PECM Issue 31 2018 | Page 11

H ow does the industry intend to expose the applications that did not meet expectations ? A nd what is the procedure for achieving that ? In process instrumentation as other fields of industry, there is some applications which become out of expectations and has no add-value but sometimes generate problems in the facility. Having the wrong applications is not common to be due to disadvantages of the new applications. It is usually due to the wrong decision of the end-user. As an example, vendors who propose new technology of control valves for severe applications where there is high probability of flashing and /or cavitation. An end-user may decide to use this new technology to deal with a certain application in the facility. However, due lack of knowledge, which sometimes called lack of experience!, an end-user and the vendor representative fall in a misunderstanding situation which usually results in worse performance of a new control valve with the new technology. Another example, when an end-user decided to use a new control system with some features, say digital communication interface like fieldbus. The end-user plan to use new process instrumentation to be compatible with the new control system and bought all the required software to get the best benefits of the new features. However, after the initial start-up of the facility, everybody in the plant can’t make use of the overwhelming data to work towards quality and productivity improvements. That means it was meaningless to use the new control system if there is no clear plan to get the best of its use. Practically, in order to expose the applications that did not meet expectations, an end-user has to confirm that he has the capability of making the right decision to select the right for the right. An end-user should firstly evaluate the available experience inside the facility and work to enhance this experience, otherwise use consultancy from a third party. A simple procedure for achieving the industry intention to expose the applications that did not meet expectations is to follow the steps hereunder: 1. Select the well educated and well trained personnel. 2. Implement the right training plan for the personnel according to the latest technology. 3. Pay attention for the process of specification preparation for any application that you are going to purchase. Take care to go deeply through the details and never say that the vendor shall understand what you want because they actually understand what they want. Vendors’ representatives, especially in hard economy environment, want to sell their products. 4. When going to use a new application, try to know where it was used before. If it is the first time to be used, take care and ask yourself if you are capable to evaluate it or not. If not, don’t hesitate to ask for consultancy from a reliable third party. A re there collaborations between academia and industry in the implementation of P rocess instrumentation ? O ne that will develop new theory or methodology , and also address a relevant industrial problem ? I wish that, in the next few years, such collaborations between academia and indus