Efficient Operations Using Advanced Operator Graphics

The Operator interface to your control systems is an important part of the Operator’s ability to control the plant processes. A well designed graphic that encourages situational awareness allows for a more accurate and timely Operator response. By using leading indicators, deviating process values can be easily identified and corrected before they alarm or trip. Alarms and other abnormal events should clearly stand out on the graphics by using specific colors and shapes allowing for easy identification of a process change. Direct data entry into shapes helps to reduce changes in the Operator’s focus by removing the need for calling up faceplates to make process changes. Smart shapes can enhance the performance of the Operators by giving them visual references of the state of the process, allowing for issues to be detected in earlier stages. The navigation bar organizes the displays into an intuitive hierarchy, and provides the Operator with the ability to move from any display to any other display with just one click. The variable bar and embedded trend allow for at glance monitoring, where deviations from normal trend patterns or bar positions will stand out. Task oriented displays, for example startup/shutdown, provide the information necessary for control during these known situations. The use of permissive and shutdown graphics show the Operator specifically what is keeping the plant from starting up or what exactly caused the plant to shutdown.