Use Automatic Batch Mode

The following section describes the various phases of Automatic batch mode.

Start a Batch

When an operator selects the Batch Start button, the recipe procedure begins processing. Equipment must be allocated to run phases. The allocation takes place according to the rules that you defined in the allocation section. If the required equipment cannot be allocated, the phases go to the Wait status. While in Wait status, the availability of the equipment is continually monitored. As soon as equipment is available, it is allocated to the batch, and the phase starts. Only the equipment in the assigned train is available to Batch Manager for allocation.

After the correct equipment is allocated, the status of the phase to be run is evaluated. If the phase status is Ready, Batch Manager downloads the values of the formula parameters to the control system and sets the phase Start tag. If the phase status is Interlocked, Batch Manager monitors the phase until the status becomes Ready before proceeding. If the phase status is Held or Run, an Unexpected Status error message appears. An operator must acknowledge the error message, and Batch Manager waits for the phase status to become Ready before proceeding. If the phase status is Done or Aborted, the phase Reset tag is set by Batch Manager, and Batch Manager waits for the Ready status before proceeding.

If the IBCli or the IBMX service encounters a failure while attempting to read or write to a tag in the control system, the batch that is associated with the failure is placed on hold by the Batch Manager and an error message is displayed. Examples of conditions that can cause tag read and write failures include bad I/O points, unintentional deletion of a block parameter in the control system, or parameters with bad (non-good) tag quality. When failures occur, an operator must take the necessary action to correct the problem, and then initiate a batch Restart to resume operation. If the failure cannot be resolved but the operator wants the batch processing to continue, the phase associated with the failed tag can be Aborted by the operator, and then a batch Restart can be initiated to resume batch processing.

Note: The Batch Manager waits for an I/O with non-initializing quality to determine if a tag failure has occurred. An I/O with initializing quality is not considered for tag failure by the Batch Manager. For status tags of bad quality, a Bad Quality Received message is sent to the operator displays and the batch is not put on hold. For parameter tags of bad quality, a message with ??? as value is displayed on the operator displays. When the Batch Manager reads the parameter tags that have bad quality even at the end of the phase, it retries the read operation for a configurable amount of time (See "Parm Timeout (sec)" under the topic Batch Manager (BatchMngr)). If the parameter tags do not return to good quality during the retry period, an error message is sent to the operator displays and the batch is put on hold.

Hold a Batch

When an operator selects the Batch Hold button, Batch Manager puts the batch in Held status. The actions taken in response to a batch Hold depend on how Batch Manager is configured in the Environment Editor. If the configuration uses the defaults (that is without any application parameters in the Environment Editor), when the Hold command is initiated, the batch status changes to Held and the Unit Hold tag for each unit allocated to the batch is set. It is the responsibility of the control system logic to alter the status of the phases associated with the units. Typically, the phases are put in the Held status. However, the results of a batch Hold can be unique for each phase.

Note: When the Batch Hold button is pressed, it is possible that the Batch Abort becomes available before all the phases are in the Held status. If an operator quickly presses the Batch Abort button before all the phases are in the Held status, any phase not in the Held state does not respond to the Phase Abort command issued by the Batch Abort command. In this situation, the phases remain in Held or the last status. The batch status remains Aborting until all phases have completed. Phases in Run are completed normally or can be manually held and aborted. To resolve this situation, verify that all phases are in Held status before pressing the Batch Abort button, manually abort all phases in Held status, or assign security to the Batch Abort button. In most cases this allows enough time for all phases to go to the Held state.

If Batch Manager is started and the Phase/Batch Status application parameter is defined in the Environment Editor, Batch Manager manages all phase hold activity. As above, when a Batch Hold command is triggered the batch status changes to Held and the Unit Hold tag for each allocated unit is set. In addition, a phase hold signal is sent to any phase in the batch that has a status of Run. Also, if any phase becomes held during the processing of a batch, Batch Manager places the batch in Held status and sends a phase hold signal to all other phases in the batch that are in the run. This applies whether the Held condition was the result of an operator initiated hold action or was generated internally by the phase logic.

The batch Hold concept is further advanced if the Unit States application parameter is defined for Batch Manager in the Environment Editor. If this parameter is defined by itself without also defining the Phase/Batch Status application parameter, Batch Manager monitors the unit state tags for each allocated unit. If any unit state tag changes to the Held or Alarm state, Batch Manager puts the batch that has the unit allocated in the Held state. No other units or phases are held by Batch Manager, and the response of the phases to the unit state change is the responsibility of the control system. If both the Unit States and Phase/Batch Status application parameters are defined, Batch Manager uses the unit states to determine when to propagate phase hold commands. In this case, if a unit goes into the Held or Alarm state, Batch Manager recognizes this and sets the Unit Hold tag and Phase Hold tags for each unit and phase associated to the batch. Whenever the Unit States parameter is defined, a batch cannot be restarted until the unit state returns to Run.

