaging
level control in surge tanks.
Whatever the performance requirement, whether it be a complex application like
a hot vapor by-pass, or a simple surge tank, the new ExperTune Level Wizard
guides engineers through choosing and implementing the best level loop control
strategy for each individual need. The wizard:
- Identifies the goals for the level loop
- Chooses the level control strategy that matches the plant's goals
- Finds the best P, PI, or PID parameters to meet those goals
- Provides built-in user guidance (see figure below).
The wizard pays for itself quickly by:
- Forcing the controls to adhere to the operational objectives,
maximizing profits
- Maximizing surge usage for smoother response to upsets, keeping
critical quality variables on target
- Savings in cost, better quality, safer operations, increased
throughput, and more consistent quality
ExperTune Level Wizard optimizes level loops with the following level control goals:
- Fast and accurate control of level to setpoint, with and without derivative control action. The result is the fastest possible recovery back to setpoint in the face of upsets.
- Averaging level, where the purpose of the tank is a surge vessel to smooth flow upsets. In this case, the vessel is used to reduce the effects of upstream disturbances. The goal is that one unit feeding a second should disturb the second as little as possible.
- Averaging level with P action only - level is floating, maximizing the use of the surge vessel to smooth flow upsets.
- Averaging level with P and I action - level floats and slowly returns to setpoint.
Averaging level techniques may use tank volume. Using simple test data, the ExperTune Level Control Wizard automatically determines tank volume and controller settings.
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ExperTune home page | Information request form
