Loop Checking

In today's competitive markets, manufacturers strive to continually improve manufacturing performance to meet their business needs and goals. As process control loops have a major impact on a plant's financial performance, focusing on loop performance is critical. Loop Checking: A Technician's Guide defines loop checking in the broader scope of control loop performance in addition to the more traditional terms of the plant start-up. It discusses general methods and practices that can be applied across many processes/industries. Featured topics include loop checking basics, factory acceptance testing, wiring and loop checks, performance benchmarking and sustaining performance.

PREFACE xiii Chapter 1 Introduction to Loop Checking 1 1.1 The Opportunity 2 1.2 Loop Checking: Introduction 3 1.3 Process Control Example 10 1.4 Other Loop Checking Considerations 11 1.5 Control Loop Design Guidelines 21 Chapter 2 The Factory Acceptance Test 25 2.1 Documentation 26 2.2 Test Planning 26 2.3 Performing the FAT 27 2.4 Process Simulation 38 2.5 Process Control Example 40 Chapter 3 Start-up 47 3.1 Documentation 47 3.2 Loop Check Plan 48 3.3 Checking the Loop 48 3.4 Process Control Example 51 3.5 Example Forms 54 Chapter 4 Performance Benchmarking 59 4.1 Designing the Test 60 4.2 Performing the Test 62 4.3 Analyzing and Reporting the Test Results 72 4.4 Process Control Example 79 Chapter 5 Sustaining the Performance 89 5.1 Maintenance Strategies 89 5.2 Operator Efficiency 91 5.3 Where to Start? 91 5.4 Selecting the Scope of Your Loop Performance Program 91 5.5 Loop Performance Monitoring/Analyzing 93 5.6 Performance Reporting 104 5.7 Loop Performance Program Architecture 105 5.8 Loop Performance Program Summary 109 References 110 Quiz 111 Acronyms 113 Appendix A Tuning 115 Appendix B Answers 135 Index 139