I have the same feeling as the scientist when I see the modern advanced control systems. Ask any operation personnel about the meaning of all the jargon used in the current day instrumentation field - human engineered, wireless protocols, fieldbus, etc.. and I am sure he will blink at you. Today's control systems are so advanced that I suspect we are barely using 10 % of their capabilities. Does anyone think about the end user - namely the plant operating personnel? Did anyone really analyse whether we did need all the capabilities or we could have done it in a simpler way? A good example is alarm overload - today vendors sell alarm management software!! Why do we need so many alarms in the first place? When you do in house modifications, do not go overboard and suggest all the latest instrumentation. Study what is needed for you and implement only those that are needed.
March 11, 2011
Process safety - "simple" is getting lost
I have the same feeling as the scientist when I see the modern advanced control systems. Ask any operation personnel about the meaning of all the jargon used in the current day instrumentation field - human engineered, wireless protocols, fieldbus, etc.. and I am sure he will blink at you. Today's control systems are so advanced that I suspect we are barely using 10 % of their capabilities. Does anyone think about the end user - namely the plant operating personnel? Did anyone really analyse whether we did need all the capabilities or we could have done it in a simpler way? A good example is alarm overload - today vendors sell alarm management software!! Why do we need so many alarms in the first place? When you do in house modifications, do not go overboard and suggest all the latest instrumentation. Study what is needed for you and implement only those that are needed.
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