An alarm management program aims to avoid controller overload and ensure accurate alarms that support safe operations. It includes defining an alarm philosophy, benchmarking performance, rationalizing alarms to identify which require a response, and implementing improvement strategies. The highest benefit strategies involve reviewing alarms and adjusting settings, while additional advanced strategies can further reduce alarms over time. Tracking improvements is important as the program evolves with operations.
Sil assessment Risk Graph and LOPA Training iFluidsJohn Kingsley
LOPA is the newest methodology for hazard evaluation and risk assessment. On a sliding scale of sophistication and rigor, LOPA lies between the qualitative end of the scale (characterized by methods such as hazard and operability, or HAZOP, analysis and what-if analysis) and the quantitative end (characterized by methods using fault trees and event trees). LOPA helps the analyst make consistent decisions on the adequacy of existing or proposed layers of protection against an accident scenario. The technique is ideally suited for companies striving to meet specific risk targets or to lower risk as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).
Implementation and application of a Process Safety Management System. This presentation will focus on the history, purpose and scope of a Process Safety Management (PSM) system. Topics covered include:
-Distinctions between personnel and process safety
-Framework and elements of PSM
-Importance of Safety Culture in the implementation and application of a PSM system
-Relevance and importance of regular audits and assessments of PSM systems
The ability to tune a PID loop manually is an art that is quickly becoming scarce, but, like driving a car with a stick shift, it can be very helpful in the right circumstance. In industrial processes automation, most modern control loops are equipped with an auto-tuning algorithm, but in spite of this, there are some loops these automated methods cannot tame.
Having knowledge of the different tuning elements and how to adjust them can help you bring these unruly loops under control. If you have the responsibility to keep the processes running at your plant or factory, this webinar will help you better understand the basics of PID control.
In this webinar you will learn:
The purpose of each of the PID tuning elements
How adjusting the individual PID elements will affect the process
General PID profiles for pressure / flow loops
General PID profiles for temperature loops
An explanation of some supporting parameters like cycle time, manual reset, and anti-reset windup
Sil assessment Risk Graph and LOPA Training iFluidsJohn Kingsley
LOPA is the newest methodology for hazard evaluation and risk assessment. On a sliding scale of sophistication and rigor, LOPA lies between the qualitative end of the scale (characterized by methods such as hazard and operability, or HAZOP, analysis and what-if analysis) and the quantitative end (characterized by methods using fault trees and event trees). LOPA helps the analyst make consistent decisions on the adequacy of existing or proposed layers of protection against an accident scenario. The technique is ideally suited for companies striving to meet specific risk targets or to lower risk as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).
Implementation and application of a Process Safety Management System. This presentation will focus on the history, purpose and scope of a Process Safety Management (PSM) system. Topics covered include:
-Distinctions between personnel and process safety
-Framework and elements of PSM
-Importance of Safety Culture in the implementation and application of a PSM system
-Relevance and importance of regular audits and assessments of PSM systems
The ability to tune a PID loop manually is an art that is quickly becoming scarce, but, like driving a car with a stick shift, it can be very helpful in the right circumstance. In industrial processes automation, most modern control loops are equipped with an auto-tuning algorithm, but in spite of this, there are some loops these automated methods cannot tame.
Having knowledge of the different tuning elements and how to adjust them can help you bring these unruly loops under control. If you have the responsibility to keep the processes running at your plant or factory, this webinar will help you better understand the basics of PID control.
In this webinar you will learn:
The purpose of each of the PID tuning elements
How adjusting the individual PID elements will affect the process
General PID profiles for pressure / flow loops
General PID profiles for temperature loops
An explanation of some supporting parameters like cycle time, manual reset, and anti-reset windup
Introduction to Functional Safety and SIL CertificationISA Boston Section
This overview session will acquaint attendees with the key concepts in the IEC 61508 standard for functional safety of electrical/electronic and programmable electronic systems. An introduction is provided to safety integrity levels (SIL), the safety lifecycle and the requirements needed to achieve a functional safety certificate. Information will be provided on documentation requirements and an introduction to the basic objectives of product design for functional safety.
Darwin Logerot of ProSys presented an Alarm Rationalization Workshop - Tips, Tricks and Tracks at ISA Automation Week 2012 Contact us at prosys.com or 225-291-9591 x225 if you have any questions.
Risk Management Tools And Techniques PowerPoint Presentation SlidesSlideTeam
Presenting this set of slides with name - Risk Management Tools And Techniques Powerpoint Presentation Slides. Enhance your audiences knowledge with this well researched complete deck. Showcase all the important features of the deck with perfect visuals. This deck comprises of total of thirty slides with each slide explained in detail. Each template comprises of professional diagrams and layouts. Our professional PowerPoint experts have also included icons, graphs and charts for your convenience. All you have to do is DOWNLOAD the deck. Make changes as per the requirement. Yes, these PPT slides are completely customizable. Edit the colour, text and font size. Add or delete the content from the slide. And leave your audience awestruck with the professionally designed Risk Management Tools And Techniques Powerpoint Presentation Slides complete deck.
