2006
ExperTune and TiPS Announce User’s Conference
ExperTune and TiPS have announced their 2007 User’s Conference, to be held
April 17-19, in Austin, Texas. The conference theme, "Build a Stronger
Automation Foundation", captures the essence of the event, which will focus on
technologies and techniques that restore and strengthen your automation
infrastructure.
ExperTune and TiPS share a common philosophy: "The best operations run on a
foundation of excellent basic automation." Both companies help their clients
ensure that control system fundamentals are being leveraged successfully to
deliver safety, quality, reliability, and profits.
John Gerry, President and Founder of ExperTune, says "Many of our clients and
business partners are leaders in the field of process control optimization. We
expect this to be an outstanding learning opportunity for everyone."
"There is such a wide range of experience related to alarm management and its
influence on control. This conference brings people from different perspectives
together to share and learn. It will be an invaluable forum for anyone involved
in designing or using regulatory control," adds TiPS President, Bob Weibel.
The 3-day conference will be held at the Marriott Courtyard adjacent to the
Austin convention center. The program includes hands-on training, case
studies, and roundtables, including presentations from notable industry
leaders. Conference attendees will try out optimization techniques from
classrooms equipped with wireless networks connected to full-scale process
simulations.
For more information on the conference, visit www.expertune.com/UG2007.html, or
contact ExperTune at +1 (262) 369 7711.
About TiPS:
TiPS is a pioneer in alarm management software, producing the first version of
LogMate in 1990. LogMate has been refined over 16 years and hundreds of
installations around the globe. TiPS prides itself on quality, stable,
feature-rich products that excel against the highest standards of value. TiPS
is a thought leader in alarm management, committed to education and empowerment
of our current and future clients. Find out more at http://www.tipsweb.com.
About ExperTune
For 20 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 equipment,
operations, and controls. ExperTune's full suite of optimization tools is
designed to increase the efficiency of processes. The company's analysis
tools include interaction analysis, modeling, robustness, linearization, valve
wear analysis, pH linearization, time series analysis, MPC performance
improvement, 6-sigma, frequency analysis, and process modeling.
View or Download Image
ExperTune’s PlantTriage Guarantees Savings
ExperTune is so confident that PlantTriage® delivers bottom-line results that
it will provide software and services for free, in exchange for a share of the
savings. This offer comes after repeated successes in process plants
worldwide. With this “Software for Savings” offer, clients receive
PlantTriage software, service, and training, completely free of charge. In
return, ExperTune receives a 25% share of the resulting savings, such as
energy reductions, production increases, and waste/scrap reduction.
"After talking with dozens of existing clients, and hearing for myself how
PlantTriage has saved millions, I am 100% convinced that PlantTriage will
deliver these bottom-line benefits to any process plant. This offer puts our
money where our mouth is." says Kevin Gibbs, newly-appointed CEO of ExperTune.
The PlantTriage Performance Supervision System identifies and prioritizes the
biggest opportunities for improvement in process plants. Typical industries
using PlantTriage include Oil & Gas, Metals & Mining, Chemicals, Pulp
& Paper, and Utilities. Integrated tools enable drill-down to solve
root-cause performance problems.
ExperTune’s offer includes a full license to the PlantTriage software,
configuration and start-up service, training, and expert analysis services.
The offer is valid worldwide, with services provided through ExperTune’s
global network of process and control experts.
Mr. Gibbs continues "Our software delivers results, and we’ll prove it. You
won’t pay a penny until you see the impact to the bottom-line."
For more details on the "Software for Savings" offer, contact ExperTune at
+1 (262) 369 7711.
About PlantTriage®
PlantTriage® is a Performance Supervision System, designed to improve the
performance of equipment, operations, and controls. PlantTriage extracts data
from existing control systems, using industry-standard OPC communications.
Based on ExperTune's award-winning control loop optimization tools,
PlantTriage® then makes prioritized recommendations for performance
improvement. With integrated control loop optimization tools,
PlantTriage® is the only complete performance supervision system. For
more information about PlantTriage®, visit www.plantTriage.com.
