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Automation Project - Survival Guide PDF
Automation Project - Survival Guide PDF
SURVIVAL GUIDE
Ideas to help
you land on
your feet
8. Be thorough in examining out- the range of services they provide? trol System Integrators Association,
side support. Be sure to determine Are there any commercial issues out- www.controlsys.org. This organization
if outside personnel, such as system standing? Check references. Consider not only validates industry expertise,
integrators, have experience in your cost, but understand that the lowest but also supports dependable busi-
industry. Is their knowledge transfer- bid is not always the best. A good ness practices by its system integrator
able to the project? Evaluate their resource for companies looking to hire members.
background and capabilities. What is control system integrators is the Con-
Close
Development
also important to make sure the right 7. Communicate often. Don’t make approve various aspects of the project
people attend the FAT; that includes decisions without consulting the team. in a timely fashion. Stay involved and
the lead operator and maintenance Unilateral decision-making alienates be responsive to prevent delays in the
tech, not just the manager. the team, creates confusion and fails to project’s timeline.
take advantage of the unique expertise
6. Follow programming standards. 9. Make sure you have bench
of the team members. Foster open
Make sure that in-house programmers, strength. There’s nothing that delays
communication and communicate fre-
system integrators and OEMs use the a project more than a team member
quently, so that everyone on the team
same PLC programming standards, who gets assigned to another project
understands the issues and is aware of
such as OMAC and PackML. There’s and no longer has the time to devote
any problems that need to be resolved.
nothing worse than custom code that to your project. Identify alternative
Establish a communications roadmap
has to be reworked at the last minute resources early and have them ready to
for vendors; check with them soon into
to make it compatible with a plant’s fill in if needed. That same rule applies
the project to make sure it’s working.
existing systems. Multiple approaches to the system integrator’s team; make
to programming can cost a company 8. Don’t be a roadblock. As project sure they’ve identified people with
millions of dollars. manager, it’s your responsibility to equivalent skills who can be assigned
respond to information requests and to the project if required.
Four IT Standards
You Should Understand
Imagine a world without electrical menting automated and manual con- facturing operations management)
standards, such as 110 V at 60 Hz, or trol on the systems that reside above specifications.
220 at 50 Hz, or a world where every the PLC (programmable logic con-
The ANSI/ISA 99 reports define struc-
phone had a different type of connec- troller) and DCS (distributed control
tures and policies for designing effec-
tion and required a different type of system) level, and which perform the
tive and secure networked production
switchboard. Just as these standards basic control that keeps production
facilities.
are critical to the basic functioning of running. These four standards all share
electrical equipment, there are also IT a common view of a production facil- The new ISA 106 reports define
standards used daily to ensure optimal ity, providing a consistent terminology the procedural control strategy for
functioning of production systems in that makes it easier to compare plants continuous production during upsets,
the process industries. within a company and across compa- switchovers, and other types of pro-
nies. cess changes.
There are four production-related IT
standards of special interest to the The ANSI/ISA 88 standard defines the Because these standards establish
processing industries: most common and effective method a commonly accepted terminology,
• Tcontrol;
he ANSI/ISA 88 standard on batch for defining control systems for batch
operations or for continuous and dis-
functions and process models by
which technical professionals are
• Tand
he ANSI/ISA 95 standard for MES
crete startups and shutdowns. trained, and upon which solution
providers develop applications used
ERP-to-MES communication; The ANSI/ISA 95 standard defines
• The ANSI/ISA 99 technical reports
in batch and process production
the most commonly used method for
operations (as well as discrete manu-
in industrial cyber security; and exchanging information between ERP
• The new ANSI/ISA 106 technical
facturing), they should be of particular
systems, such as SAP or Oracle, and
interest to those who are new to the
report on procedure automation. the multitude of shop floor systems. It
field and those who seeking a refresh-
has also become the de facto stan-
These standards and technical reports er on the fundamentals of industrial
dard for defining MES (manufacturing
define the best practices for imple- processes.