This presentation examines the attributes of state based control and the value delivered to manufacturing from the initial design through the operating life of the facility by improving the effectiveness of operators.
Introduction to Functional Safety and SIL CertificationISA Boston Section
This overview session will acquaint attendees with the key concepts in the IEC 61508 standard for functional safety of electrical/electronic and programmable electronic systems. An introduction is provided to safety integrity levels (SIL), the safety lifecycle and the requirements needed to achieve a functional safety certificate. Information will be provided on documentation requirements and an introduction to the basic objectives of product design for functional safety.
Darwin Logerot of ProSys presented an Alarm Rationalization Workshop - Tips, Tricks and Tracks at ISA Automation Week 2012 Contact us at prosys.com or 225-291-9591 x225 if you have any questions.
Risk Management Tools And Techniques PowerPoint Presentation SlidesSlideTeam
Presenting this set of slides with name - Risk Management Tools And Techniques Powerpoint Presentation Slides. Enhance your audiences knowledge with this well researched complete deck. Showcase all the important features of the deck with perfect visuals. This deck comprises of total of thirty slides with each slide explained in detail. Each template comprises of professional diagrams and layouts. Our professional PowerPoint experts have also included icons, graphs and charts for your convenience. All you have to do is DOWNLOAD the deck. Make changes as per the requirement. Yes, these PPT slides are completely customizable. Edit the colour, text and font size. Add or delete the content from the slide. And leave your audience awestruck with the professionally designed Risk Management Tools And Techniques Powerpoint Presentation Slides complete deck.
This presentation examines the attributes of state based control and the value delivered to manufacturing from the initial design through the operating life of the facility by improving the effectiveness of operators.
Welcome to the future Control Room Working EnvironmentJeton Partini
Modernizing the Control Room working environment is a necessity to catch up with competition in paradigm shift of the industry 4.0. The world around us is shaping in a rapid speed where the Internet of Things, big data, automation, artificial intelligence, autonomous transportation, cyber security, augmented reality, virtual reality, digitalization are only some of the fields that are shaping the way how we humans will interact with technology in the future.
Maximizing well-being in Control Room working environment will be the next challenge for the industrial world. This can be achieved by matching the needs and the requirements of the future Operators.
While digital technologies are becoming a commodity, the biggest challenge remains the Human Factors. Some of the key questions that remain are how can we attract the next generation of Operators in to Control Room working environment? Then after, how can we increase the human performance? Unfortunately, there is not a straight answer to it. Human Center Design is one approach toward the solution where the entire working environment is adapted to the operators needs and parameters. Meanwhile others are thinking about the future while we are inventing it.
Control Room Design and Functionality | Evans Consoles PPTalbertfrost
Evans Consoles offers global services for control room design, human factors and general construction management. For more details visit www.evansonline.com
How to Make Awesome SlideShares: Tips & TricksSlideShare
Turbocharge your online presence with SlideShare. We provide the best tips and tricks for succeeding on SlideShare. Get ideas for what to upload, tips for designing your deck and more.
[Oil & Gas White Paper] Liquids Pipeline Leak Detection and Simulation TrainingSchneider Electric
Increasingly, pipeline operating companies must deal with regulations that focus on environmental protection. The goal of the regulations is to minimize pipeline leaks that not only endanger the environment but also result in operator downtime and financial penalties. Identifying, verifying and responding to the abnormal conditions around a potential leak require best practices, including controller training.
A computational pipeline monitoring (CPM) system uses real-time information from the field – such as pressure, temperature, viscosity, density, flow rate, product sonic velocity and product interface locations – to estimate the hydraulic behavior of the product being transported and create a computerized simulation. With it, controllers can be alerted to actual operating conditions that are not consistent with the calculated conditions and might signal the existence of a pipeline leak. Different CPM methodologies provide different leak detection capabilities, so different methods, or a combination of methods, might be better applied to different operations.
A comprehensive CPM system also supports training best practices that help engineers and controllers develop intimate knowledge of the control system interface, alarming functions and response actions. It is an efficient way to implement refresher training to cover network modifications and expansions and to accurately document training, testing results and qualifications. Computerized simulation has demonstrated to provide more comprehensive and effective training for a specific pipeline than on-the-job training. For this reason, it is the preferred method of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Association (DOT-PHMSA) for training controllers to recognize the abnormal conditions that might suggest a leak and to optimize the safety of the pipeline operation.
Schneider Electric’s SimSuite Pipeline solution is based on a real-time transient model that includes leak detection capabilities, crucial to safety and environmental concerns; a simulation trainer application for targeted and effective training of operational staff; and forecasting and planning functionalities that help improve business intelligence. Together, these capabilities help the pipeline operator reduce operations cost as well as comply with regulations.
Conoco on Path to Reliability Centered Loop Management: Enhancing ROA on the WayARC Advisory Group
Conoco on Path to Reliability Centered Loop Management: Enhancing ROA on the Way
Process manufacturers have invested heavily in manufacturing plants and
automation systems. A typical manufacturing plant may have hundreds or
even thousands of regulatory control loops to enable safe and efficient operations.
