Process models

The Process Models page shows the list of available process models in AVEVA Unified Supply Chain. Each of the process models can be attached to a process unit within a supply chain model.

Process models can belong to a Group (for instance Distillation or Hydrocracking) and can be based on a Modelling Method, typically Base + Delta for non-distillation units.

A process model may have a historical source model, which is shown in the Model Source column.

To be able to edit a model, you must have the right permissions. These are listed in the Permission column. If your permission is Read Only, you can view the model and use it in your cases, but without modifying it. If your permission is Editable, you can also modify the model. In addition, read-only cells have a gray background, while editable cells have a white background.

See Advanced Grids for information on how to search and customize the grid on this page.

Manage process models

To add a process model:

1. Do either of the following:

   • Click Add Model in the Process Unit Models group of the Home ribbon tab.

   • Right-click anywhere in the table and choose Add Process Model from the context menu.

   A new row is added to the table.

2. In the Unit Name column, edit the name of the model.

3. Optionally, enter a description in the Description column.

4. In the Group column, choose the type of model. Click the cell and then the downward arrow icon to open the list of options.

5. In the Share column, choose the share where you want to publish the model. Click the cell and then the downward arrow icon to open the list of options.

To delete one or more process models (only if the model Permission is set to Editable):

6. Select the models you want to delete.

7. Do either of the following:

   • Click Delete Model in the Process Unit Models group of the Home ribbon tab.

   • Right-click on the selected models and choose Delete Model from the context menu.

8. Click Yes in the confirmation dialog.

To edit a process model, make your changes directly in the corresponding table row.

To create a copy of a process model:

9. Select the model you want to copy.

10. Do either of the following:

    • Click Copy Model in the Process Unit Models group of the Home ribbon tab.

    • Right-click the selected model and choose Copy Model from the context menu.

    A new row with the model copy is added to the table.

11. Edit the copy as desired.

Update process models in a supply chain model

Process models may be updated outside of a supply chain model workspace by other users. This may take place in other tools such as Process Model Manager, or a new version of a process model may be published by a different user after work in a different supply chain model.

Process models within a supply chain model are not automatically updated when the original process model changes. The supply chain model always uses the same version of a process model until updated. To update one of your supply chain models to use a new version of a process model, use the Model Update wizard.

Edit process models in a supply chain model

When you edit a process model within a supply chain model, the changes apply only to that supply chain model. The process model in the global reference data is not changed.

If you wish to make your changes public, you can create a versioned object from the model. By doing this, you publish your local edits as a brand new process model created with a different identity. Other users can then choose to use this new version in their model, but the change will not be flagged by the Model Update wizard, since the updated model is a new object.

Process model editing workflows

When editing process models, the workflow will depend on whether the new process model should become a master model used by many users, or is only required within the current plant workspace for studies.

Update master model representations

12. Edit existing process model

    

    Open the required process unit and select the Process Model tab. Select the process model you want to edit and click Enable Edit.

    Warning: The editable process model is embedded within the current supply chain model workspace. The model exists only in the current workspace and is available with all users with permission to that workspace share. Committing the workspace will commit the embedded model and make it available to all permissible users, who will then be able to edit the process model. Although the Share indicates the model is in the user's Private Share it is within the supply chain workspace and shared with the workspace.
    Changing the workspace share will make the model available to other users and it remains embedded within the current workspace - the locally editable model is still only present within the current workspace though unless a versioned object is explicitly created or the global version is updated to match.

13. Edit model info

    

    If required edit the process model information such as the name and description.

14. Edit Base Delta structure

    

    Make any necessary edits to the Base Delta structure. If new drivers are added, all streams feeding this process model must predict the driving property. This may require editing these downstream process models.

15. Test changes

    Test the model changes to make sure that the new process model does not interfere with the existing optimization robustness. Ensure that the multi-start solutions are consistent and that sensitivity behavior changes as expected.

16. Update reference data

    

    Close the model and, in the Model Explorer, choose Update Reference Data from the Cases group of the Home ribbon tab. This allows you to use local edits to global reference data to update the global reference data itself, that is, it publishes local changes to the reference data to the global environment where they are available to any user.

17. Commit process model changes

    

    Commit the changes to the reference data. This will create a new version of the reference data item.

18. Update supply chain workspace

    Run the Model Update Wizard to replace the existing process model with the new version. These are identical in structure, as the old editable version was used to update the global version. A warning will show that there are local edits, but this can be ignored.

Edit models for studies

19. Set up study

    

    If necessary, create the case for the study and open it from the case list.

20. Review case

    

    Make sure that the right case for the study is selected from the Case list.

21. Copy the existing model

    

    Open the required process unit overview and select the Process Model tab. Select the original model and choose Add → Add Copy from the Process Model group of the Home ribbon tab.

22. Edit new model details

    

    Edit the model information, such as the name and description. Disable the existing model activity and ensure the new model is enabled. The copy will be used in this case and any derived sub-cases.

23. Edit Base Delta structure

    

    Edit the Base Delta structure as required. If new property drivers are added, you may have to add them to incoming product streams.

24. Configure the stream associations

    

    Reconfigure the stream associations.

25. Update calculations

    Update any calculations which used process model operating parameters as a variable.

26. Test changes

    Test the model changes to ensure that the new process model does not interfere with the existing optimization robustness. Ensure the multi-start solutions are consistent and that sensitivity behavior changes as expected.

27. Commit model

    Committing the workspace will create a new global reference data object for the process model, available to all users with access to the model share.