程序自動化 Exapilot

模組化程序自動化(MPA)提供靈活的方法,能在製程工廠中擷取、優化並保留操作程序知識,同時兼顧可靠性、彈性及生命周期成本。

產品概覽

製程操作中程序控制的產業問題

各類製程工廠中,大量的程序性活動對於安全與高效運行至關重要。這些程序性活動通常存在於手動SOP、舊有控制系統中,或是多年經驗累積下的操作員知識,且往往沒有文件化。隨著資深操作人員大量退休,這些知識正逐漸流失給新一代工程師與操作員。缺乏正確程序的可用性可能導致操作錯誤。在追求工廠最佳效率及持續安全監控的背景下,將操作知識與最佳實踐制度化,並確保一致且準確地執行,是至關重要的。

產業領導者意識到需要建立程序自動化標準,因此成立了ISA-106委員會,其目的是制定關於連續製程操作程序設計與實施的標準、建議實務及技術報告。橫河電機Yokogawa積極參與此標準化工作,並開發了對應的解決方案——模組化程序自動化(Modular Procedural Automation, MPA),以應對新興標準中所涵蓋的議題。

文件化與推動最佳實務

模組化程序自動化結合諮詢專業與世界級的程序控制能力,以達成:

  1. 捕捉、優化並保存製程工廠中的程序知識與控制經驗
  2. 在工廠控制系統中於適當層級實施程序,以符合程序的可靠性與彈性要求
  3. 將程序整合至操作員介面與警報系統,以提升情境感知能力

模組化程序自動化的功能

  1. 警覺性程序諮詢與工具 - 提供一流的工具、功能與諮詢專業,將程序實施模組嵌入控制系統架構中,符合操作需求。
  2. 知識工程 - MPA的顧問與工程師擅長捕捉並文件化現有程序,無論其存在於手冊、舊有控制系統或操作員腦中。
  3. 模組化工程 - 依據新興ISA-106標準及開發方法進行標準化設計,確保程序投資對操作人員持續可靠且具相關性。
  4. 高級決策支援整合 - 將程序整合至高效能HMI與警報系統,使操作員在各種製程條件下具備高度情境感知能力。
  5. 操作員模擬 - 將MPA與操作員訓練系統整合,訓練操作員對異常狀況採取適當反應,並高效執行製程轉換,以提升MPA價值。

Details

Exapilot 軟體

Exapilot 顯示畫面

Exapilot 是一個線上導引工具,可逐步引導操作員完成工廠的操作程序。

雖然生產控制系統已自動化大部分工廠操作,但操作員仍需手動處理非例行程序,例如工廠啟動/停機,以及產品負荷/等級/配方切換。啟動與停機可能非常少見,有時幾年才發生一次;而產品切換則可能是每日例行操作。

經驗豐富的操作員熟知每個步驟,但若當時現場無人具備這些經驗,較不熟練的操作員能否應對突發狀況呢?

Exapilot 可引導操作員完成每個操作步驟,避免操作錯誤,並在檢測到危險異常時發出即時警報。操作標準化可提升產品品質、縮短生產週期並減少短期產品損失,降低公用設備成本,並使工廠以較小庫存運行。Exapilot 將最佳操作員的操作經驗轉化為標準化程序流程圖,協助操作員順利完成整個程序。

透過消除操作錯誤與生產損失,可提升效率並降低整體營運成本。

自 Exapilot 推出以來,全球已銷售超過1,000個授權,大多數使用者來自化工、石化及油氣產業。

(1) 將操作程序以圖示組合呈現(設定時)

Exapilot 使用圖示表示標準工廠操作元素。只需將圖示排列並連接成序列,即可建立標準操作程序。可建立簡單層級序列以呈現複雜程序。配定 Exapilot 無需特殊工程技能。

Exapilot 顯示畫面

(2) 避免遺漏步驟(操作時)

每個程序步驟,螢幕會顯示操作員下一步應採取的行動,可配定連鎖機制以防操作員遺漏步驟。

(3) 自動化 DCS 操作與監控

開關閥、斜率控制、液位檢查及泵浦啟停等程序可自動化。

(4) 與生產控制系統無縫連接

Exapilot 可透過標準 OLE for Process Control (OPC) 介面無縫連接生產控制系統(PCS),無需 PCS 工程設定。Exapilot 已針對 Yokogawa CENTUM 系列 PCS 優化,也支援其他廠商的 DCS 與 PLC 系統。

