AUTOMATION

Dr. Ibrahim Al-Naimi

Chapter four
Industrial Control
Systems

Process and Discrete Industries

Level of automation.
Variables and parameters.

Continuous and Discrete

Variables/Parameters

Continuous and Discrete

Control System

Input
parameter
(set point )

Controller

Control element
/Actuator

Feedback
sensor

process

Output
variable

Continuous and Discrete

Control System

Continuous Control Systems

The objective is to maintain the value of an

output variable at a desired level (feedback

control system).
Most Continuous processes consist of many
separate feedback loops.
Examples:
Control the chemical reactions of that depends on
temperature, pressure, and flow rate.
Control of the position of a work part relative to a cutting
tool (x, y, and z coordinate values).

Categories of Continuous
Control Systems

Regulatory Control
Feedforward Control
Steady State Optimization
Adaptive Control

Regulatory Control
The objective is to maintain process performance at a certain
level. Compensation action is taken only after a disturbance
has affected the process output.

Feedforward Control
The strategy is to anticipate the effect of disturbances and
compensate for them before they can affect the process.
Disturbance
Input
parameters

Output variables

Process
Adjustment to
input parameters

Feedforward
Control element

Measured
variables

Controller
Index of
performance
Performance
target level

Steady State (Open Loop)

Optimization Control
Output variables

Input parameters

Performance
measure

Process
Adjustment
to input
parameters

(3) Algorithm to
determine optimum input
parameter values

(1) Index of
performance(IP)

Controller
(2) Mathematical Model
of process and IP

Steady State (Open Loop)

Optimization Control
System Characteristics:
Well defined IP, such as production rate.
Known relationship between IP and Process
variable.
The values of the system parameters that optimize
the IP can be determined mathematically.

When these characteristics apply, the control

algorithm is designed to make adjustment in
the process parameters to drive the process
toward the optimal state.

Steady State (Open Loop)

Optimization Control
Steady state optimal control works
successfully when there are no disturbances
that invalidate the known relationship
between process parameters and process
performance.

Adaptive Control
Output variables

Input parameters

Process
Adjustment
to input
parameters

Modification

Measured
variables

Decision
Adaptive
Controller

Identification

Index of
performance

Performance
measure

Adaptive Control
Adaptive control combines feedback control and
optimal control by measuring the relevant process
variables during operation and using control
algorithm that attempts to organize some IP.
Adaptive control has a unique capability to cope
with time varying environment.
Adaptive control system is designed to compensate
for its changing environment by monitoring its own
performance and altering some aspect of its control
mechanism to achieve optimal performance.

Adaptive Control
Adaptive control functions:
Identification.
Decision.
Modification.

Example: Adaptive control machining, in

which changes in process variables, such as
cutting force and power are used to effect
control over process parameters such as
cutting speed and feed rate.

Discrete Control System

Combinational Logic Control (Event-driven
changes)
Sequential Control (Time-driven changes)

Computer Process Control

Control requirements
Capabilities of computer control
Forms of computer process control

Control Requirements
Whether the application involves continuous
control, discrete control, or both, there are
certain basic requirements that tend to be
common for all process control application.
These requirements are concerned with the
need to communicate and interact with the
process in real time basis.

Control Requirements
Real time controller is a controller that is
able to respond to the process within a short
enough time period that process performance
is not degraded.
Real time control usually requires the
controller to be capable of multitasking, which
means coping with tasks simultaneously
without the tasks interfering with one other.

Control Requirements
Process initiated interrupts (Event driven
changes)
Depending on the relative importance of the signals, the
computer may interrupt execution of current program to
service a higher priority need of the process, often triggered
by abnormal condition .

Timer initiated actions (Time driven changes):

The controller must be capable of executing certain actions
at specified points in time.

Computer commands and process.

System and program initiated events.
Operator initiated events.

Capabilities of Computer Control

Polling (Data sampling)
Interlocks.
Interrupt system.
Exception handling.

Polling (Data Sampling)

Polling refers to the periodic sampling of
data that indicates the status of the process.
The tend is to shorten the cycle time required
for polling
Polling frequency.
Polling order.
Polling format.

Interlocks
Safeguard mechanism for coordinating the
activities of two or more devices and
preventing one device from interfering with
the other(s).

Interrupt System
An interrupt system is a computer control feature
that permits the execution of the current program to
be suspended to execute another program or
subroutine in response to an incoming signal
indicating a higher priority event.
Interrupt conditions:
Internal interrupts: generated by the computer itself (time)
External interrupts: process/operator inputs (event)

A higher priority function can interrupt a lower

priority function.
A function at a given priority level cannot interrupt a
function at the same priority level.

