Control Solution for power, water, and oil & gas Customers

Changing the DCS game with flexible architecture featuring user defined control modules

GE Intelligent Platforms announced last week the release of Proficy® Process System 2.0, a highly flexible process control platform ideally suited for Power, Water, and Oil & Gas applications that will help lower customers’ total cost of ownership by reducing the costs associated with designing, commissioning, operating, and maintaining their process operations and providing them with a sustainable competitive advantage for their business. Applications include main steam cycle, municipal water treatment, and well-to-tank control.

This new release simplifies the design and maintenance of a system with features that enable users to capture, standardize, and easily maintain their control strategies. With the introduction of user-defined Control Module capabilities, customers will be able to create reusable process control solutions that will take engineering efficiency to a new level. Integration of Proficy iFIX with the PAC8000 controllers is another major feature of this release. This allows users the complete freedom to choose the HMI and controller technologies they want to use in their systems.

“Proficy Process Systems has been met with great enthusiasm and acceptance by customers around the world who see the true advantages of this breakthrough integrated architecture,” said Steve Ryan, General Manager Process and Safety Solutions. “With organic developments, along with acquisitions we have positioned ourselves to provide contemporary solutions for not only Power & Energy, Oil & Gas, Water, but also Mining & Metals, Food & Beverage, Chemicals, and Cement industries around the world.”

“One of the key differentiators we provide our customers is a system with a flexible architecture, that is easy to use and user expandable,” said Kam Yuen, Proficy Process Product Manager. “In Proficy Process Systems Version 2.0 users have the ability to add their own function blocks and faceplates in addition to the extensive list of ones provided with the system. This allows System Integrators, OEMs, and end users to create re-usable blocks and graphics specific to their own process applications, that will accelerate their engineering process and reduce commissioning and training overhead.”

According to Larry O’Brien of ARC Advisory Group, “Process automation end users are facing a severe loss of experienced personnel. In many cases we are talking about people with 20 or 30 years of experience. Today’s process automation systems need to be able to capture that knowledge in a meaningful way. ARC’s vision for a Collaborative Process Automation System (CPAS) calls for easy and transparent access to the right information from the automation system, at the right time, to the right people. The Proficy Process Systems user defined function blocks provide a way for users and OEMs to capture and reuse their intellectual property quickly and easily and maintain a competitive advantage. There is also the potential to reduce training costs, which have risen considerably in the process industries given the increasingly inexperienced pool of workers.”