AT524984A1 - METHOD OF OPERATING AN INDUSTRIAL PLANT - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method for operating an industrial plant, it is proposed that software with a plan (1) comprising different plant components (2) of at least part of the industrial plant and a link between the plant components (2) is stored on a computer and the plan ( 1) can be output graphically, wherein when a work order is issued to an operator of the industrial plant, the plant components (2) affected by the work order are marked in the plan (1) and when the plan (1) is graphically output compared to other plant components (2) , which are not affected by the work order, are optically highlighted, with the markings (4) of the plant components (2) affected by the work order being deleted after the end of the work order.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating an industrial plant

according to claim 1.

Computer-based processes and methods are known from the prior art which regulate the workflow of an industrial plant fully automatically. These processes or procedures use predetermined lists in which individual

Work steps are included and which are carried out in sequence.

An industrial plant comprises a number of plant components, with some of these plant components being connected to one another. When maintaining, repairing or replacing system components, work approvals must be observed, which are carried out on the basis of work approval procedures. A work permit and thus also the associated work permit procedure includes one or more work orders and is a legally prescribed protective measure for dangerous activities or activities that can become dangerous through interaction with other activities. This reduces the possibility of a hazard if the activities are carried out as intended and the measures specified in the work approval procedure are complied with

reduced.

As a rule, work releases or work release procedures and thus also their work orders are only list-based according to a specified list

comprehensively different work steps carried out.

A disadvantage of list-based work releases or work release procedures is that one or more new work orders can collide with one another or with several work orders that are still pending. Pending work orders are work orders that have not yet been completed and therefore still have work steps to be carried out. This can affect system components that are functionally related to one another and that can be damaged without knowing how the individual system components function with one another. Furthermore, the occupational safety of operating personnel who carry out one or more work steps can be endangered by conflicting work orders. Human error is another aspect to this, though

for example the functional connection of different plant components

to each other is misjudged by the operating personnel and new work orders are carried out despite pending work orders. For example, a pump and motor may be considered a piece of equipment according to a predetermined list, although they are not locally and the pump is, for example, further connected to another piece of equipment, which, for example, temporarily disables before the pump is switched off

must become.

Another disadvantage of list-based work release methods according to the prior art is that system components that are not recorded in the system, in particular system components that are to be operated manually, cannot be included in the lists. A manually operated component can often only be included in a list as pure text without reference to the entire system or to the adjacent system components, which means that such lists are very incomplete. For this reason, such system components are usually not even considered in conflict checks. For example, system components that are to be actuated manually, in particular manual fittings or valves that are to be closed manually, are not included in the lists in the current work approval procedures, which are based on the driven system components present in the control technology. A test operation often has to be carried out before the industrial plant can be put back into operation, for example it has to be checked whether a line is still tight after welding work. In test mode z. B. a leak test of a pipeline, or a visual inspection of a pump. These list-based work release methods known in the prior art provide

therefore no possibility of displaying this process graphically on plans.

Due to the disadvantages listed above, there is a high risk to life and limb

as well as a large financial risk due to damage to plant components.

The object of the invention is therefore to specify a method of the type mentioned at the outset, with which the disadvantages mentioned can be avoided, with which work orders or work approval methods can be carried out safely in an industrial plant and damage to plant components can be avoided

be avoided.

According to the invention, this is achieved by the features of patent claim 1.

This results in the advantage that both the operating personnel and the personnel who issue the work approval for work orders have an all-encompassing overview of the system components of at least part of the industrial system and their interaction with one another or their relationship to one another. It can thus be determined at a glance which plant components are affected by a work order. This avoids the use or commissioning of system components that are currently being serviced or repaired. This applies in particular to system components that are to be operated manually, such as manual valves, which are not integrated into the control system. As a result, damage to system components can be avoided and safety is also increased

of the operating personnel increased significantly.

The graphical output of the work order or the work approval procedure on a plan, in particular on technical as-build plans, can significantly improve man-machine cooperation and increase efficiency with regard to maintenance work, repairs, the replacement of components and process changes be increased significantly. It is thus one or more people responsible for the system and the operating personnel

enables the safe and correct operation of system components. The dependent claims relate to further advantageous configurations of the invention.

Express reference is hereby made to the wording of the patent claims, whereby the patent claims at this point by reference in the

included in the description and are deemed to have been reproduced verbatim.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which only preferred embodiments are shown by way of example,

described in more detail. It shows:

Fig. 1 shows an exemplary section of a plan with marked

System components with a thick border and

2 shows a further exemplary section of the plan with unmarked

plant components.

