4 RecommendationsThe industries in the IOF operate in an environment of global competition. For these suppliers of raw materials and semifinished goods, quality is a requirement, rather than a differentiator. Successful companies are able to manufacture high-quality products at the lowest possible cost. In this cost-constrained business environment, in-house process control groups are becoming smaller or even being eliminated. Hence, the industries are becoming increasingly dependent on suppliers of process control systems, even for ongoing optimization. At the same time, even though process control systems can give companies a technological advantage, new process control technologies will not be implemented unless they will have an immediate effect on current operations.The development of improved process control technologies depends on cooperative efforts by multidisciplinary teams. The capabilities required to develop and implement new process control technologies vary significantly depending on the specific process science involved and on the maturity of the technology.
Process control methods represent ways a company can inspect and adjust production methods in order to manufacture quality products. In some cases, these methods are the only way a company can discover goods or services that fail to meet internal standards. A few different process control methods.
Success depends on the integration of several technologies, which may include the following:.process control science and engineering.computer science and software engineering.signal processing engineering.measurement science.process engineering.manufacturingAlthough significant efforts have been made to develop process control technologies and improve sensor technologies, most of the work has focused on the. TECHNICAL CHALLENGESIndustry has shown a great deal of interest in the development of sensor and control technologies for a number of applications. Substantial government-supported programs are under way at many agencies.
Department of Defense has been working on environmental sensors to protect personnel and equipment, sensing and control technology to guide autonomous and remotely piloted systems, and intelligent process controls for component manufacturing. The National Institute for Standards and Technology has been developing standards for open-architecture controllers, robotics, and intelligent process controls for the manufacture of discrete parts. The National Science Foundation has been working on integrated sensors/controllers, intelligent controls, and condition monitoring systems.
DOE has been investigating environmental sensing and advanced controls to improve process efficiency.Regardless of the specific research objectives of these projects, the following general challenges are driving the development of sensors and manufacturing process control technologies:.Variability and quality. Advanced sensors and process controls are necessary to monitor process variations so that high-quality operations can be maintained at lower cost.Environmental constraints. Innovative, robust sensory devices, including innovative sensor materials and coating technologies, are necessary to monitor process parameters and provide information in extreme high-temperature and chemically corrosive environments.Service. Process controllers are necessary to provide proactive maintenance capabilities, such as measurements of performance degradation, fault recovery, self-maintenance, and remote diagnostics. Cross-Cutting ResearchThe panel believes the common needs for process controls and sensor technologies warrant a cross-cutting research and development initiative in this area.
The panel recommends that OIT establish a research and development program that emphasizes the common needs of the IOF industries. DOE and OIT organizational objectives, as a basis for comparing and selecting projects for the cross-cutting program:.potential for reducing the consumption of energy and raw materials and for reducing waste.consistency with the technology road maps of the IOF industries.potential benefits for more than one industrial sector.potential for commercial applicationOne of the key challenges for OIT will be managing the cross-cutting program in a way that facilitates the development of specific performance goals based on the common needs of multiple industries.
The panel recommends that an IOF coordination group be established, with representation of all of the IOF teams, to develop short-term and long-term goals and to monitor progress and results. Active participation by the IOF industry teams would help ensure that cross-cutting research programs remain responsive to industry needs.
The group would review process attributes and control needs in each of the industries and establish a consensus on specific goals the cross-cutting program should pursue to benefit the maximum number of processes. IOF InitiativesAll of the IOF vision documents identified manufacturing process controls and process monitoring sensors as important to the future success of their industries. The panel identified a cross-cutting initiative that would benefit multiple industries.
However, the aspects of the required research and development that are unique to particular processes or conditions could be handled best by individual IOF groups, especially in the process development and implementation phases.Industry-specific efforts could include the following. Coordination with Other ProgramsSignificant efforts related to sensors and process controls have been made by other agencies in the government—especially the National Institute for Standards and Technology, the U.S. Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and elsewhere in DOE.
The final challenge to OIT will be to coordinate the cross-cutting and industry-specific aspects of the OIT program with other government-sponsored programs. The panel recommends that OIT program managers continue to lead the interagency and intra-agency coordination of progress in complementary technologies to avoid duplications. Manufacturing process controls include all systems and software that exert control over production processes. Control systems include process sensors, data processing equipment, actuators, networks to connect equipment, and algorithms to relate process variables to product attributes.Since 1995, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Industrial Technology 's (OIT) program management strategy has reflected its commitment to increasing and documenting the commercial impact of OIT programs. OIT's management strategy for research and development has been in transition from a 'technology push' strategy to a 'market pull' strategy based on the needs of seven energy-and waste-intensive industries-steel, forest products, glass, metal casting, aluminum, chemicals, and petroleum refining. These industries, designated as Industries of the Future (IOF), are the focus of OIT programs.
In 1997, agriculture, specifically renewable bioproducts, was added to the IOF group.The National Research Council Panel on Manufacturing Process Controls is part of the Committee on Industrial Technology Assessments (CITA), which was established to evaluate the OIT program strategy, to provide guidance during the transition to the new IOF strategy, and to assess the effects of the change in program strategy on cross-cutting technology programs, that is, technologies applicable to several of the IOF industries. The panel was established to identify key processes and needs for improved manufacturing control technology, especially the needs common to several IOF industries; identify specific research opportunities for addressing these common industry needs; suggest criteria for identifying and prioritizing research and development (R&D) to improve manufacturing controls technologies; and recommend means for implementing advances in control technologies. Contents. i–xiv.
1–5. 6–13. 14–27. 28–44. 45–50.
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