Specifications of OWS (Operator Work Station) and EWS (Engineering Work Station) are very important in DCS. In this article, you can get information on what kind of Specifications of Operator and Engineering Workstations are for DCS.
Special design specifications are considered for the Operator workstation and Engineering workstation.
Specification of OWS (Operator Workstations)
- The DCS operator workstations shall be the latest industrial-grade PC from a reliable and proven manufacturer.
- The performance and specifications for these workstations shall meet the intended purposes.
- Each operator’s workstation shall be powered from a redundant power supply arrangement
- Also, it has dual redundant data highway connections to each of the networks to which it is connected.
- Each workstation shall be capable of storing all particular graphics assigned to that workstation and any other workstation graphic once transferred from the data storage medium without the need for cartridges, disks, etc.
- The engineering console shall also have one configuration and maintenance (C&M) printer and a hard drive.
- In case of simultaneous commands from the operator and Engineering consoles, the operator console shall override.
- Tuning of control loops like changing, PID dead time values is also possible through the Operator workstation.
Display Specification
Usually, the Display size is specified in SOW (Scope of Work) but the minimum 24″ LCD should be considered generally.
Resolution is now considered FHD as the minimum for considering operator comfort for operation.
Display must be flicker-free and glare-free to prevent uninterrupted and unwanted problems related to visual discomfort.
Keyboard Specifications
- The typical computer keyboard shall be provided for each operator’s workstation. Alphanumeric keys shall be arranged as “QWERTY” keyboards. A trackball-pointing device shall be provided with the keyboard.
- Operator keyboards shall be spill-proof, touch-sensitive membrane-type keyboards with a minimum of 64 dedicated and/or variable function keys (configurable).
- Each keyboard shall have a set of dual-function user configurable keys. These keys shall be configured to access important pages in a single keystroke. Also, keys shall have LEDs, which flash on pre-configured alarm conditions.
- The keyboard shall be self-explanatory, easy to operate, and shall meet all the functions to configure, operate and maintain the system. User-friendly software shall be used for the operation, configuration, and maintenance of the system.
- The keyboard shall be provided with function keys, each of which shall be assigned to a plant area. Any alarm within that area shall cause an LED in the key to flash. Pressing the key at any time shall immediately select the relevant graphic display.
- A detachable engineering keyboard shall be provided and shall be used for connection to any of the operator consoles.
- It shall be possible to operate, control, Configure, access history, trending, and all other functionalities described in respective sections through the keyboard provided with the operator/Engineering console.
Specification of Printers
- Minimum One A3 color laser printer and one black and white printer shall be provided.
- One color printer and a Black and white printer shall be connected to the main DCS hub to allow each operator or engineering workstation to print out the selected logging of alarms, events, reports, system configuration, and any other information in color. Another extra one
- The operator shall be able to print out any graphical display in color from any operator workstation.
- The printer shall be equipped with the hot-stand by redundant network cards and be connected to both LANs of the redundant DCS network.
- Both printers shall be equipped with 1 GB RAM as a minimum.
Specifications of EWS (Engineering Workstations)
The engineering console is capable of executing the following functions as a minimum, both online and offline:
- a) All functions of the operator console
- b) Database configuration including an overview, group, loop, multi-loop, and multivariable configuration
- c) Display, report building, database generation, and editing
- d) Generation and modification of user-defined displays
- e) Generation and modification of the control algorithm
- f) Generation and modification of reports
- g) Group or multi-group alarm inhibit from the plant under maintenance
- h) Configuration or re-configuration of alarm settings, their values addition or deletion of any control block or component in a loop.
- i) Tuning of control loops like changing, PID dead time values
- j) Viewing of ESD and F&G systems
- k) Compilation of graphic displays
- l) Setting of the real-time clock
- m) Compilation of logs/reports/historical trend points.
- n) Execution of detailed self-diagnostic displays for maintenance aid.
- o) Console / Monitors and keyboard plant section assignments
- p) Communication system status display
- q) Device diagnostic display: System diagnostics up to module level should be possible from the diagnostic software.
EndNote
Specifications vary from industry to industry and application to application. You can take this article as a reference point for your further knowledge.
My simple attention for making this article is to make you aware of how multiple things need to be considered or look in the Specifications of Operator and Engineering Workstations for DCS.
From my side, I will try to cover all the other topics in my next articles related to DCS. So, stay connected.
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