The most complex units often have advanced process control and
optimization schemes implemented on top of these regulatory control
loops. All of these systems have a need for
tighter process control to enable more effective
use of assets that result in higher ROA and ultimately
better business performance and
profitability.
Unfortunately, automation effectiveness deteriorates
over time. The lack of a structured
methodology for control loop maintenance is a
contributing factor that erodes performance. A
manufacturing plant typically has only two or three control engineers who
each have responsibility for a large of number of loops, yet they often have
no means of identifying where to focus their efforts so that their work has
the largest economic impact on plant performance.
White paper - Actionable Alarming - Wonderware-Schneider ElectricSuman Singh
A whitepaper on actionable alarm management by Rob Kambach, Product Manager, System Platform, Wonderware/Schneider Electric. Read the paper and learn how to manage your SCADA alarms better!
A subfield of engineering known as control engineering is concerned with the planning, development, and use of systems that govern or control other systems.
Meeting the challenges to adopt visual production management systems hms-whit...Ariel Lerer
This White Paper will provide an essential understanding of different initiatives towards having a Visual Production Management system, (VPMS), in a manufacturing environment. Also insights about why? and how? to implement a VPMS, highlighting the benefits of taking these actions, and further across your environment creating a learning organization.
Download from www.hmswebsite.com/vpms-white-paper/
Similar to [Oil & Gas White Paper] Control Room Management - Alarm Management (20)
More Electric:
Our world is becoming More Electric. Almost everything we interact with today is either already electric or becoming electric. Think about it. From the time you start your day in the morning to the time you finish your day – your home, your car, your work, your devices, your entertainment – almost everything is electric. Imagine the energy needed to power this. Electricity consumption will increase by 80% in next 25 years
More Connected: Our lives are also becoming more connected. The Internet has already transformed the way we live, work and play. Now the Connected Things is going to take this to a brand new level. 50 billion things connected in the next 5 years.
More Distributed: With such a widespread electrification and connectivity, energy models need rethinking as well. Which is why the generation of power needs to be closer to users. Distributed Energy is rapidly evolving globally. This is positive energy – renewable. In 2014 , Renewables overtook fossil fuels in investment value, with $295bn invested in renewables compared to $289bn invested in fossil fuels. And it is getting cheaper to do this.
More Efficient: When our world is more electric, more connected and more distributed, new opportunities emerge and allows us to tap into even more efficiency – in industrial processes, in the energy value chain, in buildings, in transportation, in the global supply chain and even in the comfort and peace-of-mind of our homes.
With more than $18 billion in M&A activity in the first half of last year alone, the colocation industry is riding the bubble of rapid growth. Colocation data center providers are being evaluated by a wide range of investors, with varying experience and perspectives. Understanding the evaluation criteria is a critical competency for attracting the right type of investor and financial commitment for your colocation business and this is why we have invited today’s speaker to present.
Steve Wallage Steve Wallage is Managing Director of BroadGroup Consulting. Steve brings 25 years of industry experience, holding senior roles at Gartner Group, IDC, CGI and IBM before joining BroadGroup 10 years ago. In his responsibilities at BroadGroup Steve has led many due diligence projects for investors evaluating colocation companies.
In this briefing we explore the Phaseo power supplies and transformers offer presentation and application samples.
For more details:
Industrial%20Automation%20and%20Control&parent-category-id=4500&parent-subcategory-id=4510
We’ve all been hearing about how robust the market for data center space is, but a presentation by an investment banker who has his finger on the pulse on the market day in and day out gave me a new appreciation for how great the opportunity really is.
Herb May is a partner and managing director with DH Capital, an investment bank founded 15 years ago in New York that is focused on the Internet infrastructure space. His company has been involved in close to 100 deals, representing almost $20 billion in value. Most of DH Capital’s work is as a mergers and acquisitions advisor, but raising capital is a growing percentage of its business. The point is, the company understands the financials behind data centers and colocation companies inside and out.
At Schneider Electric, in the IT Division, our core business has always been focused on delivering the highest level of availability to critical technologies, systems and processes. We’ve done this through our award winning, industry-leading and highest quality products and solutions, including UPS, Cooling, Rack Systems, DCIM and Services.
In this new digital era, we see a world that is always-on.
Always on to meet the needs of the highest notion of “access” to goods and services
Always on to be the solid, reliable foundation of digital transformation for businesses
Our mission is: To empower the digital transformation of our customers by ensuring their critical network, systems and processes are highly available and resilient.
In this briefing we explore the Magelis Basic HMI offer presentation and application samples.
For more details:
https://www.schneider-electric.com/en/product-range/61054-magelis#search
In this briefing, we explore the Zelio time relay offer presentation and application samples.
For more details:
http://www.schneider-electric.com/en/product-range/529-zelio-time?parent-category-id=2800&parent-subcategory-id=2810&filter=business-1-industrial-automation-and-control
Spacial, Thalassa, ClimaSys Universal enclosures BriefingSchneider Electric
Discover more about Universal Enclosures and how to select the one you need.