(5) 文件化標準操作程序(SOP)

Exapilot 建立的工作流程可透過自動文件功能列印,用作標準操作程序(SOP)。

(6) 將 Exapilot 用作操作模擬器

利用試用模式的除錯功能,Exapilot 可作為操作模擬器使用。工廠資料可即時匯入 Exapilot 進行模擬,而不影響實際工廠運作。

(7) 更有效運用最資深操作員

Exapilot 自動化非標準操作,讓資深操作員可將更多時間投入於優化與提升整廠操作程序,提高效率並降低營運成本。

Exapilot 版本資訊

最新版本資訊

R4.04 (2025年5月)
  1. 新增作業環境支援
    • Windows 10 Enterprise 2021 LTSC 64位元
    • Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2021 LTSC 64位元
    • Windows 10 Enterprise GAC(22H2) 64位元
    • Windows Server 2022 Standard 64位元
    • 支援 Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 CSP 版本

R4.02 及之前版本

R4.02(2022年11月)
  1. 支援多核心 CPU
  2. 支援 Windows 10 Enterprise SAC (21H2)
  3. 支援 Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 CSP 版本
R4.01(2022年4月)
  1. 支援多重程序執行功能 新增 Windows 元件:切換監控程序控制 訊息元件篩選功能增強 程序執行狀態顯示元件功能增強
  2. 確認訊息功能增強
  3. 平板電腦新增訊息視窗
  4. 錯誤處理功能增強
  5. 支援 Windows Server 2019
R3.99(2021年8月)
  1. 新增作業環境支援 Windows 10 2019 LTSC(64位元) Office 2019(授權量版)
R3.98(2018年8月)
  1. 新增作業環境支援 Windows Server 2016 Standard(64位元)
  2. 支援 Yokogawa 虛擬化平台
  3. 事件驅動單元程序功能增強
R3.95(2013年1月)
  1. 僅 Exapilot 客戶端支援 Windows 7 Professional SP1(32位元)
  2. 採用 Windows 使用者驗證模式增強安全功能
  3. 增強 PCS 輸出確認功能
  4. 新增操作評論輸入功能
R3.90(2011年9月)
  1. 新增軟體環境 Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard SP1(64位元) Windows 7 Professional SP1(64位元) Microsoft Office 2010
  2. 新增與 CENTUM VP R5.01 共用的 IT 安全工具 使用者可選擇標準或舊版安全等級,Exapilot IT 安全功能與 CENTUM VP 相同
R3.80(2010年9月)
  1. 新增自動文件生成功能(選用) 可將主要程序設定匯出至 Word 文件,用於 SOP 或管理文件
  2. Builder 視窗功能增強 新增 RTF 編輯器、頁面設定及格線顯示,提高編輯與列印靈活度
R3.70(2009年12月)
  1. 支援 Windows Server 2008 與 Windows Vista Business SP2
  2. IT 安全功能增強
  3. 新增操作員錯誤防範功能
R3.60.10(2009年5月)
  1. 支援子程序線上維護
  2. 新增 Windows Vista Business SP2 支援及 ActiveX 元件訊息視窗,用於 CENTUM VP HIS 圖形顯示
R3.60(2008年8月)
  1. 新增支援 CENTUM VP R4.01
  2. 新增矩陣搜尋單元程序
  3. 改善 Builder 視窗操作性
  4. 新增支援 Windows Vista Business SP1
R3.50(2007年11月)
  1. 新增主程序檢視評論顯示與複製功能
  2. 新增連接器單元程序搜尋功能
  3. 新增 Builder 視窗智慧滑鼠功能
  4. 新增支援夏令時間
  5. 新增 ActiveX 元件及 Excel 2007 連結功能
R3.40(2006年2月)
  1. 新增階層化使用者程序模組
  2. 新增矩陣變數
  3. 改進參數宣告單元程序功能
  4. 允許從其他單元存取本地變數
  5. 採用 OPC server/cache 讀取方式
  6. 允許新增自製應用程式圖示至工具列,支援 ActiveX 與 Excel add-in 元件
  7. 新增多種 ActiveX 元件功能(簡化趨勢/圖表、資料輸入、排序/上色、按鈕元件同時執行、區域監控)
R3.30(2005年1月)
  1. 操作與 Builder 視窗功能增強
  2. 工具功能增強
  3. 支援 TSE 遠端操作功能
  4. 高級警報選項增強
  5. 新增 Excel 連結單元程序選項
  6. 新增 ActiveX 元件
R3.20(2004年1月)
  1. 新增 ActiveX 元件及 Excel add-in 元件
  2. 新增迴歸計算單元程序
  3. 新增單元程序選項(VB script 單元與 e-mail 通訊)
  4. 增強單元程序功能(確認訊息、案例判斷、區域判斷、搜尋與取代)
  5. 新增 21 CFR Part11 合規檢查功能
  6. 新增安全功能
  7. 支援 Exaopc OPC server 冗餘功能
R3.01(2003年3月)
  1. 支援 Windows XP
  2. 增強高級警報功能
  3. 新增標準與選用單元程序

