Too late smart

All the data Jake once had to stare at point-by-point on his HART communicator were consolidated in his asset management system. The thousands of instruments in the plant were dutifully specified to ensure a high degree of reliability. 

Transmitters in services that were likely to be impacted by the colder months were installed in thermostatically controlled and insulated enclosures. Engineers thought about where a less vulnerable technology made sense—a vortex-shedding flowmeter in lieu of an orifice/differential pressure solution. It was designed to take advantage of the technology for integrating smart field devices at the time, including HART devices connected via WirelessHART or multiplexers, and fieldbuses like Foundation fieldbus, Profibus and Modbus. 

In the early days, Jake imagined his new system would provide knowledge and insight into the instruments in the plant like he had never seen. He’d be able to catch an ailing thermocouple or beleaguered positioner before it had any impact on the plant. In the throes of commissioning and startup, there were victories, as flows were revealed, where the designed full scale was exceeded but easily remedied. Level applications could be readily reconfigured to match local gauges. Transmitters could be “zeroed” without opening an enclosure or junction box or needing a hot work permit. Wiring issues like improperly terminated shields, grounding or polarity were revealed by diagnostic tools.

Aside from Jake’s initial enjoyment of his digitally integrated field devices, the bussed I/O provided significant cable and conduit cost savings, which could be added to labor savings for installation and terminations. Commissioning was nearly effortless, and loop checking easily outpaced the progress of installers They were never on the critical path for startup.

A few years after the drama of commissioning and startup passed, Jake realized the vast majority of the plant’s instruments were so reliable, they’d become exceedingly boring. After years of experience were brought to bear on the thoughtful application, specification and installation of the devices, they ran for years without issue. There were a handful of bad actors; corrective action ensued to address root causes, like electric heat tracing that failed because the process itself was too hot for its polymer insulation. Another few were known to be critical, and were closely watched by worried operators anyhow. Jake could add few insights with his digitally delivered data. Certain maladies like hydrogen permeation of high-pressure remote diaphragm seals remained undetectable, even with his instrument’s enhanced capabilities.

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In the process world, we seek to generate alarms only when mitigation warrants urgent action by operators. But Jake’s alerts were befuddling—"FV4023 has new data to share.” Someone had configured its positioner to capture data around certain events—sustained deviation, for example. When he had the time to view it, he was puzzled about what he was supposed to see. Future alerts and others like them began to languish and clutter his asset management screens. Sadly, if something genuinely actionable came across, it might be unnoticed, lost in the clutter.

At brownfield sites, huge strides were made when valves that were previously pneumatic-only and imprecisely positioned finally started tracking the controller’s output closely. After a few years, this vastly improved control was routine. The consequence was not anticipated by anyone during the project phase. What could early-adopter leaders have done to ensure that the utility of their great innovation—digital integration of smart field devices—continued to evolve in usefulness and value to Jake and the enterprise? If quality instrumentation and engineering alone delivered extraordinary reliability, why take on the added challenge of cutting-edge networks? 

Jake’s overall mission as an instrumentation and controls professional was to deliver a control and measurement system that achieved extraordinary safety, reliability, productivity and sustainability for the plant. When we step out to adopt novel solutions, we’ll fare better if our new value proposition clearly enhances our key priorities and deliverables.