About ExperTune
For 20 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 equipment,
operations, and controls. ExperTune's full suite of optimization tools is
designed to increase the efficiency of processes. The company's analysis
tools include interaction analysis, modeling, robustness, linearization, valve
wear analysis, pH linearization, time series analysis, MPC performance
improvement, 6-sigma, frequency analysis, and process modeling.
View or Download Image
ExperTune Appoints CEO for PlantTriage Expansion
Due to the rapid growth of PlantTriage® sales worldwide, ExperTune has
appointed Kevin Gibbs as its Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.
His primary focus will be managing the continued growth of PlantTriage sales.
John Gerry, President and Founder of ExperTune, says "Kevin brings extensive
experience with rapidly-expanding software companies. Kevin has both the
qualifications and the drive to take ExperTune to the next level." Prior to
joining ExperTune, Kevin was CEO of SpiritSoft, where he was responsible for
strategic direction and development worldwide.
As process plants have continued their search for reduced energy costs and
increased production, PlantTriage sales have risen dramatically. Mr. Gerry
adds "Kevin is a leader with strategic vision. By adding Kevin to our team, we
will continue to expand the market while at the same time maintaining our role
as the leader of innovation in process performance."
About PlantTriage®
PlantTriage® is a Performance Supervision System, designed to improve the
performance of equipment, operations, and controls. PlantTriage extracts data
from existing control systems, using industry-standard OPC communications.
Based on ExperTune's award-winning control loop optimization tools,
PlantTriage® then makes prioritized recommendations for performance
improvement. With integrated control loop optimization tools,
PlantTriage® is the only complete performance supervision system. For
more information about PlantTriage®, visit www.plantTriage.com.
About ExperTune
For 20 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 equipment,
operations, and controls. ExperTune's full suite of optimization tools is
designed to increase the efficiency of processes. The company's analysis
tools include interaction analysis, modeling, robustness, linearization, valve
wear analysis, pH linearization, time series analysis, MPC performance
improvement, 6-sigma, frequency analysis, and process modeling.
Online Training Explodes the Myths of Plant Performance
ExperTune is offering free web-based training to improve plant performance.
"The 6 Myths of Process Performance" identifies the "right things" to focus on
for improved process performance. The myths represent outdated methods of
plant performance improvement. Each myth is debunked in a short 5-minute
video.
Suddenly plant personnel can see exactly where to focus their efforts. The
old methods, or "myths", of performance improvement are no longer relevant.
ExperTune's free on-line training videos expose the "right things", and
explode these common myths. The 6 Myths of Plant Performance are:
- Tuning is Everything
- Averages Are More Important Than Dynamics
- There Isn't Time to Look at Everything
- Each Unit Operation is an Island
- Analog Instruments Can't Deliver Diagnostics
- You Can't Show the Value in Dollars and Cents
John Gerry, President and founder of ExperTune, says "Most process plants are
awash in a sea of data generated by their control systems. The '6 Myths'
series explains how to focus on the right real-time performance measures to
get better plant results. The secrets of better performance are exposed as we
de-bunk each myth."
Each training session debunks one of the 6 myths. For example, in Myth
1:"Tuning is Everything", we discover that tuning is the last thing you should
examine. What about process noise, linearity, disturbances and interactions,
valve sizing and performance, controller design and operator changes? Focus
on these items first to multiply the benefits of controller tuning. In "Myth
2: Averages Are More Important Than Dynamics", we learn that plant dynamic
behavior actually drives the plant results, such as cost, quality, and
throughput. Focusing on the right measures of dynamic performance will
deliver plant performance results proactively.
Mr. Gerry adds, "All the process data you need is readily available via OPC.
Condensing the data into meaningful real-time performance measures keeps
everyone focused on the most important issues. Those who have adapted their
methods to use this information are now saving millions of dollars."
Each of the '6 Myths' sessions is a short video, including live demonstrations
and practical examples. The videos are presented in standard Windows Media
(.wmv) format. The 6 Myths series are available at
Myths.
About PlantTriage®
PlantTriage® is a Performance Supervision System, designed to improve the
performance of equipment, operations, and controls. PlantTriage extracts data
from existing control systems, using industry-standard OPC communications.
