Topic: Asset Management

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Drowning in Data, Starving for Information-2
McMillan and Weiner Tacked a Big Question, What Is Data Analytics?

Siemens Industry Packages Burner Management Systems
Siemens Releases TR84.00.05 - Guidance on the Identification of Safety Instrumented Functions in Burner Management Systems

The Scoop on Data Acquisition
Control's Monthly Resource Guide. This Month We Cover Data Acquisition

Blocking and Tackling Are Still Required Skills
It Is Sometimes Easier to Get Classes on Advanced Process Control Than on the Basics of General Instrumentation and Control

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White Papers: In Depth Research

Monitoring and Controlling Energy Efficiency in Utilities/W.A.G.E.S. for Cost Reduction
Author: Endress+Hauser
Posted: 12/15/2009
Customers in all industries are coming more and more under pressure to measure the cost of their utilities. Important drivers for this pressure are the rising cost of energy and various certifications according to EMAS and the ISO 14000 series. Measuring utilities has been neglected in the past and using calibrated technology is necessary for this process. However, many companies only measure their utility consumption at the custody transfer point, and these few measuring occurrences leave room for inaccuracy and poor energy management. By investing money in efficient measuring tools, is possible to set up energy monitoring systems that measure the consumption of each respective utility close to the point of use. This white paper reviews processes that can help you attain better energy management. Download now to learn more.

The Eye for Plant Operator's Eyes
Author: D. H. Rothenberg
Posted: 07/08/2009
The plant operator has an extremely valuable and important responsibility: being the force and energy managing a capital enterprise easily worth hundreds of millions of dollars to produce or impact a daily revenue stream of millions, give or take. We ask him to be ever mindful of what the plant might be doing. We ask him to be capable of finding every little problem before it grows into a big one. We ask him to shoulder the burden of everything that goes wrong during his watch, all without any recognition when nothing does, and precious little (if not actual blame) when it goes wrong and he manages to manage. Within his area of responsibility and authority he must be able to view every control loop, most sensors, most pieces of equipment, and much of the supporting utilities, and then adjust as appropriate.

The failure to maintain situational awareness has been present in almost every disaster event that was not the result of spontaneous complete surprise. Start with the assumption that no one wants an accident. That no one would chose disaster over success. But accidents and disasters happen. We now know to a high degree of certainty that they happen because those in charge of ensuring that they do not happen, aren't aware that they are happening. They fail to know the situation. They are unaware of what is really going on, what is likely to happen, or what isn't happening that they think is. As explained in my book Alarm Management for Process Control, the solution is facilitated by effective operator interface design. Let's follow the path of interface design that can lead to better situation awareness.

Public Service Electric and Gas Deploys PI System as Foundation for CMMS System
Author: OSIsoft
Posted: 05/22/2009
Public Service Electric and Gas implemented the SAP PM (Plant Maintenance) system in 2000 to enhance the efficiency of its transmission and distribution equipment maintenance. While this application did improve maintenance systems, it did not provide the proactive, predictive approach to T&D maintenance that the company wanted.

A special project was begun in 2001 to design and implement a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) that would allow PSE&G to monitor equipment status and handle maintenance procedures using a condition-based approach rather than a calendar-based system. The PI System from OSIsoft in San Leandro, Calif., is the foundation on which PSE&G’s engineering and IT staffs created their CMMS solution. The system proposal called for a full ROI by 2005, but the system was launched in early 2002 and began delivering cost savings in its first year. It also is extending the life of aging equipment through more efficient monitoring of performance.

Real-Time Energy Measurement and Empowerment
Author: Russ Barr, Invensys Process Systems
Posted: 04/28/2009
Business leaders in today’s manufacturing industries are facing a key issue, lack of visibility into plant business performance in real-time. Thus, real-time information for plant costs, production value, and contribution margin are generally not available to key decision-makers within the operation. Energy management is a key area where the lack of real-time information has a significant impact. Most companies still do not have a clear understanding of the relationship between energy consumption and the impact on real-time costs. This lack of critical information makes it difficult to make informed decisions as energy-related pricing and costs change frequently, affecting manufacturing business performance. Energy prices comprise a large percentage of variable costs in most operations. The dynamic nature of their impact on the business further confounds the situation owing to factors such as:

- New green energy sources
- Complex and fast changing energy market rates and metering dynamics
- Multiple fuel-burning choices
- New and changing environmental requirements

During these difficult economic times, this problem is magnified and presents a significant challenge to improving efficiencies and managing environmental responsibilities. Today’s business world requires better business information of the manufacturing environment, propagated to all relevant people within the organization to enable and empower better decision-making to improve business performance. Invensys Process Systems (IPS) Real-Time Energy Measurement and Real-Time Energy Empowerment are an effective solution to this problem.

Watch this video
New Information and Resources on Real-Time Energy Management Solutions Now Available From IPS
Learn how real-time energy management can reduce energy costs and consumption.

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Timeless Resources

Selecting an automation security consultant This "special to the web" article by Charles Landis notes that you may want to consider hiring an expert to design a process control security program that is in your best interest financially and operationally.