As a Process Manager, you know that advanced process control (APC) has the potential to dramatically improve your mine operations and bottom line. But is now the right time to jump in to such a major investment? Are you clear on the problem you’re trying to solve, the outcome you’re trying to achieve, and the potential return on investment?
In this article, we’ll look at 9 things to ask yourself before you embark on an APC journey, to make sure the solution you decide on is the right one for your operation.
Introducing Advanced Process Control (APC) to your operation is a journey that requires foresight and planning.
1. Do you run your plant’s assets from a centralised control room?
APC needs centralised control to be effective. A centralised control room brings together all the information, allowing operators to make the necessary decisions in real-time. If your plant is not run from a centralised control room, you might need to invest in building one before implementing the APC platform. APC control requires a base level of automation and the ability to control, start and stop plant assets remotely from a control centre is a minimum requirement.
2. Is your plant running at or above designed capacity and availability?
Before you invest in APC, you need to make sure that your plant is operating at or above its designed capacity and availability. If your plant is not running optimally, you may need to address control issues, maintenance schedules or streamline processes before introducing APC into the mix. If your plant is not running at design availability and capacity, you first need to address these inefficiencies before implementing APC control.
3. What is your instrumentation base, is it fit for purpose, are the readings reliable and is maintenance of these an already disciplined action?
APC is only as good as the data it is based on, and having fit-for-purpose instrumentation is key. You need to ensure that your instrumentation system is reliable and maintenance is already disciplined. This means that you have the capability to handle the data that the APC system generates. Measurement and real time feedback are requirements for APC and insufficient instruments or unreliable instrumentation impact APC control.
4. What control system do you already have? Is the hardware within its operational life cycle and will you stay with the same vendor?
Your plant’s control system already in place will impact the choice of the APC solution and the associated hardware. You need to assess the controller hardware to determine if it is nearing the end of its life, and if you want to stick with the same vendor. It is crucial to consider hardware, software, and vendor compatibility for ease of integration and longevity of the system.
5. Are your PID control loops running in Auto with high utilization? And are these controllers being effectively monitored?
Your plant’s PID control loop needs to be running optimally before you introduce APC.
6. Do you have a historian and is it reliably capturing process data to feed into APC models? Is it operational with tags that make sense?
A reliable historian is a critical component of APC. You need to ensure that your historian is capturing the right data at the right frequency and that the tag names make sense.
7. Which part of the process flowsheet do you wish to optimize with APC and why?
APC can optimize unit processes and or the process flowsheet. Therefore, you need to determine to which part of the process flowsheet you wish to apply APC control.
8. If you add an APC platform, how does the operator turn it on and off, and does it sit within your native SCADA?
The operator needs to be able to turn on and off the APC platform with ease and understand what adjustments APC is making with minimal disruptions to normal operations.
9. How will it integrate into the existing system for seamless control and bumpless transfer?
The integration process needs to be well planned and executed to minimize any disruptions during implementation.
A plant running beyond capacity is like this race car. Read more about this in our article: Your mine is a race car. Here’s why.
APC has the potential to create a powerful transformation in your operation by improving process stability, maintaining product quality and production rates, reducing downtime and ultimately delivering an increased return on investment. Taking the time to ask yourself these nine questions beforehand will help ensure you’re choosing the right APC solution for your needs.
Want someone to guide you through the process? Contact us.
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