Based on ExperTune's award-winning control loop optimization tools,
PlantTriage® then makes prioritized recommendations for performance
improvement. With integrated control loop optimization tools,
PlantTriage® is the only complete performance supervision system. For
more information about PlantTriage®, visit www.plantTriage.com.
About ExperTune
For 20 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 equipment,
operations, and controls. ExperTune's full suite of optimization tools is
designed to increase the efficiency of processes. The company's analysis
tools include interaction analysis, modeling, robustness, linearization, valve
wear analysis, pH linearization, time series analysis, MPC performance
improvement, 6-sigma, frequency analysis, and process modeling.
View or Download Image
Interaction Mapping Finds Root Cause of Plant Upsets
PlantTriage® Performance Supervision Software now includes a simple color-coded
interaction map. On this map, users can quickly identify the most important
process interactions. Process Interaction Mapping also displays lead and lag
data, making it much easier to find the root cause of process upsets.
Process upsets in one part of the plant are multiplied by process interactions.
Upsets and interactions directly affect bottom-line cost and quality. Finding
the root cause of the upset is the key to stabilizing the plant, and achieving
the highest levels of performance. PlantTriage Process Interaction Mapping
shows all of the interactions, and helps to find the source of variation in
minutes.
PlantTriage continually monitors and performs 60 assessments of performance for
every control loop in the plant. The new Process Interaction Map evaluates
this real-time data to display interactions between process variables. The
color-coded display focuses attention on the most important interactions.
John Gerry, President and founder of ExperTune, says "Finding the root cause of
upsets in a large plant can be a tedious and time-consuming job. Our goal with
PlantTriage is to help engineers and technicians save time and effort by
focusing on the most important aspects of the process. Process Interaction
Mapping saves time and takes the guesswork out of root-cause analysis."
Process Interaction Mapping displays the extent of interaction between one
process variable, and every other process variable in the plant. Both periodic
upsets and steady-state upsets can be seen. From a simple web browser
interface, the user can narrow their search based on any number of criteria,
such as unit operation, type of measurement, economic value, oscillation, or
over 80 other criteria.
Process Interaction Mapping also establishes the lead or lag relationship
between variables. This information can be used to help identify cause and
effect. The "leading" variable is typically the root cause of the upset.
Eliminate the root cause of the upset, and the entire plant benefits.
Mr. Gerry adds, "With the PlantTriage tools, opportunities jump right out at
you. It is immediately obvious where to focus your attention. With Process
Interaction Mapping, people are solving some of their most difficult process
interaction problems, and showing a direct improvement to cost and quality."
About PlantTriage®
PlantTriage® is a Performance Supervision System, designed to improve the
performance of equipment, operations, and controls. PlantTriage extracts data
from existing control systems, using industry-standard OPC communications.
Based on ExperTune's award-winning control loop optimization tools,
PlantTriage® then makes prioritized recommendations for performance
improvement. With integrated control loop optimization tools,
PlantTriage® is the only complete performance supervision system. For
more information about PlantTriage®, visit www.plantTriage.com.
About ExperTune
For 20 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 equipment,
operations, and controls. ExperTune's full suite of optimization tools is
designed to increase the efficiency of processes. The company's analysis
tools include interaction analysis, modeling, robustness, linearization, valve
wear analysis, pH linearization, time series analysis, MPC performance
improvement, 6-sigma, frequency analysis, and process modeling.
View or Download Image
Simple, Actionable Diagnosis Available Anytime, Anywhere
PlantTriage® Performance Supervision Software now includes a simple, text
message diagnosis for every loop in the plant. The diagnosis is immediately
available to any technician or plant engineer via their web browser. Each
diagnosis is an actionable item providing fast resolution of problems.
The simple message diagnostic for each loop tells exactly where to focus,
whether it is a sensor, controller, or valve-related issue. The new
diagnostic identifies specific control loop problems or specifies control loop
performance as "OK".
