DeltaV Batch Development

ICE engineers determined that there are a few things that complicate the creation of DeltaV Batch programs. First is the matter of planning and defining the batch itself. While the steps are probably obvious to process engineers and operators, many times it is simple statements of obvious activities that are missed in programming. Or by discussing the obvious, many times other necessary details are uncovered that make the final resulting program much more acceptable on the first trials.

We have developed a method of breaking down the batch steps into the elementary tasks in order to have this discussion of the obvious with operators and process engineers. By having this discussion up front, creating the pseudo-code for review is able to move forward with great expediency. This step can be, admittedly, a little annoying, but it eliminates horrible stress, head-aches and frustration later on. Anyone having experienced a poorly managed batch project will know exactly what those feel like and probably never care to repeat that experience.

ICE has developed tools that create clear and well organized code. Most seasoned DeltaV developers will tell you that DeltaV’s IDE (Control Studio) is just not very efficient when it comes to writing batch code. Since there is nothing better to work with though, we are stuck with working within those confines. That doesn’t mean we can’t find better ways of working within that structure though- so ICE set out on a challenging path to develop a better way to use Control Studio and we came up with one that we are proud of. The result is that we are able to write Sequential Functions Charts both within DeltaV Batch and for DeltaV Equipment Modules that are well organized, uniform and hold to standards that are defined before beginning code development.

Finally, because we use a SQL database to manage the code as it is being written, code is able to be leveraged more easily, greatly improving our efficiency.

If you have a DeltaV Batch, Phase Logic, or Sequential Function Chart program that you would like to tackle with all the top level talent and tools available in the industry, please give us a call. We’re glad to help your team out however we can to make your project a success.