Industrial SOP Execution Protocols from Plant Measurement Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) in industrial plants, especially chemical plants, are often not fully automatable, requiring human intervention and are prone to interpretation and lack detailed execution guidance, leading to potential errors and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method generates and orchestrates an execution protocol for SOPs by aggregating measurement data from multiple executions, allowing for alternative execution paths and providing richer detail to aid novice workers, reducing the risk of single-point failures and improving adherence to SOPs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If human workers execute SOPs manually, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but execution consistency and error reduction are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a computer-based execution protocol system as an intermediary between the SOP requirements and human workers. This mediator provides structured guidance, tracks execution status, and ensures consistency while allowing workers to maintain flexibility in their operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring worker actions against the execution protocol, providing real-time guidance, and adjusting instructions based on execution progress. This ensures consistency while maintaining adaptability to actual plant conditions.
2Manufacturing precision
If detailed execution instructions are provided in SOPs, then execution precision is improved, but SOP complexity and difficulty to maintain increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the SOP execution into discrete, manageable steps with specific actions, observations, and decisions. Each step is broken down into actionable instructions that are easier to follow and maintain while collectively providing comprehensive execution guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The execution protocol system dynamically adapts the level of detail provided to workers based on their skill level, experience, and the specific execution context. This allows the system to provide detailed guidance when needed while simplifying instructions for experienced workers, reducing overall complexity.
3Reliability
If multiple alternative execution paths are provided, then reliability against single-point failures is improved, but protocol complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically selects and presents execution paths based on real-time plant conditions, equipment status, and worker capabilities. Instead of providing all possible alternative paths simultaneously, the system adapts the protocol to the current situation, reducing complexity while maintaining resilience through conditional branching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the execution protocol into modular decision points where alternative paths are presented as discrete options based on specific conditions. This modular structure makes the complexity manageable by organizing alternatives into clear, condition-based decision trees rather than a monolithic complex protocol.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer-implemented method (100) for generating and/or augmenting an execution protocol (4) for at least one standard operating procedure, SOP (2), in an industrial plant (1), comprising the steps of: • providing (110) at least one SOP (2) of the plant (1), said SOP (2) comprising a plurality of steps (2a-2g); • providing (120) measurement data (3) that has been acquired during multiple executions of the at least one SOP (2) and is indicative of actions performed in the plant (1) that modify the state and/or the behavior of the plant (1) or any part thereof for the purpose of executing the SOP (2); • for each step (2a-2g) of the SOP (2), determining (130), from the measurement data (3), a subset (3a-3g) of the measurement data (3) that is indicative of actions performed for the purpose of executing this particular step (2a-2g) of the SOP; and • aggregating (140) the subset (3a-3g) of the measurement data (3) determined for each step (2a-2g) of the SOP (2) into at least one instruction (4a-4g) for executing this particular step (2a-2g) of the SOP, wherein this instruction (4a-4g) is part of the sought protocol (4).