Extending Control Performance to the Cloud

A graph comparing the effects of Operation Efficiency with good support.Emerson is taking steps to help customers in the process industries improve control monitoring operations with the prospect of extending its Control Performance Solutions to a cloud-based platform under Emerson’s PlantwebTmdigital ecosystem. Under a pair of recent field trials, Emerson is testing the system by gathering real-time control performance data from a customer’s control system and uploading it to the secured Connected Services platform where it can be accessed and analyzed by qualified experts from remote locations.

As part of Emerson’s Lifecycle Services portfolio, Control Performance Solutions leverage technical expertise and analysis to fine tune and troubleshoot process loops and identify Advanced Process Control (APC) opportunities. By integrating these solutions with Emerson’s cloud-based Connected Services, customers will be able to aggregate, analyze and transmit critical data through a user-friendly dashboard that summarizes key control performance metrics, such as loop utilization, loop variability index, tuning index and limited control.

 As an Emerson Connected Service, Control Performance would be offered as a dedicated component of the PlantwebTm digital ecosystem, connecting customers with remote expertise through Microsoft® Azure cloud technologies. The convenient dashboard would update control performance metrics at regular intervals, alerting personnel to abnormal control performance situations. At the same time, Emerson experts would access the dashboard to confirm field trial accuracy and assist in making recommendations for improvement.

Because most operations have strict cybersecurity guidelines to ensure the control system is not compromised when data is sent to outside sources, the field trials are utilizing an Edge Gateway and a data diode to securely transmit the control system data to the cloud via Azure.

Learn more about Emerson’s Control Performance Solutions: https://www.emerson.com/en-us/automation/services-consulting/lifecycle-services/deltav-dcs/control-performance-solutions