New ISA Book Explains Modern Process Control Systems

Managing Automation (Neil) - ISA recently published Collaborative Process Automation Systems, a book written by an ABB scientist and other industry experts that provides a comprehensive overview of collaborative process automation systems (CPAS). Topics discussed include engineering, security, enterprise connectivity, advanced process control, plant asset management, and operator efficiency.

The book provides an overview of what CPAS is and how it can be used to improve the performance of any process plant, says Dave Woll, vice president of consulting services at ARC Advisory Group, who also contributed to the book. Specifically, it highlights the relationships among people, processes, and technology. “The key to an extraordinary automation project is to first decide the roles and objectives you want people to have [and] then empower them with the automation technology they need to be successful,” Woll says.

Geared toward industrial engineers and control and automation graduate students, the book covers the system architecture and infrastructure required for a CPAS, as well as important standards such as OPC and the ISA-95. This in-depth reference focuses on the differences between a CPAS and traditional automation systems, with implications for modern automation systems outlined in both theory and practice.