Configure Manual and Data Process Phases

Manual process phases are used to model manual activities in the process. Many processes are not completely automated and require the operator to perform manual operations or actions according to the phase being processed, and to acknowledge phase completion.

Data process phases are used as a convenient means of mass data transfer between the batch system and control system. Data phases are similar to manual phases except they do not require operator acknowledgement. Use data phases to download data to (or upload data from) the control system and log it to history.

Manual and data process phases do not have control system phase logic; therefore, they do not have tag assignments for phase control and status bits or interlocks. Control buttons are optional for manual phases but are not available for data phases. Formula Parameters are optional for both phase types.

Manual and data phases are run by the AVEVA Batch Management System. Manual process phases must be acknowledged by the operator before they are considered done. Acknowledgment can only be accomplished once all of the phase edit and comment requirements have been satisfied. Data phases do not require operator acknowledgement.

You can configure the batch control system to handle many different manual and data process phases. This section describes several examples that can be configured. The phase names are used only for example purposes.

• Phase Name: QASample (Manual)
  The instruction is given to the operator to take a sample of product to QA for testing.

• Phase Name: OpAction (Manual)
  This phase is a general purpose message phase. This phase can be used anytime the operator must be instructed to perform a task. The instructions are entered as part of the recipe.

• Phase Name: Agitate (Manual)
  The operator is instructed to manually start the agitator, a timer, and adjust the agitator speed.

• Phase Name: MixSpeed (Data)
  In the middle of a mixing phase, the mix speed must be set to a higher speed. The MixSpeed phase simply downloads the new set point. The existing tag from the mixing phase can even be used.

• Phase Name: EqStatus (Data)
  This phase uses the Equipment Status (USTAT) tag from the unit in the target of its Status string parameter. You can use this phase in a product recipe to set equipment statuses to values such as Used or Dirty after a product recipe or Clean after a cleaning recipe.

• Phase Name: GetInfo (Data)
  This phase reads data from an external instrument to log into the batch history. Perhaps the temperature of the batch is desired but there really is no automatic phase for monitoring this value. You can use the GetInfo phase at critical points in the batch to capture a temperature reading.

Possible phase parameter configurations for the manual and data process phase examples are shown in the following table.