Engineering Support System for Process Control Work Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
In process control systems, the increased complexity due to digitization and coordination between elements leads to potential engineering quality issues and work errors when multiple workers perform tasks in parallel, resulting in duplicate work or erroneous settings.
Innovation Solution
An engineering support system that includes a server device issuing work lists with specified orders and client devices providing work authorities based on roles, enabling workers to implement tasks within defined scopes and preventing duplicate or erroneous work by tracking progress and setting protection flags.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple workers perform setting work in parallel to shorten construction time, then productivity is improved, but work errors and duplicate work increase due to lack of coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the setting work into discrete work items with unique identifiers, allowing multiple workers to work on different items simultaneously. Each work item is segmented with specific parameters (device name, setting parameter, value) that can be independently managed, reducing coordination overhead while maintaining quality control through the centralized management system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the management server continuously monitors work progress through work progress information transmitted by execution devices. When work is completed or modified, the system receives feedback and updates the work list accordingly, preventing duplicate work and ensuring consistency across all settings performed by multiple workers in parallel.
2Ease of operation
If workers operate independently to increase efficiency, then ease of operation is improved, but work errors occur due to lack of coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a management server as an intermediary between multiple execution devices and workers. This intermediary coordinates work by distributing work items from the work list to individual workers and collecting their results, ensuring that independent operations maintain accuracy through centralized validation and conflict resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-defining work items with specific parameters, required settings, and dependencies before workers begin execution. The work list is prepared in advance with all necessary information, allowing workers to operate independently while ensuring setting accuracy through pre-established guidelines and validation rules.
Data Source
AI summary
An engineering support system that supports engineering of a process control system, the engineering support system includes: a server device that creates a work list including work order information that specifies a work order of work included in the process control system; and at least one client device that gives work authority to each worker based on the work list issued by the server device and that enables work on devices included in the process control system within a scope of given work authority to be implemented in the work order.