For more information:
http://www.schneider-electric.com/en/product-category/5800-enclosures-and-accessories/?filter=business-1-industrial-automation-and-control
Learn more about "what is a solid state relay", key features and targeted applications.
For more details:
http://www.schneider-electric.com/en/product-range/60278-zelio-relays?parent-category-id=2800&filter=business-1-Industrial%20Automation%20and%20Control
Learn more about what an HMI does and the main components and a look at a typical HMI.
Further details:
http://www.schneider-electric.com/en/product-category/2100-HMI%20(Terminals%20and%20Industrial%20PC)?filter=business-1-Industrial%20Automation%20and%20Control
Where will the next 80% improvement in data center performance come from?Schneider Electric
Rick Puskar, Head of Marketing for Schneider Electric's IT Division presents at the Gartner Symposium in Barcelona November 8th, 2017. In this presentation Rick discusses where the next 80% improvement in data center performance will come from with a focus on the speed, availability and reliability of data. Learn how a cloud-based data center infrastructure management as a service architecture like Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure IT can drive such aggressive goals around data center performance.
Learn how EcoStruxure is digitizing industry with IIoT to increase end-to-end operational efficiency with more dynamic control for better business results.
Learn more about our System Integrator Alliance Program - A global partnership transforming industry and infrastructure by helping them make the most of their processes, the most of their assets and the most of their energy.
EcoStruxure, IIoT-enabled architecture, delivering value in key segments.Schneider Electric
As presented during the Alliance 2017 event, learn how to deliver integrated solutions based on EcoStruxure, our IIoT-enabled architecture for Wastewater, Food and Beverage and Mining, Minerals and Metals.
A Practical Guide to Ensuring Business Continuity and High Performance in Hea...Schneider Electric
Within healthcare facilities, high availability of systems is a key influencer of revenue and patient safety and satisfaction. Three important critical success factors need to be addressed in order to achieve safety and availability goals. These include exceeding the facility’s level of regulatory compliance, a linking of business benefits to the maintenance of a safe and an “always on” power and ventilation environment, and a sensible approach to technology upgrades that includes new strategies for “selling” technological improvements to executives. This reference guide offers recommendations for identifying and addressing each of these issues.
Connected Services Study – Facility Managers Respond to IoTSchneider Electric
According to a new 2017 study commissioned by Schneider Electric, facility managers are increasingly looking to leverage the Internet of Things (IoT) by implementing new digital technologies like intelligent analytics to improve maintenance decisions and operations. Explore the full results on how facility managers are reacting to IoT when it comes to facility maintenance.
Learn more about cabling and accessories and the complete ranges available featuring 3 types of cable to suit the envirionment. For more details: http://www.schneider-electric.com/en/product-subcategory/88035-cordset-and-connectors/?filter=business-1-industrial-automation-and-control&parent-category-id=4900
This briefing will look at the general purpose of Photoelectric sensors and Photoelectric fork and frame sensors. For more details: http://www.tesensors.com/global/en/product/photoelectric/xu/?filter=business-1-automation-and-control&parent-category-id=4900/
A world-class global brand offering a comprehensive line of Limit Switches complying with international standards: IEC, UL, CSA, CCC, GOST. For more details: http://www.tesensors.com/global/en/product/limit-switches/xc-standard/?cat_id=BU_AUT_520_L4&conf=sensors&el_typ=node&nod_id=0000000002&prev_nod_id=0000000001&scp_id=Z000
The Art of the Pitch: WordPress Relationships and SalesLaura Byrne
Clients don’t know what they don’t know. What web solutions are right for them? How does WordPress come into the picture? How do you make sure you understand scope and timeline? What do you do if sometime changes?
All these questions and more will be explored as we talk about matching clients’ needs with what your agency offers without pulling teeth or pulling your hair out. Practical tips, and strategies for successful relationship building that leads to closing the deal.
Generating a custom Ruby SDK for your web service or Rails API using Smithyg2nightmarescribd
Have you ever wanted a Ruby client API to communicate with your web service? Smithy is a protocol-agnostic language for defining services and SDKs. Smithy Ruby is an implementation of Smithy that generates a Ruby SDK using a Smithy model. In this talk, we will explore Smithy and Smithy Ruby to learn how to generate custom feature-rich SDKs that can communicate with any web service, such as a Rails JSON API.
JMeter webinar - integration with InfluxDB and GrafanaRTTS
Watch this recorded webinar about real-time monitoring of application performance. See how to integrate Apache JMeter, the open-source leader in performance testing, with InfluxDB, the open-source time-series database, and Grafana, the open-source analytics and visualization application.
In this webinar, we will review the benefits of leveraging InfluxDB and Grafana when executing load tests and demonstrate how these tools are used to visualize performance metrics.
Length: 30 minutes
Session Overview
-------------------------------------------
During this webinar, we will cover the following topics while demonstrating the integrations of JMeter, InfluxDB and Grafana:
- What out-of-the-box solutions are available for real-time monitoring JMeter tests?
- What are the benefits of integrating InfluxDB and Grafana into the load testing stack?
