P&ID to Control System Data Synchronization via Automated Parsing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual process of designing control systems from piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) is time-consuming and error-prone, requiring control system engineers to manually identify input and output tags and their relationships, which can lead to inconsistencies across different designs.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that parses P&IDs to identify instruments and their tags, establishes relationships between input and output tags using a template library, and automatically generates control loops for integration with control systems, reducing manual intervention and increasing accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual process is used to design control systems from P&IDs, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but time consumption and error rate increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates automated copies of P&ID data structures and transforms them into control system configurations. The parser generates digital representations of instruments, tags, and relationships from P&ID drawings, which are then automatically transferred to the control system, eliminating manual data entry and reducing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of data entry with an automated computer-based system. The parser, transformation engine, and data exchange mechanism substitute human operators, automatically extracting data from P&IDs and generating control system configurations, thereby dramatically improving productivity while reducing time consumption.
2Reliability
If manual identification of tags and relationships is performed, then complex custom configurations can be handled, but consistency and reliability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service automation where the parser automatically identifies instruments, tags, and relationships from P&ID data structures without human intervention. The transformation engine then self-configures the control system parameters, ensuring consistent and reliable configurations across different projects while reducing the complexity burden through automated processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms P&ID data parameters into control system configuration parameters through automated mapping. The system changes the state of data from graphical P&ID representations to structured control loop definitions, maintaining consistency by applying uniform transformation rules across all instruments and relationships.
3Ease of operation
If automated parsing is implemented to extract data from P&IDs, then productivity and consistency improve, but system complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the complex automation task into distinct functional modules: a parser for extracting P&ID data, a transformation engine for mapping data structures, and a data exchange mechanism for transferring configurations. This segmentation makes the overall system easier to operate by providing clear, separated functions while managing complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary data structure that bridges P&ID representations and control system configurations. This intermediate format serves as a mediator, allowing the complex transformation process to be managed through standardized data exchange protocols, thereby improving ease of operation while containing implementation complexity within the transformation layer.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for automatically exchanging data between a piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) and a control system comprises: parsing a P&ID and identifying instruments and/or groups of instruments within the P&ID, identifying one or more input tags and output tags associated with each identified instrument and/or with each identified group of instruments within the P&ID, and establishing at least one relationship among the one or more input tags and output tags, wherein the input tags and output tags for an instrument and/or a group of instruments and the at least one relationship between the corresponding input tags and output tags are derivable from a template library, and identifying a control loop for each established relationship among the input tags and the output tags, wherein said control loop is for controlling one or more instruments by the control system.