[Legacy Report] IEEECS: Automation Product Line Management

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IEEE CS assisted the Product Development class taken by Ms. Kavita Vemuri at IIIT to host an IEEE member and address the class on a process involved in automation systems and GATE methodology of product go/no-go.

Domain: Process Industries

Process Industries transform low value input materials to high value products to satisfy the wants of consumers. Automation Products and Systems are used to enhance productivity of these industries, with tight control on quality, and optimal use of energy.

Current generation of Automation Products and Systems are software intensive. Software provides the means to package the body of knowledge in the domain of Process Control.

Process Control system diagram is presented to explain process control information flow from/to the Smart Field devices and to the Operator work stations.


Smart Field Device

Smart Field Devices are real time micro controllers capable of monitoring and control of the process. Besides this basic functionality they have the intelligence to communicate their genetic data, operational status and self diagnosis of their health. They communicate all this information over a field bus network to the agents located at the higher level in the control pyramid. A wide range of communication protocols (Profibus, Hart, FF) are used for these communications. Field Device Tool (FDT) and Device Type Manager (DTM) are software components to integrate the Smart Field Device in to the Process Control System. DTM is synonymous to Device Driver of a Printer. The computer generates a printer neutral file output and the printer driver renders the file compatible to the printer. In a similar fashion DTM facilitates bi-directional information from a specific device for the Process Control System. Device manufacturers provide the DTM with their device. Alternately Process Control System Vendors maintain a web based repository for the DTM suitable for the devices of various manufacturers. Users can down load the desired DTM, install it with FDT and set up the device. FDT is a frame application residing in the Process Control System.

Automation Product Line Management

Automation Product Manufacturers have a wide portfolio of DTM component assets to integrate the wide variety of Smart Field Devices. Once these products are installed and attain the operational status, there is need for their Life Cycle Support. This need arises from time to time to keep in pace with the software upgrades of the other devices/systems to maintain connectivity and inter operability.

Manufacturers create, validate and maintain DTM software assets in libraries navigable over product tree structure. Documentation is maintained for the builds and releases, with compatibility information. Users empowered by license management can down load these DTM components over the internet, perform compatibility check, install and run them,
The effort to create new DTM components is minimized by reuse of the software component assets in the library. In the software factory a new DTM component is developed, validated and archived in to library with two to three man days’ effort.

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