PlantTriage continually monitors and performs 60 assessments of performance
for every control loop in the plant. The new simple diagnostic message
distills those 60 assessments into one simple text message or diagnostic.
Diagnostics are prioritized based on the potential improvement to operations.
Some of the possible messages are: "Oscillating due to valve", "Sluggish
Tuning", and "Failed sensor". Each diagnosis is "actionable", meaning the
user can take immediate action to correct the problem based on the message.
Automated diagnostics help plant personnel to use their time wisely.
According to Michael Kennedy, Global Process Control Engineering Manager at
Columbian Chemicals, "Considering the limited number of skilled personnel,
there are limits to what we can accomplish. To remain competitive, we need
the right tools to streamline process improvement, while adding a greater
leverage to our existing knowledge and skills."
John Gerry, President of ExperTune adds, "We have the technology to monitor
and diagnose the most common causes of control loop failure, across the entire
plant, automatically. PlantTriage® removes the guesswork from control
loop maintenance. Why should engineers and technicians waste time, when they
can have the answers delivered right into their hands?"
About PlantTriage®
PlantTriage® is a Performance Supervision System, designed to improve the
performance of equipment, operations, and controls. PlantTriage extracts data
from existing control systems, using industry-standard OPC communications.
Based on ExperTune's award-winning control loop optimization tools,
PlantTriage® then makes prioritized recommendations for performance
improvement. With integrated control loop optimization tools,
PlantTriage® is the only complete performance supervision system. For
more information about PlantTriage®, visit www.plantTriage.com.
About ExperTune
For 20 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 equipment,
operations, and controls. ExperTune's full suite of optimization tools is
designed to increase the efficiency of processes. The company's analysis
tools include interaction analysis, modeling, robustness, linearization, valve
wear analysis, pH linearization, time series analysis, MPC performance
improvement, 6-sigma, frequency analysis, and process modeling.
View or Download Image
Performance Supervision Ensures Optimal Model Predictive Control
PlantTriage® Performance Supervision Software now supervises Model
Predictive Controllers (MPC). The goal of Model Predictive Controller
supervision is to ensure that MPC controllers continue to run optimally.
PlantTriage uses economic information and controller data to calculate
assessments that quickly indicate if the MPC controller is continuing to
provide a high return on investment. Assessments that are unique to
PlantTriage ensure MPC control at optimal levels. Without performance
supervision in place, MPC controller performance often degrades over time,
even to the point of being disabled by operations.
John Gerry, President of ExperTune says "Many of our clients invested
heavily in advanced controls, and then discovered they weren't able to
sustain a good return on that investment. With PlantTriage in place, MPC
controllers are held to a higher standard. This, in turn, delivers bottom-
line results to oil refineries, chemical plants, and process plants
everywhere."
Within PlantTriage®, MPC controller performance is tracked, trended, and
historized at the controller, unit, plant, and site levels. Web-based
visualization tools display the information in an intuitive manner. Drill-
down capabilities are used to drive analysis to root cause.
A unique MPC assessment included with PlantTriage is Controller Entropy.
This innovative performance assessment actually detects and tracks when a
controller is making moves which result in cycling between constraints. In
other words, the controller is making moves or changes, but no improvements
or benefits result. A low Controller Entropy indicates the MPC Controller
is effectively reducing costs.
PlantTriage also includes another unique assessment called Controller
Degrees of Freedom. Degrees of Freedom assesses the degree that MVs are
free to control the process. Small values indicate the controller is
providing cost reduction.
According to Mr. Gerry, "To achieve the best overall results, each part of
the plant must perform at its best. PlantTriage® performance assessment
ensures that every valve, every instrument, every controller, and every
process is at its best. From mundane mechanical linkages to sophisticated
advanced control algorithms, PlantTriage® keeps the whole plant running
smoothly."
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.
View or Download Image
ExperTune Receives Patent for Loop Health Metrics
The U.S. Patent Office has issued a patent for Control Loop Performance to
ExperTune, Inc. ExperTune has invented methods and programs to calculate
overall Control Loop Performance based on process, control, and economic
measures. This patented technology is a core component of ExperTune's
PlantTriage® Performance Supervision System. U.S. Patent #6,993,396 was
awarded to John Gerry, President and founder of ExperTune, Inc.
