The Power of Color Codes: Translating Process to 自动化

How do you translate 过程 design knowledge to other disciplines in a timely fashion? 我们的过程工程团队必须向客户准确地演示他们的新系统将如何工作.

To avoid potential miscommunication, we need a tool that:

1. Represents complex 过程 operations visually.
2. 在纸上概念化工程.
3. 提供比文本文档更快速、更准确地以图形方式审查的可交付成果.

因此, 我们的流程团队开发了一个应用程序来突出显示叠加在绘图或照片上的流程路径，以反映流程操作.

为什么用颜色编码序列

在开发应用程序时, each valve state is shown and highlights the flow path downstream of the valve, 反映一个序列中的一个步骤. 当堆叠在一起时, 这些颜色编码的序列说明了设备从工艺操作到就地清洁(CIP)和就地蒸汽(SIP)操作的进展, 回到“准备处理”模式. The tool accommodates operations of any length.

When viewed as a sequence, several things happen:

• Transitions make more sense as the equipment moves between steps.
• 自动化的差距变得明显.
• Monitoring sterile boundaries and product protection strategies become visible.
• 生成一个可交付的产品, which can be understood and used by 过程 engineers, 自动化工程师, 质量人员, 管理, 运营商, 等.

Documents can be generated from multiple sources. 例如, historical data of valves and pumps can be trended and imported into the base drawing; design documents can be transcribed to build the drawing set; or the drawings can be built from scratch to create the ideal operating method.

自动化文档如何工作

描述文本或引脚图形式的自动化文档通常与最初用于生成它们的可视化设备图断开连接.  Often, these documents are built in several layers.

第一个, 过程工程师将他们的知识转录成简单的一步一步的描述，以定义基本需求. 基础需求可以被架构和工程公司进一步发展成功能需求.

下一个, the functional descriptions are built into design documents, 哪些是大量的技术控制系统术语，以帮助程序员实现代码. Gaps can be created in each of these steps, 由于开发的每一步都有不同的工程师参与，当不同的人对书面文字进行不同的解释和翻译时，错误就会累积起来. These gaps are not normally discovered until running the system, 或者从整体上看这个系统.

Our team developed this tool to be more explicit and to elicit better information from the primary engineers; hence, 一个更好的工作产品被交付.  Applications include 过程, steaming, cleaning and manual operations.

Redirecting the Focus Back to Equipment Capabilities

The visual representation is on a single base drawing, keeping the equipment (and its limitations) in primary focus. The automation deliverable is completed behind the scenes, so the emphasis remains on the equipment capabilities, 而不是图表或Word文档.

从多年的经验来看, 我们的团队发现，工程师只需在第一步建立所有设备的状态，就可以在几分钟内检查出颜色代码序列. Then, following the flow paths from page to page.

通过颜色编码, you can reduce automation development time, 调试时间 and overall cost and schedule.

If you would like to learn more about applying color codes to your project, please contact Senior Process Project Manager, 迈克·拜伦 迈克尔.byron@chinaqinyu.com.