Process control systems make sure that industrial processes are done in a way that is efficient, consistent, and has as few changes as possible. Industries that often need process control make electricity, deal with chemicals, make food and drinks, make paper, and refine oil. The system lets them keep their operations within certain limits and set those limits more precisely.
With all of the requirements, integrating a process control system could be hard for your business. You should stop worrying because PCI can help you with your process control needs. Manufacturers can get a lot out of a process control system that is well-planned and runs. So, check out the benefits of a well-integrated process control system.
1. Increase Automation while Decreasing Human Intervention
While human intervention and oversight will always be required, automation allows you to eliminate redundancy and unnecessary manual checks. A well-integrated process control system reduces your reliance on operators to keep your machines running, resulting in lower labor costs.
Automation also allows you to expand your business opportunities as your ability to handle additional work grows. More employees and systems will be available to work on other projects and products, increasing profitability.
2. Boost Energy Efficiency
Factory managers can use process control to oversee production, measure a plant’s performance, and make informed decisions based on that data. Adapting this information, a strategy for optimal equipment use can be implemented. This ensures quality consistency, which means less energy is wasted producing defective products.
Because energy consumption is a significant cost for industrial and manufacturing plants, maximizing energy efficiency helps to reduce costs and increase profits. Not only that, but it can also aid in environmental preservation.
3. Reduce Rework, Inefficiency, and Waste
Scrapping parts is always a waste of time, effort, and materials. Rework and concessions, on the other hand, result in late deliveries, firefighting, and overtime. Automation and process control assist in keeping every system in your plant running at peak efficiency, eliminating inefficiencies as well as the need for reworks and product scrapping, where applicable.
4. Increased Security
Remember that even the smallest change can have serious consequences and affect the final product. Control systems will automatically alert you to abnormalities, reducing the risk of an accident. As a result, companies that strictly adhere to process control can avoid these minor errors with disastrous consequences.
Additionally, control systems can be equipped with a functional safety standard called Safety Integrity Level based on the IEC 61508 standard (SIL). There are four types of SIL, depending on the process type and the company’s safety standard requirements.
5. Consistent Product Quality
Human errors are eliminated with plant machinery outfitted with a sophisticated system, improving product quality. Before efficiencies become a greater problem, intelligent controls could already discover and remedy, resulting in less interaction between operators.
A well-integrated control process system keeps product quality variations to a minimum and reduces waste. This will also allow you to restart your system more quickly when maintenance is scheduled.
Recognize the Process Control System
Hopefully, this has helped expand your understanding of process control and its benefits. Companies of all sizes and specialties can benefit from a more efficient production process, better product quality, higher output, and a variety of other benefits by implementing better process controls.
Investing in a good and reliable control system is thus not a good use of company resources. It is an investment that will undoubtedly propel your company forward. Begin thinking about improving your process controls today to gain a competitive advantage.