Comprehensive Model

A comprehensive model approach uses all of the available configuration tools of the flexible AVEVA Batch Management system. It also provides complete material tracking and ease-of-use for the recipe builder and operators.

In a comprehensive model, the physical process is defined with units and connections. This gives the sophisticated batch engine the information it needs to most efficiently orchestrate your batch process. It also saves you from writing a lot of custom code in the control system that would otherwise be required to coordinate material transfers between units. This is the preferred modeling technique since it leverages the full power of the batch system.

A unit is defined as any vessel that can hold or process materials. Examples of units are bulk storage vessels, reactors, blenders, mixers, hold tanks, etc. Unique statuses can be defined that describe the possible states that each unit can assume.

In addition to units, the comprehensive model includes information about the material transfer capabilities between units. A connection is any means of getting materials from one units to another. A connection might be automatic equipment that transfers product between units such as pumps, values, and piping. Or it might be a manual transfer such as an operator carrying a tote. A semi-automatic transfer is one in which an operator may be required to prepare some equipment such as a flexible pipe connection or hose, before the automated transfers can take place. You can accurately model all of these situations.

Some plants have single units with connections to multiple units while others have multiple connections between two units. After all, there may be more than one way of getting material from unit A to unit B. Connections can be further divided into segments. Connection availability is determined by the status of all of the segments that are a part of the connection. Unique statuses can be defined that describe the possible states that each segment can potentially assume.

All units that have the same processing capabilities or perform the same function are grouped in the same process class. All connections between the same two process classes are grouped in a transfer class. The processing and transferring capabilities for each of these classes are defined with phases. Each phase is an independent action that requires a unique set of parameters. Parameters configure the phase based on the requirements of a recipe. A phase can be processed either automatically or manually. The AVEVA Batch Management System is responsible for coordinating unit-to-unit management.