execution system) and MOM (manu-
Four Considerations
for Upgrades & Migrations
Regardless of whether you want to new system, there are two aspects of
increase productivity or shorten time- • Need for continuing support of the obsolescence to assess. In a migra-
to-market, attaining success in these legacy system; and tion, it’s important to understand the
areas depends on the application of • Etivity
ffectofonplant
the efficiency and produc- history of the technologies supported
suitable automation technologies in a personnel. by the company behind the product
batch processing plant. Following are under consideration. Does this com-
2. In each case of upgrade or migra-
the principal steps involved in assess- pany actively support the long-term
tion, return on investment plays a
ing your plant’s technology to gauge lifecycles of products as they are typi-
crucial role. A huge investment in
whether a technology upgrade or cally employed in a process opera-
hardware and application software is
migration is in order: tion? Do upgrades have significant
associated with the installed process
backwards compatibility? How often
control system, as well as the accu-
are upgrades typically released for this
mulated know-how of the operating,
system and what is required for instal-
engineering and maintenance person-
lation? For upgrades, it’s important to
nel. For this reason, the prime objec-
understand what the future outlook
tive of any migration strategy should
is for the system under consideration.
be to modernize the installed base
With the significant maintenance and
gradually without any system discon-
security issues tied to process control
tinuity and, if possible, without any
systems, you should always consider
plant downtimes or loss of produc-
your risk of system obsolescence and
tion that would negatively affect the
the associated costs incurred with
investment return.
such a scenario versus the costs of
3. Assess the long-term security of moving to a better-supported system.
1. Consider the full range of aspects
existing investments. This assessment The good news is that, in the process
that relate to your existing systems,
is important in order to maximize the industries, most vendors are very
such as:
return on assets (ROA). For this rea- aware of the long-term use of their
• Rand
isk production
of unplanned plant downtime son, every migration should include a systems by end users and thus tend
stoppages; robust lifecycle support strategy for the to support their systems for multiple
• introduce
Ability to expand production or new system that considers not only the decades rather a single decade, as is
new products; availability of the components, but also more common with office IT systems.
• Alevel
bilitybusiness
to integrate with enterprise- product warranties, on-site service and
ongoing technical support.
As newer automation technologies
become core components of process
software and at what
cost; control systems, be sure to talk with
4. Obsolescence. When deciding
• Ongoing maintenance costs; whether to upgrade or migrate to a
your supplier about their support plan
for those newer technologies.
tional cost, installation cost and the 6. Good links. Distributed control sys- 8. Use single server. Base the selec-
possibility of poor connections. tems are only as good as their commu- tion of a DCS system on its redundant
nications links. Choose a very solid and capability. A single server system is
5. Dual purpose. The purpose of DCS
reliable link between processing units. preferred. Pay attention to the hard-
is twofold. Centralized human control
ware license for client and server to
and interface to the plant as well as a 7. FAT is where it’s at. Make sure
avoid delays during a system or hard
centralized location for MIS info to the you do a comprehensive and
disk crash. Care must also be taken in
management network. DCS control detailed factory acceptance test-
selecting appropriate layered switches
should not include auto tuning of ing (FAT) test before cutover. FAT
for communication. Make sure you
control loops other than simple on/off involves experienced operations
properly configure trends and history
or start/stop functions. These should people interacting with engineering
data for future analysis.
be the function of a local dedicated to validate graphics and verify that
controller. Use the DCS to update the instruments in the configuration
tuning parameters. exist and will remain in service.