- Which features are provided by Grafana?
- Demonstration of InfluxDB and Grafana using a practice web application
To view the webinar recording, go to:
https://www.rttsweb.com/jmeter-integration-webinar
Essentials of Automations: Optimizing FME Workflows with ParametersSafe Software
Are you looking to streamline your workflows and boost your projects’ efficiency? Do you find yourself searching for ways to add flexibility and control over your FME workflows? If so, you’re in the right place.
Join us for an insightful dive into the world of FME parameters, a critical element in optimizing workflow efficiency. This webinar marks the beginning of our three-part “Essentials of Automation” series. This first webinar is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to utilize parameters effectively: enhancing the flexibility, maintainability, and user control of your FME projects.
Here’s what you’ll gain:
- Essentials of FME Parameters: Understand the pivotal role of parameters, including Reader/Writer, Transformer, User, and FME Flow categories. Discover how they are the key to unlocking automation and optimization within your workflows.
- Practical Applications in FME Form: Delve into key user parameter types including choice, connections, and file URLs. Allow users to control how a workflow runs, making your workflows more reusable. Learn to import values and deliver the best user experience for your workflows while enhancing accuracy.
- Optimization Strategies in FME Flow: Explore the creation and strategic deployment of parameters in FME Flow, including the use of deployment and geometry parameters, to maximize workflow efficiency.
- Pro Tips for Success: Gain insights on parameterizing connections and leveraging new features like Conditional Visibility for clarity and simplicity.
We’ll wrap up with a glimpse into future webinars, followed by a Q&A session to address your specific questions surrounding this topic.
Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your FME expertise and drive your projects to new heights of efficiency.
DevOps and Testing slides at DASA ConnectKari Kakkonen
My and Rik Marselis slides at 30.5.2024 DASA Connect conference. We discuss about what is testing, then what is agile testing and finally what is Testing in DevOps. Finally we had lovely workshop with the participants trying to find out different ways to think about quality and testing in different parts of the DevOps infinity loop.
Slack (or Teams) Automation for Bonterra Impact Management (fka Social Soluti...Jeffrey Haguewood
Sidekick Solutions uses Bonterra Impact Management (fka Social Solutions Apricot) and automation solutions to integrate data for business workflows.
We believe integration and automation are essential to user experience and the promise of efficient work through technology. Automation is the critical ingredient to realizing that full vision. We develop integration products and services for Bonterra Case Management software to support the deployment of automations for a variety of use cases.
This video focuses on the notifications, alerts, and approval requests using Slack for Bonterra Impact Management. The solutions covered in this webinar can also be deployed for Microsoft Teams.
Interested in deploying notification automations for Bonterra Impact Management? Contact us at sales@sidekicksolutionsllc.com to discuss next steps.
Transcript: Selling digital books in 2024: Insights from industry leaders - T...BookNet Canada
The publishing industry has been selling digital audiobooks and ebooks for over a decade and has found its groove. What’s changed? What has stayed the same? Where do we go from here? Join a group of leading sales peers from across the industry for a conversation about the lessons learned since the popularization of digital books, best practices, digital book supply chain management, and more.
Link to video recording: https://bnctechforum.ca/sessions/selling-digital-books-in-2024-insights-from-industry-leaders/
Presented by BookNet Canada on May 28, 2024, with support from the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Kubernetes & AI - Beauty and the Beast !?! @KCD Istanbul 2024Tobias Schneck
As AI technology is pushing into IT I was wondering myself, as an “infrastructure container kubernetes guy”, how get this fancy AI technology get managed from an infrastructure operational view? Is it possible to apply our lovely cloud native principals as well? What benefit’s both technologies could bring to each other?
Let me take this questions and provide you a short journey through existing deployment models and use cases for AI software. On practical examples, we discuss what cloud/on-premise strategy we may need for applying it to our own infrastructure to get it to work from an enterprise perspective. I want to give an overview about infrastructure requirements and technologies, what could be beneficial or limiting your AI use cases in an enterprise environment. An interactive Demo will give you some insides, what approaches I got already working for real.
Accelerate your Kubernetes clusters with Varnish CachingThijs Feryn
A presentation about the usage and availability of Varnish on Kubernetes. This talk explores the capabilities of Varnish caching and shows how to use the Varnish Helm chart to deploy it to Kubernetes.
This presentation was delivered at K8SUG Singapore. See https://feryn.eu/presentations/accelerate-your-kubernetes-clusters-with-varnish-caching-k8sug-singapore-28-2024 for more details.
Encryption in Microsoft 365 - ExpertsLive Netherlands 2024Albert Hoitingh
In this session I delve into the encryption technology used in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Purview. Including the concepts of Customer Key and Double Key Encryption.
Key Trends Shaping the Future of Infrastructure.pdfCheryl Hung
Keynote at DIGIT West Expo, Glasgow on 29 May 2024.
Cheryl Hung, ochery.com
Sr Director, Infrastructure Ecosystem, Arm.
The key trends across hardware, cloud and open-source; exploring how these areas are likely to mature and develop over the short and long-term, and then considering how organisations can position themselves to adapt and thrive.
