Good tuning for your pocket!

The International Society of Automation (ISA) announces that the newly released fourth edition of its Good Tuning: A Pocket Guide by Gregory K. McMillan has been updated to deliver more precise and optimal tuning for nearly all types of applications in the process industries. Greg McMillan (Right) being congratulated by ISA VP Publications 2009-10 Vitor Finkel  on receiving a Author's award some years ago. “This new edition is significant because it’s designed to meet more diverse tuning objectives and address more difficult tuning challenges,” says McMillan, a widely acclaimed and honored automation professional and author (and friend of Read-out!). “Readers will learn how to choose the most applicable tuning rule and associated parameters to make the most out of today’s powerful auto tuning and adaptive control software.” Central to the value of the new edition, McMillan says, is helping automation professionals unlock the full potential of proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers. “PID controllers have an incredible number of options and parameters besides tuning settings, but much of their potential and power have remained untapped,” he explains. “A key benefit of this newly updated book is that it provides the straight-forward direction and principle-based guidance to tune most controllers to their full capability and address a very wide spectrum of applications. “At the end of the day,” McMillan points out, “you need the means to handle the most difficult of tuning situations, deal with a window of allowable controller gains, meet different objectives, and achieve greater robustness. Understanding the interrelationships among the process, tuning, performance and PID features enables automation and process engineers to work together to improve process efficiency and capacity.” Instrument, process control and process engineers will appreciate the guide’s concise summaries, step-by-step descriptions of field-proven tuning procedures, table of typical tuning settings, overview of common valve performance problems, logic diagrams for trouble-shooting and other useful features.

Prolific author talks!

One of the most prolific authors in the area of control and automation is Greg McMillan. His advice as a mentor is sought and valued throughout the sector. He also has a sense of deprecating and well observed humour and is not afraid to display this in some of his published works.

One of his most popular works is "How to Become an Instrument Engineer: The Making of a Prima Donna!" A work which expresses so well the delights and frustrations of our profession. "Have you ever tried to explain to a spouse or a friend what an instrument engineer does?" he asks in the first few paragraphs, and he has us hooked!

Susan Colwell, of the Publication Department of International Society of Automation (ISA), works closely with him in the publishing of his work. Recently she sat down with him and discussed his work, wit and philosophy. He describes his writing "I find an incredible release in expressing myself and being myself...."

"I write so ideas are not lost....it is a crime to see the expertise that is being lost each day as the most experienced professionals are encouraged to retire, never having the opportunity to pass on the knowledge they gained the hard way." 

It is indeed difficult to quantify the incalculable debt owed by the world of automation to Greg McMillan and the other "doers" who commit their experience, not to say wisdom to posterity in writing.

Her interview may be found on the new ISA Interchange.

#ISAwk Call for papers issued

The Program Committee of ISA Automation Week 2011: Technology and Solutions Event has issued a Call for Papers inviting authors, experts, innovators, thought leaders and automation professionals to submit abstracts for presentation consideration at the conference to be held at the Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center in Mobile (AL US) 17-20 October 2011.

The Call for Papers for the event solicits abstracts that cover topics for the following tracks, as they relate to automation:

Greg McMillan

The ISA Automation Week 2011 Program Committee represents ISA members, industry experts, academia, and published authors, across industry:
General Chair
Ken Baker, former ISA president
Program Chair
Greg McMillan, CDI Process & Industrial
Vice Program Chair
Dean Ford, MAVERICK Technologies
Program Committee Members
Jeff Arbogast, Air Liquide
Gerald Cockrell, Indiana State University
John Kuenzler, ARC Advisory Group
Greg Lehmann, URS Corporation
Dale Merriman, MerTech, Inc.
Russell Rhinehart, Oklahoma State University
Rick Zabel, Automation.com

Advanced Process Control Techniques
Analyzers
Automation and Control System Design
Energy and Environmental
Human Asset Optimization
Installation, Operations, & Maintenance
Networks and Use of Data
Safety and Security
Wireless Technology and Applications

"This is your chance to participate in the most pertinent and comprehensive technical conference for the automation profession. Essentially every aspect of process asset and human asset optimization is included. The scope of topics should help maximize loop and process performance and optimize the use of technology and resources,” said Greg McMillan with CDI Process & Industrial and ISA Automation Week 2011 program committee chair.