Regardless of the manner in which Batch Manager is configured, transition logic Wait functions are not put in the Held state. The Wait function continues to run and times out if the Held time exceeds the time of the function. When a Wait function times out, processing continues to the next phase but the phase is not started until the batch is restarted.

Restart a Batch

When an operator selects the Batch Restart button, Batch Manager restarts the batch. The actions taken in response to a batch Restart depend on the way in which Batch Manager is configured in the Environment Editor. If the configuration uses the defaults (that is without any application parameters in the Environment Editor), when the Restart action is initiated, the batch status changes to Run and the Unit Restart tag for each unit allocated to the batch is set. It is the responsibility of the control system logic to alter the status of the phases associated with the units. Typically, the phases are put in the Run status. However, the results of a batch restart can be unique for each phase.

If Batch Manager is started with the Phase/Batch Status application parameter defined in the Environment Editor, Batch Manager manages all phase restart activity. When a Batch Restart is triggered, the batch status changes to Run and the Unit Restart tag for each allocated unit is set. In addition, a phase restart signal is sent to any phase in the batch that has a status of Held. However, unlike with Hold commands, an individual phase restart does not cause the batch and all other phases to restart.

The batch restart concept is further advanced if the Unit States application parameter is defined for Batch Manager in the Environment Editor. If this parameter is defined by itself without also defining the Phase/Batch Status application parameter, Batch Manager monitors the unit state tags for each allocated unit. Batch Manager does not permit a batch Restart for any batch that has allocated units and these units are in a state other than Held (the Alarm state must be cleared). Typically, units are in the Held state from the Batch Hold command. All allocated units must be changed to Held in order to restart the batch. Unit state changes are the responsibility of the control system. After the required unit states are in the Held state, the Unit Restart tag is set for each allocated unit. If both the Unit States and Phase/Batch Status application parameters are defined, Batch Manager uses the unit states to determine when to propagate phase restart commands. In this case, a batch and all held phases are not be automatically restarted if any unit is in a state other than Held.

Abort a Batch

When an operator selects the Batch Abort button, Batch Manager cancels the batch. The actions taken in response to a Batch Abort depend on the way in which Batch Manager is configured in the Environment Editor. If the configuration uses the defaults (that is without any application parameters in the Environment Editor), when the Abort is initiated, the batch status changes to Aborting and the Unit Abort tag for each unit allocated to the batch is set. It is the responsibility of the control system logic to alter the status of the phases associated with the units. Typically, the phases are put in the Aborted status. However, the results of a batch abort can be unique for each phase. After all phases have completed or aborted, the batch status changes to Aborted. The batch status remains Aborting as long as phases are active.

Note: When the operator selects Batch Abort, a dialog box prompts the operator to confirm the Abort. When the operator clicks Yes, Batch Manager cancels the batch.

If Batch Manager is started with the Phase/Batch Status application parameter defined in the Environment Editor, Batch Manager manages all phase abort activity. When a batch Abort is triggered, the batch status changes to Aborting and the Unit Abort tag for each allocated unit is set. In addition, a phase abort signal is sent to any phase in the batch that has a status of Held. However, unlike with Hold commands, an individual phase abort does not cause the batch and all other phases to abort. Also, after all phases have completed or aborted, the batch status changes to Aborted.

The batch abort concept is not as effected as the Hold and Restart if the Unit States application parameter is defined for Batch Manager in the Environment Editor. If this parameter is defined by itself without also defining the Phase/Batch Status application parameter, Batch Manager monitors the unit state tags for each allocated unit. However, Batch Manager does not require a particular unit state in order to abort a batch. The Unit Abort tag is set for each allocated unit regardless of its state. If both the Unit States and Phase/Batch Status application parameters are defined, Batch Manager propagates phase abort commands regardless of the state of the allocated units.

Error messages do not appear when unexpected unit states are received when one of the following conditions apply:

• If a unit is not allocated and has an Available status, the unit should have a state of Ready. A unit state of Run, Held, or Alarm is not permitted.

• If a unit is allocated and phases for that unit are active, the unit should have a state of Run, Held, or Alarm. A unit state of Ready is not permitted.

It is the operator’s responsibility to avoid the conditions that are described. If either condition exists, the operator must manually change the unit state.