Builder.ai Founder Sachin Dev Duggal's Strategic Approach to Create an Innova...Ramesh Iyer
In today's fast-changing business world, Companies that adapt and embrace new ideas often need help to keep up with the competition. However, fostering a culture of innovation takes much work. It takes vision, leadership and willingness to take risks in the right proportion. Sachin Dev Duggal, co-founder of Builder.ai, has perfected the art of this balance, creating a company culture where creativity and growth are nurtured at each stage.
2. Summary
Executive summary ................................................................................... p 1
Introduction ............................................................................................... p 2
Control room management best practices today......................................... p 4
Alarm management requirements .............................................................. p 4
What affects controller workload? .............................................................. p 5
Building an alarm management program ................................................... p 6
Alarm management improvement strategies .............................................. p 8
Tracking improvement ................................................................................ p 10
Schneider Electric solutions and
expertise are always updating..................................................................... p 10
Conclusion ................................................................................................ p 11
3. Executive summary
Control Room Best Practices Provide Better Pipeline Safety and Operational Efficiency
Industry best practices call for pipeline operators to define a clear alarm
management plan that helps avoid controller overload and ensures alarms are
accurate and support safe pipeline operation. Review of controller workload is
key in this program, as it can provide the most critical information on how to
improve the performance of an alarm system and the controllers monitoring it.
Controller performance can be impaired when deluged with too many SCADA
alarms, a significant increase in the number of points being monitored and
alarms related to communications, which all add to other attention-demanding
activities not directly related to alarms.
Developing a program to analyze and continually improve the alarm system
includes identification of the operator’s Alarm Philosophy: identifying what
constitutes an alarm, who manages it, how it is managed and how training
and change of management are carried out. Other best practices of an
alarm management program include benchmark and performance audits;
rationalisation to determine which SCADA alarms warrant response; and
implementation, in an auditable manner, of actions defined.
When implementing an alarm management improvement program, the highest
benefit is realised through strategies that involve little advanced technology.
These high benefit strategies include alarm storm reviews, tuning alarm
settings on nuisance alarms and fixing known issues; adjusting deadbands of
repeating alarms; and eliminating alarms with no defined response. Strategies
of medium benefit include suppression of alarms from ‘out of service’ stations;
replacing absolute alarms with deviation alarms; and filtering, de-bouncing, or
suppressing repeater alarms. Other advanced alarm improvement strategies
that can provide additional benefit after initial strategies have been implemented
include use of dynamic alarm thresholds, operator-set alarms and operational
mode suppression. Tracking improvement in the alarm program after
modifications are made is important, especially as operations bring in larger
point counts.
Schneider Electric actively participates in industry alarm management programs
to assure its advanced-technology Control Room Management solution targets
best practices and meets new regulations for improved alarm management in
the pipeline sector and other control implementations.
Control room safety and regulatory
standards compliance with advanced
technology and best practices
White paper on Alarm Management | 01
4. Introduction
White paper on Alarm Management | 02
Control Room Best Practices Provide Better Pipeline Safety and Operational Efficiency
Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system alarms are a
key tool for managing pipeline operations and maintaining safe operations.
However, the number of alarms generated can be excessive, overloading
controllers and creating a significant safety hazard, making proper alarm
management a necessity.
The definition of alarm management centers around two major components —
managing the notifications generated by the SCADA system and developing a
program to analyze and continually improve the alarm system. In other words,
reducing the number of false alarms and improving the management of actual
alarms to reduce controller load.
In building an alarm management program, pipeline operators have both
industry best practices and regulatory requirements to guide them. The
following addresses these guidelines: how to implement them, and the technical
solutions available to create an effective program and ensure compliance with
all rules and regulations.
U.S. Regulatory Framework
The United States serves as an
excellent model for the regulations
operators face due to its clearly
defined standards and statutes. The
U.S. Department of Transportation’s
Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety
Association (DOT-PHMSA) issued its
control room management Human
Factors Rule on February 2, 2010.
All regulated gas and hazardous
liquid pipelines that have at least one
SCADA system or Distributed Control
System (DCS) controller and control
room are affected by this rule.
The primary goal of this rule is to
assure that operators are providing
the necessary training, tools,
procedures, management support,
and environment to allow the
controller to effectively support safe
operation. This includes key features
of control room management such
as clear and accurate SCADA
displays, a manual operating plan,
backup SCADA system testing,
shift turnover protocols, controller
fatigue prevention, and an alarm
management plan.
6. White paper on Alarm Management | 04
Control Room Best Practices Provide Better Pipeline Safety and Operational Efficiency
Control room management
best practices today
A wave of recent pipeline incidents has many countries evaluating the way
they oversee pipeline operations. Recent regulation changes affecting
major gas producers and pipeline oil and gas transmission companies
internationally call for the review and rationalisation of operator processes
for control room management (CRM). This has raised interest in the state
of equivalent regulations and best practices as they apply across the world.
