Updating Process Control Systems
There is a great opportunity to benefit from modern systems and advanced technology when replacing legacy control systems with new technology.
Updating a legacy system with new software—while keeping the existing hardware—is a valid option, but leaves many of the advantages of new technology on the table. Instead, a control system upgrade is a time to modernize and streamline to get the most value out of the investment. Distributed control systems (DCS), programmable logic controllers (PLC), and human-machine interface (HMI)-based control systems have been around for a few decades. What was once cutting-edge technology is now adapted for today's mobile and information-centric world. Software development practices like object-oriented programming are integrated into many platforms, and the opportunity for integration into systems outside of the plant floor are almost too numerous to mention. Simply put, there are many advantages to upgrading a process control system.
Addressing Control System Upgrade Security Concerns
One of the most important aspects of a control system upgrade is taking advantage of the latest security technology. In today's connected world, security through obscurity is no longer a valid approach to ensure a control system is safe from malicious access.
To see the impacts of security vulnerabilities, read some of the alerts from the Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT). The ICS-CERT reports detailed security vulnerabilities with control system software and hardware from many vendors—and how control systems can be maliciously accessed with varying results. As technology ages (as in the case of legacy DCS, PLC, and HMI systems) the chance of a cyber attack increases as security flaws are exposed over time. This is just one reason to maintain software updates throughout the life of the system, and to consider upgrades to new versions towards the end of a support lifecycle.
As control systems are integrated with other software and databases across an organization, security becomes even more important to consider. Security becomes especially important when these systems are accessible from outside the facility. It is also important to note that security concerns are not limited to the control system itself, but all of the required support systems, including operating systems, firewalls, and operational security throughout an organization.
Optimizing with Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
The advance of object-oriented programming has had a huge impact for control system technology. The concept of OOP is relatively simple, yet extremely powerful. Imagine developing a control system in the early 2000s: given a process with hundreds of pieces of nearly identical equipment, it would take a long time to copy, paste, rename tags, and test each piece of equipment on an HMI screen. When new instrumentation is added, the equipment would need to go through the development process again. With an object-oriented environment, one template can be created for each piece of equipment for both the operator interface and the logic in the process controller. Plus, tagging can be handled dynamically, requiring only one or two changes to create a new instance of the equipment, then each device will function identically. If similar pieces of equipment have different options, these can be handled in the template—instead of multiple copies of the same graphics and code. Making a change only requires making the changes at the template, which are then propagated throughout the application. This can save a huge amount of time for development/testing and ongoing maintenance.
Ease of Integration with Other Systems
Installing modern systems will streamline integrating with other business systems. Process scheduling, downtime tracking, computerized maintenance management, and statistical process control are a few of the integrations that can easily improve overall performance of a system while giving full visibility into manufacturing operations. Many vendors now offer these integrations out-of-the-box, requiring a relatively small amount of work to move data between systems. While similar integrations might be possible with legacy systems, they would require a large amount of time and energy, taking valuable resources from the rest of the organization.
As technology advances, it offers more functionality, security, and easier implementation. Simply replacing an aging system with an updated version of the underlying components can leave a lot of these benefits on the table. As technology advancements increase, it makes sense to work with vendors and distributors to understand the latest offerings and how they can be put to good use. It never hurts to understand the migration path to a new platform and what features and functionality will be the most beneficial during an upgrade. While migration is an option, taking advantage of a modernization will usually provide an enhanced process control system that can last for many years to come.
Key Concepts
Using modern control systems and technology provides benefits.
Upgrading control systems may reduce the risk of security threats.
Modern technology can simplify processes.
Are You Considering A Process Control System Upgrade?
Would it be more beneficial for your facility to install a software upgrade to an existing system, or consider a new process control system? For more information on the services that Corso provides, please contact us to talk about your specific application.
Alex Marcy wrote this piece originally for Oil & Gas Engineering Magazine
Updated - 12/30/2022