第二版

R2.20(2002年11月)
  1. 新增動態訊息、動態通用名稱與超連結文字框功能
  2. 新增高級警報選項
R2.10(2002年4月)
  1. 套件名稱變更為 Professional、Standard、Office 與 For HIS
  2. 新增擴充與多重執行選項
  3. 新增事件等待、訊息視窗、看門狗計時器與圖形功能
R2.01(2001年5月)
  1. 新增 Windows 2000 支援

第一版

R1.10(2001年2月)
  1. 增強安全性、多 OPC server 連線、歷史報表、程序流程列印、字元變數與 DCS 標籤檢查功能
R1.03(2000年1月)
  1. 新增 Exapilot Lite 與 Super Lite 套件
R0(2000年1月)
  1. Windows NT 作業環境下的 Exapilot 效率提升套件發行

參考

摘要:

Samsung Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (SPCL), a major Korean petrochemical company, produces 700,000 tons per year of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) at its Daesan plant. PTA, a white powder substance that is produced by oxidizing and refining para-xylene, is a precursor to polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a polyester material that has excellent thermal resistance and wear resistance and is widely used as a substitute for natural cotton fibers and in film packaging, beverage bottles, tire cords, paints, adhesives, and other applications.

產業別:
摘要:

KMEW introduced Yokogawa's Process Data Analytics to stabilize quality of slate roof tiles. Real-time monitoring of key tag data enables automatic adjustment of manufacturing equipment.

摘要:

ADNOC Gas selected Yokogawa's Exapilot modular procedural automation for safe and efficient operation.
MPA based on the company's expertise is a step toward digitalization plant operation.

產業別:
摘要:

INPEX Corporation (INPEX) is Japan's biggest oil and gas development company and is involved in all aspects of this business, from research to exploration, production, and sales. INPEX is engaged in projects all over the world, in a total of 29 countries, including Japan, where it operates a gas production plant near Oyazawa, a town in Niigata prefecture.

摘要:
  • Exapilot was built up as e-SOP system based on the standard operating procedures and the know-how of experienced operators.
  • e-SOP system improved the quality and productivity in the performance chemical plant in China.
產業別:
摘要:
  • Based on a careful review of all operational procedures and operator roles and configured new SOPs in Exapilot.
  • As a result, SFC has been able to reduce operator workload, improve product quality, and reduce production losses.
產業別:
摘要:
  • At the company's Ulsan resin plant, six Exaquantum servers were connected to CENTUM CS 3000 and other vendor's systems.
  • KKPC needed to expand its SBC capabilities and improve production efficiency at its plants.
產業別:
摘要:
  • Exapilot contributes to safety, reduces cost, and retains operational know-how.
摘要:
  • Up to 90% of all manual tasks can now be carried out automatically.
  • Increasing productivity by means of partially automated start-up and load change procedures.
產業別:
摘要:
  • Configuration of complicated procedures in Exapilot leads to operational excellence.
  • DENKA wanted to standardize the operation, reduce workload and prevent operator errors.
摘要:
  • Exapilot improves operations and reduces energy use at PTT Khanom Gas Separation Plant #4.
  • This is a real solution package and a good tool for the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle to achieve operational excellence in the plant.
摘要:
  • Exapilot is Effectively Applied to Polypropylene Plant and Optimizes Operation, Cost Savings.
  • By using Yokogawa's Exapilot, Safripol were able to eliminate product variations and kept the operations consistent.
摘要:
  • Kaneka Corporation has urgently needed to implement countermeasures that would reduce this facility's energy costs.
  • Optimization of control strategy helps BTG plant save energy and operate more efficiently.
產業別:
摘要:
  • Exapilot was introduced to maximize operational efficiency at an experimental refining facility.
  • To prevent operator errors, it was essential to standardize operating procedures.
摘要:

This paper shows how to improve distillation operations by focusing on procedure automation. It will review the importance of using procedures in distillation operations and highlights the collaboration work underway between Fractionation Research Inc. (FRI) and Yokogawa Corporation to improve procedural operations.

摘要:

Operational error is the single biggest reason for unscheduled shutdowns in process plants, causing several millions of dollars in damages and losses per year. Combine this with an aging skilled workforce leaving the work place, with inexperienced people to replace them, and there is no doubt that process plants face a challenging problem.

摘要:

Yokogawa has come a long way in making its message clear to the world of process automation. Last year, the company embarked on a full-scale global marketing campaign to make customers aware of the company's focus on system reliability, security, dependability, and robustness. Dubbed "Vigilance", the campaign created a unified message for the company and greatly helped expand awareness of the Yokogawa brand and corporate philosophy.

摘要:

The world of process automation is governed by procedures. While we like to refer to the process industries as being largely "continuous", this could not be further from the truth. Process manufacturing is constantly in flux.

摘要:

Large process industry companies have recently started building plants with world-class safety and profitability to reinforce their competitive edge in the global market. As for plant operations, support functions for improving operators' plant operation skills and for extending operators' maximum capability are required to the DCS so that an operator can expand the area of plant monitoring or operate a plant with higher cost- consciousness.

摘要:

In 1999, Yokogawa Electric Corporation formed an alliance with Shell Global Solutions International B.V. (SGSI) in Advanced Process Control (APC), and both companies have since jointly developed products. This alliance successfully combined SGSI's experience gained through more than 800 projects in more than 30 years and Yokogawa's great deal of experience with the process control market, and strengthened the scheme to provide the APC technology.

摘要:

In recent years, safety and profitability have become ever more important in the process industry due to fierce global competition. Greater emphasis is being placed on highly efficient plant operation for reducing the increasing energy bill.

橫河技報
摘要:

Recently, standardization of procedural automation of manual operations has been promoted mainly by the International Society of Automation (ISA), and the functional requirements necessary for automation are being studied by the ISA106 committee in the US.

摘要:

For a coal fired power generation plant (hereafter referred to as "BTG facilities," in which "BTG" stands for boiler, steam turbine, and generator) supplying power to a large-scale production plant, the CO2 emissions from such facilities are a critical issue today.

橫河技報
摘要:

Remarkable progress in information technology has led to open architecture systems and networking in the manufacturing industry. In such industry, remote monitoring systems based on public communication lines or the Internet, and or collaboration of control, information, and corporate systems based on standardized interfaces such as OLE for Process Control (OPC) are now widely used via networks.

摘要:

Due to emerging competitors from the rapidly growing countries such as India and China and the global economic downturn triggered by the Lehman shock, many companies in the process industries are struggling to survive the severe global competition.

摘要:

July 2011

Process plants are run according to operational procedures. These procedures consist of a set of tasks that are executed in a consistent manner to achieve a specific objective, such as starting up, shutting down or transitioning a unit as part of making a product. 

摘要:

Process plants require operational procedures in order to produce products. These procedures consist of a set of tasks that are executed in a consistent manner to achieve a specific objective such as starting up or shutting down, or transitioning to a different product. The level of detail, purpose and frequency of use of these procedures varies by process, company and site—but in all cases these procedures should be the basis for plant operations.

摘要:

ARC believes that by implementing procedural automation, many process plants can minimize variability to help ensure smooth, efficient, and safe state transitions.

摘要:

Manual operations live on and even thrive in largely automated process plants, and they are often the cause of safety incidents.

By Maurice Wilkins, VP Strategic Technology Marketing Center, Yokogawa Corporation of America
Marcus Tennant, Senior Principal Technology Strategist, Yokogawa Corporation of America

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