This includes the United States, who passed new control room management
regulations in 2010, adding a new emphasis on alarm management and
increasing agency oversight. While pipeline operators benefit from proper
alarm management through increases in operational efficiencies and
performance, keeping pace with regulatory compliance is mandatory.
Alarm management
requirements
While every country differs, many require, and industry best practices
dictate that pipeline operators define a clear alarm management plan with
the primary goals of avoiding controller overload and ensuring alarms are
accurate and support safe pipeline operation. Operators should have a
written plan that includes the following:
• A review of SCADA safety-related alarm operations.
• Once a month, identify points that have been taken off scan,
had alarms inhibited, generated false alarms, or have needed
maintenance.
• Verify alarm values and descriptions once a year.
• Annual plan review to determine its effectiveness.
• Annual review of controller load.
• Address any deficiencies identified.
While each of these components provides essential value, it is the review
of controller load that often provides the most critical information on
how to increase the performance of an alarm system and the controllers
monitoring it.
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What affects controller workload?
Too many SCADA alarms
Adding alarms in SCADA is relatively inexpensive and easy. SCADA systems
make it easy to make configuration changes at the host without necessarily
requiring any form of field intervention.
The ability to easily change configurations and add points is a tremendous
benefit to the end user. However, with the ability to create up to ten alarms at
each of the thousands of points in the pipeline system, alarm proliferation is
all too easy and can overload the controller.
Significant increase in number of points monitored
It is common to see the addition of more points, through organic growth,
mergers and acquisitions, or bringing in a new pipeline from another operator
with alarm limits that were not based on your original philosophy.
Adding more alarm points with new configurations alters the balance of an
existing alarm management philosophy. As this type of increase in points
occurs, it is critical that operators go back and properly rationalise these new
points as well as manage the increased load for operators.
Communications related alarms
One of the more challenging aspects of SCADA and alarm management is
communications. Interruptions to the communications network can create
little alarm “bursts” when the communications are restored and in some
cases cause the re-generation of alarms.
This increase in alarm activity can distract operators from safety-related
alarms. To counter this, operators need to work on ways to improve
communication infrastructure where possible to reduce SCADA specific
communication alarms.
Alarm load is only one measurement of controller activity
In addition to alarm load, it is important to look at full controller load, including
phone calls, interruptions, shift change and all the other tasks associated
with the control room. These can contribute significantly to overloading the
controller with information and distractions.
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Building an alarm management program
There are several steps to building a successful and compliant alarm
management program that pipeline operators should follow. Developing best
practices for operation of any specific pipeline is a continuously repeating
process of evaluation and audit that considers:
• Alarm Philosophy
• Measurement, through benchmarking, and performance audit
• Rationalisation (rules of engagement), including identification
of the ‘bad actor’ and cleanup of repeat offender
• Dynamic and state-based alarming, including
parent/child suppression
• Implementation
• Continuous improvement
• Management of change
Alarm Philosophy
An Alarm Philosophy shapes and guides an alarm management program. It
is a performance-based written plan that describes your executive mission
statement for your program, the owners of the program, and owners and
responsibilities for the actual alarm program.
A philosophy would include:
• Purpose—why do you have an alarm management program and
what do you expect from it?
• Definition—what do you consider an “alarm”? Does it signal an
event that requires action, or does it merely signal development of
a deviation from normal?
• Executive mission statement—important for executive buy-in
because of the costs associated with alarm management.
• Ownership—who is responsible for alarm management? Clear
roles and responsibilities must be laid out.
Operator plans should reflect
industry best practices
Operator plans should reflect the
industry standards and guidelines
‘recognised as good engineering
practice’ (RAGEP):
• International Standards
Association (ISA) SP 18—
industry standards
• API RP 1167—pending
publication
• American Gas Association
(AGA) recommended practices
issued by its Gas Control
Committee
• Various industry publications:
• EEMUA 191
• “Alarm Management of
Process Control” by Douglas
H. Rothenberg
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Building an alarm management program
(continued)
• Alarm documentation and rationalisation—includes process,
methodology, preparation, alarm priorities, alarm set-points and
information storage (master alarm database).
• Alarm audits and performance monitoring—how are audits to be
conducted, by whom, and what indicators are considered?
• Management of change—documentation of how notification and
training are conducted.
Operators can refer to pipeline industry associations and alarm management
experts and published reference material for recommended practices and
assistance in defining and documenting an individual Alarm Philosophy. Three
examples of alarm management reference and guidance documents include
EEMUA 191, API RP 1167 and ISA SP 18.
Benchmark and performance audit
Operators want to see continuous improvement in their alarm management
program. To do that, benchmark alarm activity levels need to be measured
and referenced against current levels over time. By creating dashboards in
the SCADA system that monitor these values, operators can compare current
alarm levels with historic performance (e.g., this shift versus last shift, this
week versus last week, etc.) for a continual performance audit.
Rationalisation
A primary function of alarm management is to determine which alarms
need responses and which are repetitive or “bad actors.” A common
control industry for an alarm is a notification that requires a response. The
rationalisation process is a point-by-point review of the pipeline system
to determine which SCADA alarms do, in fact, require a response and
developing a prioritisation level for them. As well as documenting the
appropriate response to the alarm once it has been verified.