13 Suggestions for
Control System Migrations
As anyone who has been involved conduct a virtualization of the new have the right conversion tools;
in a control system migration will automation system. The future of what you need to do to avoid system
tell you, it’s never an easy process. automation will need virtualized failure or risk for the migration step;
Whether it’s an upgrade, expansion, infrastructure and platforms to deal what is the expected lifecycle of the
stepwise migration or rip-and-re- with the IT spectrum, cyber security new system.
place, the bigger and more complex and better management capabili-
6. Make no assumptions. Try to
the project, the more fraught with ties. Virtualization has many benefits
foresee every small step in a migra-
tension and risk. To help you get in terms of technology, investment,
tion implementation. Don’t assume
through the project with your sanity maintenance and lifecycle cost.
anything. Every implementation
intact, Automation World readers
3. Take it one step at a time. Avoid is done to achieve some objective
share their recommendations and
changing the entire system or of the operation. The needs could
suggest pitfalls to avoid:
manufacturer if you are upgrading. range from some reporting or alarm
1. Determine strategy. Your migra- Upgrading to the newer modules or functions to an action initiated due
tion strategy will depend on which systems of the same vendor provides to alarm. Always visit the site to
type of automation you’re dealing a bit more reliability, since the basic understand the requirements and the
with: scripts, workflow tools, policy- architecture remains the same. nuances completely.
based orchestration, configuration
4. Don’t experiment. While innova- 7. Changing horses adds some
or control systems. The different
tion is important, there is a counter- complexity. The difficulty of a
activities that can be automated
argument for doing what you know process migration usually increases
(provisioning, maintenance, proac-
will work. If rip-and-replace is pos- when you change DCS suppliers
tive incident response, production
sible (and that means you have to since different brands often don’t
execution, etc.) and the different
stop the plant for several days, weeks, have similar functions. Factor that
degrees of automation (automating
or months depending on the circum- into your timeline and risk assess-
just a few actions, partial workflows
stances) and you know that it works, ment when weighing whether to
or end-to-end) will determine your
that is the best choice. But if you switch vendors.
strategy in terms of resources, time
can’t afford a shutdown, then go for
scale, production stops, etc. 8. Start with data needs. First you
a step-by-step migration. Make sure
need to understand what data the
2. Virtualize first. Automation you work with an experienced vendor
user will require and how quickly the
upgrades or migrations need to be and proven technology.
data is needed. That should be the
scheduled properly in terms of sys-
5. Three critical migration issues. starting point in developing your
tem commission date to extend the
When doing a migration there are migration strategy. The second prior-
warranty or for a vendor’s obsolete
three points to think about: how to ity is to determine the impact on the
notice date. The best practice is to
update software and whether you safety and productivity of the plant.
9. Focus on controllers.The best conversions and manufacturer recom- formed, keeping in view the improved
strategy is to first upgrade the con- mendations will give you insight into performance of the local controllers.
trollers, then replace the I/O chassis the difficulty of the conversion. If you Your mantra should be to decentralize
piece-by-piece going forward. Some do your homework, you might choose the controls as far as possible.
I/O changes could be driven by other a different processor to make the
13. Aging equipment. Depending
projects, such as a motor control conversion easier.
on the technology you have installed,
center(MCC) replacement.
11. Technology education. It is when your equipment is more than
10. Do your homework. Do some important to educate everyone on the 10 years old you will need to imple-
up-front analysis to avoid creating new technology. Remember, it is easy ment a rip-and-replace. If you are just
problems for yourself by not choosing to use “old” thinking instead of chang- making some modifications you can
the right migration path. For example, ing practices to take advantage of the upgrade or make an expansion only.
migrating from one generation of benefits of the new technology. Most of the problems that arise during
processor to another one may not be a a migration are with the field equip-
wise choice. Reviewing the instruction 12. Decentralize. The architecture has ment you have installed and control
sets and information available about to be critically reviewed and trans- room facilities.
