Testing (FAT / SAT)
Validation of requirements and verification of the deign outputs is an iterative process during the entire lifespan of a project.
Simulations
In control system design, simulations can be used for multiple reasons but the most common reasons are 1) To analyse dynamic behaviours of a system; 2) To test the control logic.
While simulating dynamic behaviours can be complex and might require special simulation software like MatLab, simulations for testing control logic can often run in the controller itself and generally don’t take a lot of time to setup. The following steps are often sufficient to test the system:
Simulate a process using a simplified representations, for example a first order process for a level in a tank, or a delayed switch to simulate a valve;
Feed the outputs of the simulated functions back into the control system as measurements and feedbacks;
Run the control software and verify if the behavior of the system (including visualisation) is as expected;
Regardless of the size of the system and the type of process that’s being controlled, using simulations improves quality and significantly reduces commissioning time.
Commissioning
Although I spend most of my working hours in offices, being involved in the commissioning process is, apart from being quite often enjoyable and exiting, essential for being able to continuously improve on design skills. Without the feedback obtained through spending time in the field it is sometimes hard to know what works and what doesn’t.
I’ve been involved in numerous commissioning tasks, most often at the end of a project where I was part of the design team, but sometimes also as a stand-alone activity.
