Optimum access to information: with dual monitors in the field at DCS, MES and ERP

In chemical and pharmaceutical production plants, HMIs are required to provide as much data as possible for a solid basis for decision-making and to ensure the safety of the production processes. Increasing digitalisation and interconnected technology in the production processes generate a great variety of data for the operating and control stations, such as plant status, process values, maintenance intervals and ERP-relevant data. For the optimum management of this data volume, an ever increasing number of companies in the process industry are using dual monitors in hazardous areas to provide separate access to the PCS and ERP, for example.

Large production plants such as world-scale, multi-purpose and integrated facilities provide a large amount of process information on site that may, depending on their status, be relevant to the process. Field operating devices in industrial facilities are thus increasingly turning into mini "on-site control stations", and the local operators carry an increasing amount of responsibility: they are turning into "on-site process managers".

It is practically impossible to display such a large volume of diverse data on one screen, especially to aid decisions based on information from two systems, such as the PCS and the MES. For informed decision-making, dual monitor solutionss can be used to access and view both data sources in parallel. One monitor can be used to visualise the PCS, and the other to display maintenance plans for the field devices, production resource management, project control or documentation. Machine data, maintenance, logistics and QM information can also be integrated. Process operators are thus informed promptly of any changes and anomalies and can then initiate appropriate safety measures.