then invite at least two levels of users age can be invaluable to support and 9. Think about flow. It is essential to
who will be interfacing with the HMI. maintain HMI systems. have a clear design approach to the
Doing this prior to specifying equip- HMI. Decide how the display blocks
7. Visualize the process. HMI graph-
ment helps to identify the features naturally flow and how sections
ics should illustrate the production
that users will want in the HMI station. need to be grouped together for the
process in the plant to provide better
It also avoids surprises at point of operator. Do not blindly follow P&I
visualization to the operators, giv-
commissioning. diagrams. The S88 functional hier-
ing them a sense of the action that’s
archy is a good place to start. Make
5. Location, location, location. Real required. Use hardware that meets
paper-based designs to get a feel
estate can be prime in a busy produc- minimum requirements and keeps the
for screens, navigation and other
tion area. Locate the HMI in a practi- number of failure points low and as-
requirements, and review with clients
cal place, out of heavy traffic areas sures high availability of the system.
prior to designing and making elec-
but accessible. Be aware of near-
8. Only essential data. Make control tronic screens.
future projects in the area. Guard the
and monitoring of the process simpler
HMI location so others don’t park or 10. Alarm strategy. Alarming needs
by selecting only the most essential
configure something else on top of to have a well-articulated strategy.
information from the process data-
the station. Alarms must be used for conditions
base for the historian. This will reduce
that require intervention and must
6. Back up work periodically. Back- the load on the system and keep it
have a clear corrective action associ-
ups are especially important before from stalling or failing. Don’t forget
ated with each one. Anything else
implementing upgrades or changes. the need for maintenance and make
should not be an alarm.
Software such as Norton’s Ghost Im- sure you schedule periodic backups.
• Specify requirements for safety and adapta- phases. However, like all models, the
safety lifecycle is an approximation.
systems: If tolerable risk is still out tions to the safety system to ensure
of limit, then specify the require- that the safety requirements are
ments for each safety system and maintained.
their safety integrity levels.
• Dand
ecommissioning: Conduct review
obtain required authorization
Safety Lifecycle II: Realization Phase
before decommissioning a safety
The realization phase not only in-
system. Ensure that the required
cludes design, installation and testing
safety functions remain operational
of safety systems, but also the design,
during decommissioning.
development and installation of other
effective risk reduction methods. Spe-
Safety Lifecycle IV:
cific activities include:
• Dsystem:
esign and Ongoing Functions
engineer a safety
Certain functions are ongoing. Ex-
Design system to meet the
amples include managing functional
safety requirements.
safety, planning and structuring the
• Dof esign and develop other means safety lifecycle, and performing pe-
risk reduction: Means of protec- riodic safety system verification and
tion other than programmable safety audits over the whole lifecycle.
safety systems include mechanical Specific activities include: Bottom Line:
systems, process control systems
and manual systems.
• Massessment,
anage functional safety, safety A Requirements Definition
Readers should note that the stan-
and safety audit:
• Install, commission and validate Identify the management activities dards define requirements for safety
the safety protections: Install that are required to ensure that management, rather than system
and validate that the safety system the functional safety objectives are development. Not all safety lifecycle
meets the all safety requirements to met. phases will be relevant to every ap-
the required safety integrity levels.
• Plan and structure safety lifecy- plication; management must define
which requirements are applicable
Safety Lifecycle III: cle: Define safety lifecycle in terms
of inputs, outputs and verification in each case. The standards do not
Maintenance Phase
activities. prescribe exactly what should be
The maintenance phase begins at the
start-up of a process and continues until • Vby erify safety system: Demonstrate
done in any particular case, but guide
management toward decisions and
the safety system is decommissioned or review, analysis and/or testing
offer advice.
redeployed. Specific activities include: that the required outputs satisfy
interface technologies, security can be ing solution that the port’s disabled
implemented for individual attributes. for security reasons. When using port
HMI should be the only accessible security, you can prevent unwanted
program, with user-specific excep- devices from accessing the network.
tions, connected to the control operat-
11. Administer antivirus protec-
ing system at a dedicated user station.
tion. Use an antivirus solution that is
All other resources for that particular
compatible with the installed SCADA
terminal should be restricted.
software.
