Product category:
Work-in-progress tracking software
News Release from: MTS | Subject: STARTIM software package
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 23 January 2003
Optimising and automating complex plant
procedures
Targetted at optimising and automating complex plant procedures, a software package can be used to fully automate an application or to support operating staff.
Swiss based company, MTS AG, have released a software package targetted at optimising and automating complex plant procedures The system can be used to fully automate an application or to support operating staff by providing a timed and optimised plan for the procedure
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 17 Feb 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Targetted application areas include process start-ups; complex grade changes for the polymer or refining industry or product turnaround in multi-product flexible manufacturing systems.
Application carried out to date have delivered two clear stages of improvement.
The first, results from introducing automation to co-ordinate otherwise isolated activities carried out by the DCS and PLCs.
The second results from the continued optimisation of the procedure as it progresses.
Mechanisms such as exceptional event handling and contraint relaxation allow optimisation in response to equipment failure or slippage against the timed plan.
Repeatability resulting from increased levels of automation improves understanding of the underlying procedures and can highlight where the procedures themselves may be improved.
STARTIM is available on most common platforms and can be interfaced with most DCS and PLC systems.
The package provides a fully configurable, interactive operator interface with a Gantt chart, trend charts, and individual task and progress information.
The system has a dedicated Graphical Configuration Tool and is supported by a number of data viewing tools to ease commissioning.
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