Interrupt System
Priority Level ( ranking )
1 (Lowest priority )
2
3
4
5
6 (Highest priority )

Computer Function / Control Function

Most operator inputs
System & program interrupts
Timer interrupts
Commands to process
Process interrupts
Emergency stop ( operator input )

Exception Handling
An exception is an event that is outside the
normal or desired operation of the process.
Examples: Production quality problem,
variables outside normal ranges, shortage of
raw materials, hazard conditions, controller
malfunction.

Forms of Computer Process

Control

Computer Process Monitoring.

Direct Digital Control (DDC).
Numerical Control and Robotics.
Programmable Logic Controllers.
Supervisory Control.
Distributed Control System.
PCs in Process Control.
Enterprise Wide Integration of Factory Data.

Computer Process Monitoring

Computer Process Monitoring

Control remains in the hands of humans.
Categories of data collected by the computer:
1. Process data: input parameters, output variables,
2. Equipment data: status of the equipment in the work
cell, machine utilization, schedule, tool changes,
diagnosis,
3. Product data: maybe required by regulations for the firm
own use.

Direct Digital Control (DDC)

Direct Digital Control (DDC)

Improvement to the DDC system include:
1. More control options than traditional analog,
such as on/off or nonlinear functions.
2. Integration and optimization of multiple
loops. Such as feedback measurements
integration.
3. Ability to edit the control programs, more
flexibility to reprogram, no need for
hardware changes as in analog control.

Numerical Control and Robotics

Numerical control (NC): a microcomputer
directs a machine tool through a sequence
of steps defined by a program of
instructions.
Industrial robotics: the joints of the robot
arm are controlled to move the end of the
arm through a sequence of positions
during the work cycle.

Programmable Logic Controller

(PLC)
Introduced in 1970 as an improvement on the
electromechanical relay controllers used to
implement discrete control.
A PLC is a microprocessor-based controller
that uses stored instructions to implement
logic, sequencing, timing, counting, etcfor
controlling machines and processes. It is
used for both continuous and discrete control.

Supervisory Control
It corresponds to cell or system level control
(higher level than NC and PLC)
It is superimposed on those process-level
control systems (NC and PLC).
Has economic objectives.
Could be regulatory control, feedforward
control, or optimal control.

Supervisory Control

Distributed Control Systems

(DCS)
Multiple microcomputers are connected
together to share and distributed the process
control work load.
Component and features:
Multiple process control stations.
A central control room for supervisory control.
Local operator stations (for redundancy).
Communications network for process and
operator stations interaction.

Distributed Control Systems

(DCS)

Distributed Control Systems

(DCS)
Benefits and advantages of DCSs:
Can be enhanced in the future (after installation).
Parallel multitasking is possible with multiple
computers.
It has built-in redundancy.
Networking facilities plant management.

Example : Multiple PLCs through a factory,

connected by network.

PCs in Process Control

Categories of PC implementations in process control :
1. Operator Interface: The PC is interfaced to one or
more PLCs or other devices that directly control the
process.
Advantages :
- The PC is user-friendly.
- It can be used for other functions.
- The failure of the PC does not disrupt the PLCs
functions.
- Can be easily upgraded.

PCs in Process Control

2. Direct Control: The PC is interfaced directly to the
process and controls its operations in real time.
Problems :
-

If the PC fails, the process fails.

PC is not designed for process control.
PC is designed to be used in an office environment.

However, There is a trend for PC deployment for

direct control due to several factors :
Wide spread familiarity with PCs.
Availability of high performance PCs.

PCs in Process Control

Open architecture philosophy in control systems
design, which means procuring hardware and
software from a diverse pool of vendors; not
getting the whole system from the same supplier.
Availability of PC operating systems that facilities
real-time control, multitasking and networking.
Industrial-grade PCs can be used to cope with the
harsh factory environment.
Data integration is easier using one PC than using
a PC and a PLC.

Enterprise-Wide Integration of
Factory Data:
It entails less management levels and more
empowerment of front line workers.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a
software that achieves company-wide
integration of all business functions, including
factory data.
A key features of ERP is to use of a singe
central database that is accessible from
anywhere in the company.

Enterprise-Wide Integration of
Factory Data:
Capability resulting from integrating process data:
1. Managers have direct access to factory operations.
2. Production planners have access to most current data on
production to help in scheduling future orders.
3. Sales personnel can provide realistic delivery dates.
4. Customers can track the status of their orders.
5. Quality performance is more predictable.
6. Production cost accounting can be updated.
7. Production personnel have access to product design.