9. Use unique user accounts and
12. Open and facilitate commu-
passwords. All users should have
nications between IT and process
unique user accounts and passwords
control groups. Roles need to be
to minimize the risk of unauthorized
defined and an understanding of
access.
what each group needs must be ac-
10. Provide port security. With this address tries to communicate through complished so true collaboration can
approach, the Ethernet MAC address the port, port security will disable it. take place to begin and continue the
connected to the switch port allows Most of the time, network administra- process of enabling a fully functional
only that MAC address to communi- tors configure the switch to send an control system with adequate security
cate on that port. If any other MAC SNMP trap to their network monitor- protection.
• Sremote
ystem operators and engineers for
systems;
• Vendors;
• System integrators;
• Smaintenance
ystem supportengineers;
specialists and
• Field technicians;
• Business/supply chain partners;
• Rand
eporting or regulatory entities;
• M anaged service providers.
The roles of users that would require
remote access to mission-critical opera-
tions can be extensive and the assign-
the user.
credentials to impersonate • Cbyommunication can be listened to
• Apen
denial-of-service attack can hap-
third parties anywhere along the
• The attacker can intimidate or communication chain.
to the authentication server
(e.g., radius server or RAS).
coerce the user to provide valid
credentials, or to perform activities
• The communication can be inter-
• Apen
denial-of-service attack can hap-
rupted or jammed.
to the outward communication
at the attacker’s demand.
• TPDA,
he user’s access device (laptop,
• Cinjected
ommunications can have data device (e.g., an outside router for
into them by an attacker. remote access).
etc.) can be attacked, com-
Many integrators have reduced staff, integrator on a day-to-day basis? You 8. Take a long-term view. Select an
minimized technology education op- will have to take ownership of the integrator with experience in similar
portunities and made other cutbacks. system, so you will need to know how systems, preferably of the same make.
Take the time to assess the strengths to modify it and maintain it or you will Tie payments to project milestones.
and weaknesses of any integrator be tied into a system that might need Make sure his services will be avail-
you consider to ensure that they are unallocated cash to make changes. able for upgrades and maintenance by
capable of delivering the system that Get involved at the zero level in the signing a separate contract.
you require. planning, simulation, detailed layout,
9. Problem-solvers. Choose an
software handling techniques and
7. Stay involved. Has your system integrator who has experience in the
maintenance requirements as much
integrator done something similar tasks you need performed. They have
as you possibly can in order to get the
before? Chances are the pool of tal- probably already solved many of the
biggest possible benefits and to learn
ent isn’t all that big. Can you allocate problems you may face if you choose
in excruciating detail how it all goes
any resources to working with that one whose experience is outside the
together.
necessary area of expertise.
ences and know that while every firm integrator’s commercial qualifications: the phrase “nobody does it like that”
out there enlists very smart engineers, Are they CSIA certified? Do they have or “this is how everyone does it,”
you don’t want them cutting their insurance? How many years have they you might want to consider another
teeth on your project. been in business? integrator that is more open minded.
You are paying that integrator to get
13. Professionalism counts. Make 16. Are they open? Select an inte-
what you want and need—not just
sure an integrator can confidently grator that is open to your requests
what they are willing to build because
provide you with a project plan, with and ideas. Beware of someone that
it’s easy or they “always do it that way.”
decision points, contingency plans constantly pushes back. If you hear
Yes, you hired them for their experi-
and staffing that will meet your time-
ence and would like their suggestions,
line and project goals.
but don’t discount your own ideas just
14. Test the team. Verify the integra- because this is your first time. Also
tor’s capabilities by giving a test to the allow for the ability to make some
personnel who will perform the work changes—especially if your approach
on your project. Make sure those peo- is new and unconventional. Be open
ple are listed in the contract, including for changes and tweaks as you go
fallback or substitute candidates. if it makes the end result easier to
use and more flexible. You need to
15. Do they have business skills? stay involved throughout the whole
Look beyond technology expertise process. Don’t pass up the learning
or project experience to consider an opportunity!
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