Practical use of proc ops
This 26-minute video, "Practical use of procedural automation in the nuclear industry" presented by Chris Kourliouros of NovaTech, examines several key batch and continuous processes, and explains how they're controlled and managed using procedure-based automation. The presentation explains the processes, details the challenges, and shows how this new methodology allows control engineers and operations staff to ensure that production equipment is operated safely and efficiently in accordance with all applicable standard operating procedures.
In addition, the company offers a four-minute video, "Augmented manual procedures (AMP)," about its platform-independent procedural automation solution that reduces the risk of abnormal events.
'Infrequent operations' and ISA-106
This online article, "ISA-106 and concepts of procedural automation" covers all the essential aspects of its subject, such as the challenges of automating procedures, developing the ISA-106 solution, terminology for the physical model, procedure requirements model and procedure implementation model, and using them all to deliver value, as well as reduce startup time and variability.
In addition, Yokogawa Australia's 12-minute video, "Modular procedure automation" by Richard Porter, principal engineer for advanced solutions, show how its Exapilot procedural automation solution can be used to achieve safer operations and improve profitability.
Command-perform-verify summary
This online, batch management article, "Procedural automation everywhere" by Control columnist Ian Verhappen, traces the history and development of the ISA-106 standard, "Procedure automation for continuous process operations," and its and technical report (TR) models, They "define how to capture information about physical assets from the enterprise level down to individual devices, and the requirements that define a procedure."
Optimal operations
This six-page article, "Optimised procedural operations" by Richard Kucharyson of Honeywell, covers "procedure effectiveness in the management of abnormal situations and process state changes, which helps to increase profitability as well as provide safer and more effective operations."
Summary and example
The sub-page on procedural operations at Honeywell's website includes a good summary of what it is and how it works, as well as link to a case study about how it was applied at the company's plant in Geismar, La.
S-88 batch skills and principles
This 30-minute webinar, "Modular procedural automation addressing the post-recession skills gap" by Paul McKenzie of Bristol Myers Squibb and presented by the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) and AIChE, shows how procedural and S-88 batch operations can be completed manually and semi- or fully automated, and covers some of their history and recent evolution. It's free until June 30 with a brief login.
Digital operations defined
This blog post, "Digital industrial operations procedures complement ISA106 applications" by guest blogger and ARC associate Mike Williams, covers steady-state challenges, advantages of the ISA-106 standard, and how it relates to today's digitalization of technologies and standard operating procedures (SOP).
State-based basics paper
This six-page whitepaper, "Change your board operator to a proces manager with state-based control" by Tom Nolan and Katherine Persac, "examines the attributes of state-based control and the value delivered to manufacturing from initial design through the operating life of the facility by improving the effectiveness of operators.
Operations at Savannah River
This online article, "Procedural operations go by the book and beyond" by Control executive editor Jim Montague, details how the Savannah River Tritium Enterprise (SRTE) built its new tritium gas extraction facility, and shows how lead DCS engineer Laura Sheets and her colleagues on the project side of SRTE's tritium process control groups integrates procedural automation into their operations.
