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Production & Operations


Process industry control rooms are the center of plant operations where key decisions are made and applied. iWare was developed to empower operators with the best training and to make available all the knowledge about the process, critical operating information, procedures, business information and rules, safety and environmental regulations to enable the best decision making. This information is made available in real time on screen using structures that you specify that suit your business.

iWare is a complete Operator Training and Support System that integrates seamlessly with advanced control systems (DCS, HMI) and operator training stations. By associating information to the control station iWare provides the “missing link” between control system data and operational data so operators have a complete picture of operations on their control panel display without interfering with the operation of the control system and reduce variations due to different operators and reduce education time for new operators.

iWare associates relevant business information with your plant's operations and production areas.

Here are some examples that can be accessed with the click of a mouse:
  • Production Data and Records

  • Wells, Tanks & Warehouse Inventory

  • Standard Operating Procedures & Plans

  • Emergency Procedures & Plans

  • Inspection Reports

  • Video Clips of Procedures

  • Photos – of key parts of operations – click on a “hot spot” and see all of the information on that component
The structure is completely flexible and can be organized and defined to match your plant's activities.

SOME EXAMPLES

Do you use binders as references for key procedures and references? Binder issues that iWare addresses include:

Binders iWare
Response time and availability? -Where is it? Who had it last? What is under the coffee stain? What happened to the other half of the page? Available with two or 3 clicks on screen
Right procedure?-Is it up to date? Is this the last revision dd/mm/yy? The administrator for the procedure is responsible for authorizing the latest release. The latest release is tagged and related. The version the operator accesses is always the one in effect!
Is it Complete? -Are there any new pages, sections, drawings or sketches? Available version is always complete!
Is it authorized for use? -Who is authorized to have copies? Numbered copies signed for is usual control. If it is available on screen the operator is authorized to use it.
Are all changes available and ready for use? - Updating is usually done by removing obsolete pages and adding revised and new pages. They are delivered and/or mailed. Responsibility for update can be divided. Administrator is responsible for originating the update, getting it approved, in the same way as for binders. Once complete and approved it is made available to the operator electronically by tagging and relating it. If the operator can access it, it is good to use it.


A Few Added iWare Features:

Maintenance Work Order Initiation
There are many cases where the operator either needs maintenance or is unsure whether a component is operating properly. Each individual component on a plant schematic, or photo can be related to the correct maintenance person or function. The operator can click on the schematic or photo, and in a drop down menu with a click or two can send a request for maintenance support/work order which will be routed to the designated maintenance person or function, time stamped and prioritized.

Capture of Operator “Black Art”
Many process operators have favorite set points for the process. These may be fully optimum, within the operating guide lines, leading to outstanding performance, and the operator may not be able to explain, or has not recorded why they did what they did. Electronic logging can be used to record selected time stamped plant floor data and operator settings, and logging sets display the effects of the operator fine tuning.

Identification of Training Needs
The same logging can show where more timely operator adjustments could have been done, indicating where training should be focused. It can also be used to track operator skills development.