Good Reference Material on DCS
Good Reference Material on DCS
(OP)
Can anyone recommend some good reference material on DCS systems? I don't encounter them a whole lot in my current position but would like to learn more. I need something that's both introductory, has many applications to look at, and hands on (I learn by doing).
Thanks-
Thanks-





RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
http:
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
htt
http://www.emersonprocess-powerwater.com/ovation/
http://www.easydeltav.com/
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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
I did look into wikipedia which as always seems to give a good introduction to a subject. However as with anything that is worth knowing, the when it's used and for what is a much different thing than really knowing how to use it. Both are important, but I found wikipedia to be the former, and I need that as well as a structured approach to learning this stuff.
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
How does this work usually get divied out, in terms of project management, by industry?
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
DCS tends to be a single-source OEM product. Yes, there are design, applications, field ops, development, sales guys who exclusively do DCS work.
Normally an EPC contractor will award a contract for the major automation of a plant to a DCS manufacturer, possibly including within the contract a requirement to integrate small skid-type modules having their own PLCs into the DCS.
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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
In a case where there are PLC/DCS folks and other EPC firms involved..
Is the main info that people need to know essentially whatever data or information is being communicated?
ie: I suppose the overall goals of the DCS system are established --- what systems it needs to control, HMI points, etc, and then what information it needs to communicate to any other systems that are being designed in the project, and the interfaces that they communicate with?
I remember the epiphany when I learned about how the architect (when prime) pays for the MEP/FP engineers, which helped me understand where work actually comes from and the flow of info on a project... I'm hoping for something like this epiphany in the EPC/DCS/SCADA/ etc environment.
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
The typical DCS is a single-source system so the hardware is essentially pre-defined by the time it reaches market. The main areas where the engineering expertise is required are:
Designing the system architecture
Desinging the interfaces to the process
Designing the interfaces to third party equipment
Designing the application software
Designing the operator interfaces
Designing the engineering tools
Companies like Emerson and Foxboro would like to sell the EPC contrcator a full automation package, everything from valves and transmitters through to the DCS. I like products from both vendors but neither has the best solution for everything and I'd rather see the equipment chosen to best suit the prupose rather than to make life easy for the EPC buyer.
Contract-wise I don't think it is much different to what you already know, except in scale: whoever wins the overall contract will let subcontracts for work outside of their expertise. Normally power the EPC contractors have a background in either heavy civil works or are the turbine-generator OEMs, and maybe a few of the really big utilities will keep it in-house.
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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
So in a case where a major EPC company has a contract to complete work, there are transducers scattered around a plant and they sub out to a DCS expert, would the DCS expert generally perform the actual labor for running their field interconnect wires and control runs, or would they generally do the design and communicate to the EPC firm about where they need connection points?
Same question for a 'standard' (non design-build) project: Would an architect get an MEP/FP firm, and then the Electrical Umbrella would include whatever DCS or controls work was needed? And then on the building side, would the EC be responsible for subbing out a controls contractor who knew how to do the work?
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
The DCS contractor may provide his own engineering and liase with a local company for physical panel installation. They have their own ways of working - for example Emerson PWS based out of Warsaw use a Polish subcontractor for their panel building and installation while they provide the technical expertise. It is an arrangement which works very well, having experienced it a few times.
I really can't comment much on the MEP side as it's not my area - sorry!
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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
vitzwaters, RSA
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
E&I - electrical and instrument;
DCS - distributed control system;
MEP - mechanical, electrical, plumbing (from the building services world);
PWS - Power & Water Solutions.
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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!
RE: Good Reference Material on DCS
who are familiar with DCS, HMIs Foxboro?
Please help me to do new Template for screens.
Thank you in advance.