Comparing Hybrid DCS

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Thread Starter

Diego Agudelo

We need to implement a control system in a pulp&paper facility. We've been thinking in a Hybrid DCS system. There's a lot vendors offering their "best" solution. GE Fanuc (OpenProcess), Honeywell (Plantscape) and Rockwell (ProcessLogix) seems to be the better solutions. Any suggestions or comments about it?
 
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Hoi Diego,

See all the discussions in the past. I depend on your support you expect. Every system listed will do your job, but when you have a problem which
company is running for you. That's the main question.

Met vriendelijke groeten,

Onno Moret
You forget to mention the ABB Advant system.
 
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Steve Lowery

We are currently beta testing the GE Open Process Hybrid solution as a possible replacement for our aging ABB Mod300/Advant sytem. I would be glad to try to answer the questions you have concerning this product.

[email protected] 336-597-6117
 
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I agree with Onno, any system that you mentioned is capable of doing the control, but the post startup support available varies greatly
from vendor to vendor. In addition to ABB Advant, you also left out the Emerson Process Management Delta V system. I also suggest that the application may favor one vendor over another. For example, if the application involves paper machine sensors and controls as well as drives and typical DCS functions like stock prep, then ABB Advant provides an excellent system that integrates drives control, DCS
functionality and the AccuRay quality control system.
 
If you don't know Micon, you are missing a good lot that would help you. Avoid manufacturers that have zombie PID !
 
Most of the systems mentioned in the prior replies are very good choices but you have to take into account which of them would be capable to provide Advanced Control Packages -at reasonable prices-? i.e. refining, stock blending, bleaching, etc. Here is where the added value is. In this case the choices are just a few among Foxboro (my recommendation), ABB, DAMATIC (Valmet) and HoneyWell.
 
First, we should be clear what the term "Hybrid" stands for with regards to DCS. In the market now, there is much confusion concerning the terms
DCS(?Distributed Control System or Digital Control System or Direct Control System), PLC(?Programmable Logic Controller or Process Logic Controller). In today's software advances, the differences between these two technologies is
narrowing. What I would do for a first line evaluation of Control systems is to dwell on the problem domain i.e. you have a control problem to solve. Generally, there are two categories of process/industrial control requirements. One is to achieve automatic feedback control(also known as PID contro, or analog control or modulating control or regulating control or continuous
control). Two is to achieve boolean control(or on-off control or 2 state control or ladder logic type control). You must identify which of these two are your major problems. Systems in the market today that can solve both of these
problems are DeltaV, PLC5, Freelance 2K, PlantScape and S7 series. Each of these have varying power, but they all belong to a category of control system that can handle both PID and Boolean type of control systems. Coming back to the term Hybrid - are any of those I mentioned above are Hybrids? Are Hybrids good or bad, and why? Hybrid means mixture - but mixture of what? Technologies(old and new) or Vendors?
 
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