ABB announces Loop Tuning Accelerator Service

August 12, 2015 – ABB introduced Loop Tuning Accelerator Service, powered by ServicePort, to reduce the time between diagnosing control loop issues and tuning the loops to improve performance. The Loop Tuning Accelerator Service uses data already gathered, analyzed and stored to quickly identify issues, so corrective tuning can take place without time-consuming and disruptive process “bump” tests. This ensures full utilization of the control system, reduces off-specification production and increases plant productivity for customers in cement, chemicals, metals, mining, oil & gas, pulp & paper and other process industries.

The Loop Tuning Accelerator Service gives process engineers the ability to create accurate models that greatly reduce the time needed to identify and address control loop issues. The Loop Tuning Accelerator Service draws on data previously gathered by the Loop Performance Monitoring Service, and uses this data as the basis for process modeling.

Data used by the Loop Tuning Accelerator Service has already been automatically classified and prioritized based on severity, criticality and financial impact according to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tracked by the ABB Loop Performance Monitoring Service. This data helps control engineers find the root cause of issues, leading to information that is used to improve control loop tuning.

Engineers can perform control loop using LoopTune, an ABB Workbench Tool. LoopTune is a stand-alone software package based on proprietary algorithms that is integrated with ABB ServicePort.

The ABB Loop Tuning Accelerator Service is delivered through the ABB ServicePort, a remote-enabled service delivery platform that provides a secure connection to ABB services and expertise. Deployed at customer locations, ServicePort enables delivery of local and remote services, and provides customers and ABB service experts a real-time view of KPIs, and diagnostic and system data. Data collected is highly secure as it remains on-site and requires user identification to view.

“It is critical to our customers’ businesses that their control systems are fully utilized and optimized,” said Johan Vermeiren, Head of ABB Process Automation Service. “Since we want the control technology our customers purchase from ABB to perform at highest levels, we continue to develop new ways to make it easier to optimize system performance. The new Loop Tuning Accelerator Service will help our customers tune controls even more quickly, leading to higher productivity.”

ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility, industry, and transport and infrastructure customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in roughly 100 countries and employs about 140,000 people.