It is during this review that operators begin to develop a clear picture of the
alarm system. Rationalisation provides the information needed to begin the
implementation phase of the alarm management plan.
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Building an alarm management program
(continued)
Implementation
As the rationalisation process takes place, the most egregious “bad actors”
will be identified relatively quickly and operators can take immediate steps to
address them. After dealing with this “low hanging fruit,” alarm levels will drop
off and allow operators to begin looking for more subtle alarm issues. This is
an ongoing process and can be dependent on the guidelines used in crafting
the Alarm Philosophy.
All of this needs to happen within an audited program, so that when you
need to make a change to an alarm limit, you can prove that any changes
to the operating procedures were communicated to the controllers and well
documented.
Alarm management
improvement strategies
As operators enter the implementation phase, there are a variety of resources
available to guide the process. When working with customers, Schneider
Electric follows guidelines such as what is published by the Engineering
Equipment and Materials Users’ Association (EEMUA 191). In an effort to
prioritise the strategies based upon the resulting improvements to system
performance, the EEMUA recommends applying first basic, then advanced
techniques to achieve the necessary improvements
Based upon this process, the following strategies should be considered in
approaching an alarm management improvement process—
Highest Benefit
These strategies, while providing the highest value, involve little advanced
technology, having more to do with reviewing alarms and adjusting alarm
settings properly:
• Review alarm storms to determine noise vs. value—a true system
upset can generate a storm of alarms, not all of which are valuable
to addressing the area of concern.
• Tune alarm settings on nuisance alarms, fix known issues—many
times, operators and controllers have identified chattering alarms
or alarms resulting from broken field equipment and just ignore
them. These are easily identifiable fixes.
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Alarm management improvement
strategies (continued)
• Adjust deadbands of repeating alarms—adjusting or adding a
deadband to reduce noise.
• Eliminate alarms with no defined response—as stated before, an
alarm is defined as an event with a defined response. Identified
alarms with no defined response should be given a low priority
setting. These alarms can also be changed to alerts.
• Ensure alarm priorities are correctly assigned
• Introduce Alarm Shelving—rather than turning off alarms,
lower priority alarms can be shelved, marking the controller as
acknowledging the alarm but being held for later action so as to
clear alarm noise.
• Introduce single line annunciation of repeating alarms—rather than
generating repeating notifications from the same alarm, one alarm
is generated with a counter showing the number of times it has
been triggered.
Medium Benefit
• Suppress alarms from “out of service” stations—stations that
are offline, during calibration for instance, may generate many
nuisance alarms. These alarms can be grouped and suppressed
on the display.
• Replace absolute alarms with deviation alarms—setting alarm
triggers as a deviation from an acceptable range rather than a set
point.
• Eclipsing—if one alarm goes from a lower priority to a higher
priority, rather than leaving both alarms displayed the lower priority
alarm is eclipsed.
• Apply filtering, de-bouncing, suppression on repeating alarms—
alarms can be filtered into various classes that suppress repetition.
• Using logic to combine redundant sets of alarms—grouping similar
alarms that require the same action or denote a pattern and
eliminating all but the most critical.
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Alarm management improvement
strategies (continued)
Additional Future Benefit
There are additional advanced alarm improvement strategies that can
be applied once the highest and medium benefit strategies have been
implemented. They include using dynamic alarm thresholds, operator-set
alarms, and operational mode suppression.
Tracking improvement
As these strategies are implemented and reviewed over time, operators
should be able to see not only a reduced number of alarms but a general
improvement in safety and performance of the alarm system, as well as more
efficient control room operation overall. Schneider Electric customers that
were skeptical at being able to achieve an alarm rate of six to ten alarms per
hour just a few years ago, are now seeing significant drops in their alarm
loads as they continue to refine their alarm management program. It is
important that these performance measures are tracked carefully, especially
as operations are scaled up into larger point counts.
Schneider Electric solutions and
expertise are always updating
As a leading provider of oil and gas pipeline solutions, Schneider Electric
is constantly working to improve its products and services to ensure the
company continues to provide benefits valued by the end user and assist
them in keeping up with the changing business and regulatory climate.
Schneider Electric participates on industry alarm management committees
to ensure its products are well positioned to meet any new regulations for
improved alarm management in the pipeline sector as well as other control
industries. In addition, Schneider Electric utilises customer feedback to a high
degree to ensure its products are responsive to customer needs.
As a result, Schneider Electric offers a control room management solution
that helps operators implement not only the best practices critical to alarm
management but also for other control room functions, supporting efficient,
secure and compliant operations.
13. Conclusion
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Effective alarm management
in a nutshell:
SCADA alarms are necessary for effective and safe pipeline operations. Yet
the industry advises that operators carefully assess how much alarm is too
much for its particular infrastructure and operations. Excessive alarms can
overload controllers and actually undermine safe operations.
Best practices in control room management and alarm management help the
operator implement a program to analyze and continually improve the alarm
system for better pipeline safety and operational efficiency.