Dear Friends
in DeltaV Rev 11 & 12, a new PCSD library has been added as HCD. it seems that it's very good and some new facilities have been added too. whereas, i have not used in any project, i'm not sure about this new library in refreshing, any bug, or loading the pages. would you please let me have your experience in HCD, if you have used it before.
Regards
Pouya
We have PBL and PCSD libraries running at some of our customers sites.
The big advantage of PCSD is that it can do everything.
The big disadvantage of PCSD is that you don't need 90% of the options. Therefor, you get a lot of unnecessary overhead in the controllers. Also modifying the library is very difficult for inexperienced engineers.
A library custom designed to the customers requirements usually works equally well or even better IMO.
In reply to Robert Rijnders:
I have to agree with Robert, I'm not a project person so I can’t speak to the project cost savings the Emerson sales folks always talk about with PCSD; I work in the day to day maintenance and upkeep of production systems and while PCSD is full of features it is nearly impossible to troubleshoot due to the unused features in each module as well as an extreme over reliance on dynamic references.
I do like to keep a copy of the PCSD library around to look at when I’m doing something new in a system; it has a lot of good ideas. I would recommend looking at it for an idea of how to implement something then creating your own simplified version without the unnecessary overhead.
In reply to chessley:
The caution about overhead has only been an issue with our customers who try to minimize the number of controllers they purchase and pack as many control modules in one as possible. As to the HCD, that's a new acronym to me but then I haven't worked on a v12 system and haven't seen it on any of the v11 systems I've worked on. What does HCD stand for?
Thanks for your informative post, Robert. Great to see you engaging in the community again. Please feel free to reach out to me directly with thoughts on how we can improve your user experience, we've got lots of exciting updates in store for the community in the coming months. Cheers!
Best Regards,
Rachelle McWright: Business Development Manager, Dynamic Simulation: U.S. Gulf Coast
Pouya,
Are you interfacing with a Honeywell system? I got to thinking that the HCD library might stand for Honeywell Connect that that's why I hadn't run into it.
In reply to Bruce Brandt:
Bruce,
HCD stands for Human Centered Design.
Here is a good video explaining HCD concepts for Operator Displays.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8-uoxJtysQ
Regards,
Matt
Here is a good video explaining HCD concepts for Operator Displays. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8-uoxJtysQ
Gareld Butler
Although the PCSD library modules may contain features you do not need, many of those features can be removed with no impact. Examples are the rate of change composite on analog inputs, thresholds composite on analog inputs and PIDs, the modelock composite (although you need to keep the MODELOCKED parameter), interlock/permissive/force setpoint composites (and then uncheck the Permissive and Interlock option from DEVICE_OPTS), etc. The faceplates, detail displays, etc. are designed to work whether these composites are there or not. As most of us know, it is easier to remove a feature than to try to figure out how to add it in later so I really appreciate having all of the “heavy lifting” done even if I don’t need a particular feature for a specific project. Regards, Gareld
We have PBL and PCSD libraries running at some ot our customers sites.
In reply to neilrbrown:
Lots of interesting comments and I agree with most of them.
Ever since the introduction of IEWT library and later PBL, engineers have been stripping down the typicals. Even Emerson engineers themselves. Most of the time removing features works fine, but takes some engineering effort and time. My experience is that if you cut away too much, problems usually occur in dynamos and detail pictures.
In any case, it's an interesting reference to study. Some solutions are very clever, others overly complex.
Another advantage of using PCSD might be that it comes as a complete product with 'off-the-shelve' documentation. Useful for industries like pharma and other that have to comply to FDA CFR11, GMP, GAMP, etc rules and regulations. Using a standardized library can cut down in the qualification and validation effort. Haven't worked on a pharma project yet that used the bare PCSD without modifications. So just import and go.
Another disadvantage is trouble-shooting. If one of our oil&gas customers calls at 03:00 with an EM problem, I need coffee first before I can dig through the spaghetti that is PCSD. IMO.
About libraries. My DeltaV motto is 'keep it simple'. Over the years I've developed my own typical library and I believe it could compete with any 'PCSD light' library if Emerson decides to release one. (Probably every DeltaV engineer will have his own library of course.) Like Neil explains all 6 main families and additional like totalizers and timers. For higher layers a standardized frame-work for implementing EM's, phases and optional OP's, UP's and P's.
Also I prefer class-based software. An estimated >95% of plant software can and should be class instances. Other 5% variations of a standard class and a few 'specials'.
Pardon my ignorance, but where can this PCSD library be found? I look on my 12.3 system but did not see any new library modules.
Thanks
In reply to kdculb:
Since it took many engineering hours to develop, the PCSD library is a commercial product by Emerson. You'll need to contact EPM sales to acquire a copy, as it's not included in the base system.
About HCD. I've always been a fan of HCD, even before I knew it was called HCD :) To be blunt, process operators aren't the brightest people around so they need all the help they can get. This is my (and my colleagues) opinion. Presenting everything in 50 shades of gray will make them fall asleep faster than usual ;)
Currently, I'm looking into using the new DeltaV themes in my dynamo sets and popup pictures. Looks like it will be based on the 'light blue' theme with some variations. Possibly with an option to change the color-scheme dynamically.
Also I can see the benefit of the 'alarm help' function. Another feature I'll add to the library when I have time.
To be blunt Robert, your comment on operators is out of bounds. I've met many smart Operators in my 27 years of work with Emerson and the LBP organizations. You may have your opinion, but statements like that don't belong in this or any other public forum. Bad form...
As for PCSD, it is a project productivity tool. I've heard the statement "it's cheaper to add more controllers than to try and optimize all the control logic to squeeze more loops in fewer controllers." Over time, the PBL library evolved into the PCSD library and many of the inefficiencies of the earlier code have been addressed. There certainly is more overhead in the PCSD library to accomplish the many options being requested in a modern BPCS. Whatever library is used on a system, it is important that there be some training of the maintenance staff on how the library works and how to trouble shoot the logic.
Some customers have more demanding libraries than PCSD, others prefer simpler designs. You have to start somewhere, and if the customer does not have a defined approach and library to work with PCSD offers a proven solutions that should greatly reduce testing.
Andre Dicaire