PlantTriage® gathers data from the control system, performs a series of
numerical assessments, then combines them with economic data to provide a
dimensionless measure of control loop performance, or "Control Loop Health".
Using this single number, process plant personnel can prioritize process
improvement efforts and maintenance activities.
Control Loop Health can be customized at each plant site to emphasize those
measures of performance that relate to the business strategy. For example,
one site may emphasize a reduction in oscillation and variability, while
another may focus on alarm rates, maintaining loops in normal mode, and speed
of control response to upsets. These measures become customized Key
Performance Indicators, or KPIs.
John Gerry, President of ExperTune says "With PlantTriage®, it is our
goal to streamline the performance improvement process. The patented Control
Loop Performance metrics give our clients great insight into the performance
of the process. Using these KPI's to maintain focus, our clients have been
able to reduce energy costs, improve production rates, and stabilize process
operations."
Within PlantTriage®, Control Loop Health is tracked, trended, and
historized at the loop, unit, plant, and site levels. Web-based visualization
tools display the information in a colorful, graphical, and intuitive manner.
Drill-down capabilities are used to drive analysis to root cause. Integrated
control loop optimization and tuning tools ensure that problems can be solved
quickly.
Control Loop Performance metrics and KPIs are receiving a great deal of
attention in the process industry. Without performance supervision in place,
the vast warehouse of data that is available from a modern distributed control
system can be overwhelming. Focused, customized KPIs, such as the Control
Loop Health metric, help to make sense out of this data, and drive out
specific actions to improve process performance. The patented methods to
determine Control Loop Performance provide a way to streamline the data, and
provide focus to improvement efforts.
According to Mr. Gerry, "With so many different pressures facing the process
industries, a customized metric for Control Loop Performance is crucial to
achieving process performance results. Our clients have been very successful
in applying this technology to their specific business environment, whether it
is oil refining, pulp and paper production, mining, fine chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, or other process industries."
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.
View or Download Image
Loop Performance Snapshot Reveals Opportunities
Engineers and technicians can now get an instant understanding of control loop
performance, with one glance at the "Loop Performance Snapshot". The Snapshot
reveals opportunities to improve both the process and the controller. With
this clear, concise view of loop performance, plant personnel can focus their
attention on the most important improvements.
The new Loop Performance Snapshot adds a simple, graphical representation of
the powerful loop analysis computations in PlantTriage® software, from
ExperTune. PlantTriage® automatically monitors plant operations 24x7, using
data from existing DCS or PLC systems. After crunching high-speed data from
the control system, PlantTriage® assesses the performance of every control
loop, and prioritizes plant issues according to economic importance.
John Gerry, President of ExperTune says, "With PlantTriage®, it is our
goal to streamline the performance improvement process. The Loop Performance
Snapshot delivers all the critical loop assessments in a simple,
easy-to-understand graphical format. With this information in front of them,
engineers and technicians spend less time with investigations, and more time
focused on improving their plant."
The Loop Performance Snapshot includes graphical displays of the most critical
loop assessment information, including oscillation detection, comparison of
key performance indicators (KPIs), linearity and valve hysteresis assessment,
variability, time in normal, dynamic process models, and more.
Red/Yellow/Green color codes draw the user's attention directly to problem
areas. The Loop Performance Assessment is available in a web browser, or
PlantTriage® can e-mail it as a standard PDF file. A subscription feature
also allows the snapshot to be delivered on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Mr. Gerry continued, "The Loop Performance Snapshot, when used with the rest
of the PlantTriage® tools, increases the effectiveness of these plant
personnel by a factor of 3 to 5 times. This provides a huge competitive
advantage to those companies who take advantage of this technology to optimize
their process operations."
Control Loop Performance is critical to plant operating efficiency. Losses in
quality, production rate, energy and materials can all be traced directly to
control loop performance problems. With hundreds or thousands of control
loops in a single plant, tracking down the source of these problems using
traditional methods is complex and time-consuming.
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.
