Industrial IT Simulator Interface
ABB’s Industrial Training Simulator (ITS) is an enhancement of the IndustrialIT Control system offering, allowing transparent implementation of the plant controls into a stimulated operator training simulator environment.
For process control, the ITS offers ControlIT SoftController for execution of the control application. The SoftController concept allows the full plant control application, residing in the numerous process controllers, to be transferred directly to a Windows 2000 PC environment for execution in the simulator. Identical software gives identical behavior. Thus, the realism of the training simulator environment gives the student operator a valuable exercise in learning how actual controls will perform during plant maneuvers.
The OperateIT operator interface is copied directly from the plant operator stations with no changes. Physical I/O from the plant system is replaced in the simulator environment by inputs to and responses from dynamic process models via an ITS link. The link between ITS and process models is based on OPC. The ITS has been interfaced to a large number of process models from various vendors. These include:
- RSI Simcon
- Fantoft Process
- Norcontrol
- KSIM
- Karnkraftsakerhet och Utbildning
- Eurosim
- S3
- GSE
- SAST
- Aspen Tech
- Kamyr
- Exelon Corp
Benefits
Generally stated, the benefits of the ITS from realistic behavior are easy to conceive: safer, more reliable operation of the processing plant; fewer shutdowns due to operator error; ability to research and improve control scheme and plant performance through design studies; ability to anticipate some events. Thus the ITS improves the bottom line for the plant owner in two categories. Operation costs are lower through more efficient maneuvers, lower engineering costs and lower insurance. Overall production rates are improved through longer time on line (fewer shutdowns), less material waste, and other costs in restarting or recovering from abnormal events.
Benefits Summary
- Cost and space efficient simulator platform
- Standard ABB products
- Technology platform identical to plant control system
- Ensures consistency and efficiency through:
- Automated generation of simulator control code from plant controls
- Automated regeneration after plant modifications
- Realistic and efficient training of process operators and system engineers
- Supports life cycle simulator strategy:
- Design studies
- Control system design verification
- Operator training
- Modification and optimization studies
- Ensures investment protection:
- Easy to upgrade and easy to maintain
- Easily expandable
