Operation Support Apparatus for Plant Operator Error Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In plant operations, inadequate delivery of operation details to operators can lead to mistakes, incorrect operations, and inaccurate reporting, despite existing management systems, as operators may not fully understand the required tasks or methods, affecting operational stability regardless of their skill level.
Innovation Solution
An operation support apparatus and system that includes an operation control device and execution apparatus, which control and execute operations based on operation control information, ensuring only necessary functions are used for the target operation, and generate accurate reports by acquiring and outputting operation results through reporting items.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If operation details are delivered to operators through manual notification, then operators can be informed of tasks to perform, but operators may still make mistakes due to inadequate understanding of operation details
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wearable device as an intermediary between the management system and the operator. This device receives operation control information, extracts relevant details, and presents them through multiple channels (display, audio, vibration) to ensure the operator fully understands the operation requirements, thereby reducing mistakes while maintaining effective communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The operation control information is segmented into multiple components: target facility information, operation contents, reporting items, and instructional text. This segmentation allows the wearable device to present information in a structured, easily digestible format, improving operator understanding without overwhelming them.
2Productivity
If operators perform operations based on their understanding, then operations can be executed, but time is lost due to inadequate understanding and incorrect operations
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device presents all necessary operation details, instructional text, and reporting requirements to the operator before the operation begins. This preliminary provision of complete information eliminates the need for operators to spend time interpreting or searching for operation details during execution, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing understanding.
Solution Approach 2:
The system includes a feedback mechanism where the wearable device receives operation results from the operator and transmits them to the management system. This automated feedback loop reduces the time operators spend on manual reporting and ensures accurate transmission of operation outcomes.
3Reliability
If operators manually report operation results, then results can be communicated to managers, but mistakes occur in reports due to inadequate understanding of reporting requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device acts as an intermediary that receives and displays detailed reporting item information from the management system. This ensures operators have clear, unambiguous guidance on what information to report and in what format, thereby improving report accuracy while maintaining the reporting workflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The reporting requirements, including specific items and formats, are provided to the operator in advance through the wearable device before the operation is performed. This preliminary information provision ensures operators understand exactly what needs to be reported, reducing errors in the reporting process.
4Reliability
If comprehensive operation control information is provided to operators, then operation accuracy improves, but the complexity of the support system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device serves as a simplified intermediary that handles the complexity of receiving, processing, and presenting comprehensive operation control information. From the operator's perspective, the interface remains simple and intuitive, while the system behind the scenes manages the complexity of information integration and presentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable device performs multiple functions: displaying operation details, providing instructional text, transmitting control information, and receiving operation results. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems into a single integrated device, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive information provision.
Data Source
AI summary
An operation support apparatus includes an operation control device controlling a target operation performed for a target facility on the basis of operation control information, which indicates each performed operation, including information of the target facility representing a facility that is a target for performing an operation and information of the target operation indicating contents of the operation performed for the target facility.