The ISA Automation Week 2011 technical program is building upon its initial success and will continue to be a knowledge-focused event that will bring top professionals in automation and control together for an intensive technical conference and networking opportunity with key industry suppliers. Sessions will be educational and applications-based, rich in content, and delivered by subject-matter experts in each field. Among new program features in 2011 is a dedicated Technician Day, that offers content relevant to this profession that ranges from basic to advanced topics.


“The range of topics starts with the development and justification of automation projects and continues to the use of the latest in measurement, valve, control system, and safety system technology. Other proposed topics cover selection of the best control strategy, enhancement of the power of the PID, addition of advanced control, installation and maintenance of the system, integration with the business and maintenance systems, use of data including data analytics, advances from the human design center for operator excellence, automation of loop tuning and metrics, education of automation professionals, operator training, improving operations and lowering total lifecycle costs,” McMillan continued. 

An integrated supplier showcase floor and increased supplier program participation will complement the technical program. Two 400-square-foot solutions swap theaters will be placed on the showcase floor and will integrate technical content via standards briefings, supplier solutions presentations, and more.


“We are encouraging engineers and technicians in plants and industry engineering centers, university professors and students, system integrators, architectural engineering firms, exhibitors, and suppliers to present how to improve project, system, operations, plant, and professional performance and advance our profession to the status it deserves," concluded McMillan.

The deadline for abstract submittals for consideration to present is 28 March 2011. More information about the Call for Papers, including a list of proposed topics, can be found on the Automation Week website.

Automation Week 2010 was held in Houston Texas. What did we and others think? See : Much done more to do! and Debacle or basis for development!

Essentials of Modern Measurements and Final Elements in the Process Industry

The International Society of Automation (ISA) has just published Essentials of Modern Measurements and Final Elements in the Process Industry: A Guide to Design, Configuration, Installation, and Maintenance by Gregory K. McMillan.

Greg McMillan (right) being presented with an author's award by ISA Publications VP Vitor Finkel at the ISAExpo 2009 in October.

Gregory K. McMillan retired after a 33-year career as a specialist in modeling and process control
for Monsanto and its spinoff Solutia. His life is far from a model of process control. It was the unusual freedom and openness of his job in engineering technology that led to the series of humorous books on corporate life and process automation.
Greg has written too many to list totally serious technical books.
He taught at Washington University in Saint Louis (2001–2002) where he set up a virtual plant that was almost as fun as a video game and a good perquisite for students getting a real job in a real plant. Greg was inducted into the Process Automation Hall of Fame in 2001. He has been working leisurely as a consultant to Emerson Process Management since 2003 and spends his free time with fellow retirees and doing his best to help keep Austin (TX US) weird!

Dedicated to automation engineers and technicians, this comprehensive resource aims to increase awareness of the opportunities afforded by modern measurement instruments and final elements, and to show how to get maximum benefit from the revolution in smart technologies. It builds an understanding of the fundamental aspects of measurements, measurement instruments, and final elements for applications in the process industry. The terminology and ideas presented provide a firm foundation for subsequent chapters that focus on what is needed for lowest life-cycle cost and best automation system performance. The last chapter provides a comprehensive exploration of the technology that supports the rapidly expanding opportunities of WirelessHART instrumentation. Each chapter includes a set of questions designed to stimulate the thought process involved for a successful application.

No prior plant experience with industrial process instrumentation is required for the reader to understand this book. For students and new employees, the chapters on fundamentals can improve productivity on the job and form a basis for further study. For the seasoned veteran, the book offers insights and serves as a guide through today’s myriad automation products and application details. It provides a picture of the state-of-the-art for 95% of the field instrumentation and final elements used, or under consideration, in a modern process plant. The reader is encouraged to seek further information on particular types of measurement instruments and final elements, which is available from manufacturers via the internet and in instrumentation handbooks and ISA publications.