Deltav module library

Does the Emerson Company have any packages for deltav module library? Because when i installed Deltav on the system only few modules template are available. I use Ver 9.3

  • Emerson has an internal library of stuff they've built up over the years, but it's not for sale.

    I don't know of any commercially available packages, but that would be nice.

    There is a community board to "share" them, located here:

    www2.emersonprocess.com/.../Interactive.aspx

    I'll admit, there's not much there though.  

    At the last exchange there was a session titled "Does anyone share?".  For many reasons, the answer appears to be "Not really".  I ran into several users who had made great some great stuff, but wanted an "app-store" type place to monetize their work.  Some felt they couldn't share or sell their work due to corporate legal issues, or copyright worries with their employers.  

    The day is coming though.  Wikipedia style collaboration on modules would be great!

    -Travis

  • In reply to Travis Neale:

    thanks

  • In reply to Jim Cahill:

    Travis, I did run your thoughts by our Lifecycle Care team. They are investigating various store options. No promises on timeframe (my promises can get me in trouble in this community... ;-)   )

  • In reply to Jim Cahill:

    At Intuitive we recognised the lack of provision of predefined modules classes with DeltaV out of the box, we've therefore developed project proven basic control modules for free distribution, these are based on the templates provded in the box with enhanced operability. These control module classes cover the vast majority of basic control functionality you'll encounter in any automation project, valves with interlocks, analogue/discrete indicators, PID loops etc... The module classes come as individually packaged bundles and associated document set. All we ask is that users provide critical feedback on the modules to improve them for the greater good.

    Just as Emerson, with their internally used PCSD module library we attempt to avoid recreating the wheel for the control module layer per project as this can be a significant project cost and time thief, I experienced this during the early years of DeltaV project engineering while an engineer at Emerson before they instigated the best practice module libraries.

    At Intuitive we also believe in keeping the control module library lean and mean and prefer to implement coordination control at the Equipment Module layer rather than enhancing basic control module functionality, although we also appreciate that enhancement of basic control module functionality is sometimes the most appropriate approach.

    For a brief summary of the available modules please refer to our website at

    http://www.intuitive.uk.com/project_tools/module_library.php

  • In reply to IntuitiveNeil:

    IntuitiveNeil: nothing special, for me.

  • In reply to Roman Kostuniak:

    what is the deltav version in your application?

  • In reply to Jim Cahill:

    Mohsen : The modules should be good for v9 and v10. They were developed and tested on v9.3.1. Therefore they should migrate easily to v10.3.1. Just to add, we now have a motor module with interlocks, DO module and Totaliser module. They've not been summarised on the website yet.

  • In reply to Roman Kostuniak:

    Roman : Not sure I fully understand the comment, but if you're suggesting they're not rocket science, then you are absolutely correct. They're very simple as per the module templates provided with DeltaV, we've taken those templates, created control module classes from them and then enhanced their functionality for typical operational needs, such as providing operator alarm response text, conditional alarming and interlocking conditions and we also developed them to simplify the project engineering process such as intuitive control module instance configurable parameter shortcut naming and reduction of instance configurable parameters to make the job of the project engineer a relatively simple task.

  • In reply to IntuitiveNeil:

    Having worked at a number of sites and companies, I can see many reasons for the lack of a commercial library.  First, there are so many interactions between components and layers of the software that it is difficult to mix and match shared or purchased components.  You can't just find a module you like or need and throw it in with the set you are already using because there will be some incompatibility or inconsistency with what you already have.  On the other end of the spectrum, if you buy a full library, you have to buy into the vendor's vision of how controls should work.  If you already have DeltaV on a site or within a company, that vision probably doesn't match the one on which your current system is based.  If it is a greenfield site, the work to evaluate and understand all the details of one or more libraries is prohibitive.  

    DeltaV software, and process control software in general, is at the stage that PC programming was before ActiveX objects.  It's hard to share anything more than basic functions because everyone does everything a little bit differently.   If you want examples of how wildly different the solutions to even basic problems are, just follow a few threads on this forum or on LinkedIn when someone asks "How do I...".  They will get a dozen answers that will all work but if you used them all in the same plant, it would lead to a maintenance nightmare.

    Maybe the next generation of DeltaV will support better encapsulation of functions and standardized interfaces between components that will allow the components to be more composable and configurable like ActiveX objects.  Maybe something IEC 61499 based?  

  • In reply to carllemp:

    I agree with Carl that we need better encapsulation and interface mechanisms within DeltaV.  The other forum thread on a common interlock bypass list(no matter where or what you called your interlock) demonstrates that need.  I also agree that there are a million ways to balance a distillation column, or tame a drum level or approach your control needs.  Which is why one of the themes of this year's exchange seemed to scare me a little bit.  I kept hearing "We are going to make it easier".  And what I saw was pre-encapsulated functionality.  "One-click" functionality, which unfortunately means "one-way" or less customizable.

    Lastly I would applaud Neil's sharing of a module library.  I wish we had a true Wiki style library of open source modules.  While they may not work for every situation, they may show you something you didn’t know or show you a different way of doing something that you hadn’t seen before.   You may not want to take and install the whole library, but you may find a piece or method useful.  It allows us to open a conversation on what may be wrong with a particular module or library so that I stop seeing the same errors made at every site!  It’s for this same reason I think Emerson should share their PCSD library.  Let the light of day be the antiseptic.