Dynamic Procedure Selection in Industrial Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial control systems, such as those adhering to the ISA S88.01 standard, are inflexible and rigid, struggling to adapt to dynamic conditions in modern manufacturing environments, requiring manual reconfiguration or expensive control designer interventions.
Innovation Solution
A dynamically adjustable protocol that translates higher-level requirements into adaptable lower-level execution components, allowing for dynamic selection and alteration of procedures and execution components based on detected conditions, enabling flexible operation without manual reprogramming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a predetermined structured approach is used to adhere to standards like S88.01, then the system maintains reliability and standardized operation, but the system becomes rigid and inflexible when executing processes under dynamic conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic procedure selection by allowing the batch control system to dynamically determine and switch between multiple alternative procedures based on real-time conditions. The system evaluates criteria such as equipment availability, material properties, and process parameters to automatically select the most appropriate procedure from a set of predefined alternatives, enabling flexibility while maintaining standardized control architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by introducing conditional logic and decision-making capabilities at the procedure selection level. Instead of following a fixed hierarchical procedure structure, the system dynamically adjusts which procedures are executed based on varying process conditions, equipment states, and material characteristics, thereby adapting to dynamic manufacturing environments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If control designers manually tweak procedures when conditions change, then the system can adapt to new requirements, but this solution is expensive and requires manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The batch control system performs self-service by automatically selecting and switching between procedures based on pre-defined criteria and real-time process conditions. The system monitors equipment status, material properties, and process parameters, then autonomously determines the appropriate procedure to execute without requiring manual intervention from control designers or operators, thereby reducing operational costs and improving responsiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring process conditions, equipment availability, and material characteristics, then using this information to dynamically adjust procedure selection. The feedback loop enables the system to automatically adapt to changing conditions by evaluating current state against predefined criteria and selecting the most appropriate procedure from available alternatives.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple alternative procedures are made available for dynamic selection, then the system gains flexibility to adapt to changing conditions, but the complexity of the control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the batch control system into modular components including procedure definitions, selection criteria, evaluation rules, and execution modules. Each procedure is independently defined with specific criteria and conditions, allowing the system to manage complexity through modular architecture. The segmentation enables independent development, testing, and maintenance of individual procedures while maintaining overall system flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A dynamic selection component for an industrial automation system is provided. The system includes one or more abstraction layers that are executed by a controller, the abstraction layers specify higher level requirements of a process. At least one execution layer is provided that is responsive to the abstraction layers, where the execution layer includes one or more process components that are dynamically selectable at runtime in view of the higher level requirements of the process.