The invention relates to a method for operating an industrial plant, in which software with a plan 1 comprising different plant components 2 of at least part of the industrial plant and a link between the plant components 2 is stored on a computer and the plan 1 can be output graphically, with an assignment of a work order to an operator of the industrial plant, the plant components 2 affected by the work order are marked in the plan 1 and, in the case of a graphical output of the plan 1, are visually highlighted compared to other plant components 2 that are not affected by the work order, whereby after completion of the work order the markings 4 of those affected by the work order

Plant components 2 are deleted.

An industrial plant is a piece of technical equipment that consists of several technical components, the plant components 2 . Here are devices and machines in functional or control-related context and are connected to each other in particular via lines 3 or conveyor systems, or

otherwise connected.

The software is stored on a computer, in particular on a computer, and includes Plan 1 or it can at least be based on Plan 1

access.

Plan 1 is in particular a technical plan that can be output graphically. The plan 1 includes different plant components 2 of at least part of the industrial plant and a linking of the plant components 2 to one another. At least one part of the industrial plant can be output graphically means that, for example, plant components 2 of a defined area or department of the industrial plant and their interconnection can be output graphically on plan 1 . For example, all system components 2, which are associated with a pump system or a manufacturing process, and their

Link to each other, can be output or displayed graphically on plan 1.

The linking of the system components 2 with each other can their structural and

contain a functional connection.

It can also be provided that plan 1 is in particular a so-called “aSbuild” plan. As-build plans are plans that reflect actual conditions, such as the actual dimensions of the industrial facility as built on site and the actual spatial arrangement of the

Plant components include.

It can also be provided that the plan 1, for example, details of an installation plan, in addition to the piping system of the industrial plant and

includes a circuit diagram of the system components 2.

However, it can also be provided that plan 1 does not include the building services or details of common rooms, for example, whereby plan 1

can be simplified.

When a work order is assigned to an operator of the industrial plant, the plant components 2 affected by the work order are marked in plan 1 and, in the case of a graphical output of plan 1, are visually highlighted compared to other plant components 2 that are not affected by the work order, resulting in a easy visibility of the affected system components 2 is made possible. For example, the affected system components 2 can be marked in red with a signal color, for example the affected system components 2 themselves, or it can be about the affected

Plant components 2 be drawn in a colored frame.

In Fig. 1 a section of a plan 1 with marked system components 2, which are affected by a work order, is shown as an example. The marking 4 is shown here as a thick border. In this case, the system components 2 are further linked to one another via lines 3, for example. For example, lines 3 also lead to other system components 2, which

are not shown here.

The mark 4 can, for example, as a dotted border, in particular

as a colored border.

FIG. 2 shows a section of a further plan 1 with unmarked system components 2 as an example. This plan 1 is an example of an unmarked plan 1 comprising system components 2 and lines 3, via which

the system components 2 are linked to one another.

After completion of the work order, the markings 4 of the system components 2 affected by the work order are deleted. In this case, deleted means that the markings 4 have changed from a marked status to an unmarked one

status to be transferred.

This results in the advantage that both the operating personnel and the personnel who issue the work approval for work orders have an all-encompassing overview of the system components 2 of at least part of the industrial system and their interaction with one another or their relationship to one another. It can thus be determined at a glance which system components 2 are affected by a work order. In this way, it is possible to avoid using or starting up system components 2 which are currently being serviced or repaired. This applies in particular to system components 2 that are to be actuated manually, such as manual valves, for example, which are not integrated into the control system. As a result, damage to system components 2 can be avoided and safety is also increased

of the operating personnel increased significantly.

The graphical output of the work order or the work approval procedure on a plan 1, in particular on technical as-build plans, can significantly improve man-machine cooperation and increase efficiency with regard to maintenance work, repairs, the replacement of components, as well as Process changes are significantly increased. It is thus one or more people responsible for the system and the operating personnel

enables plant components 2 to be operated safely and correctly.

Furthermore, the quality of the information regarding different work orders by taking into account the interaction or the

Linking the system components 2 together greatly increased.

With the method according to the invention, legally prescribed implementation and documentation requirements can be implemented simply and easily

are complied with in a controllable manner and work orders are carried out safely.

It can particularly preferably be provided that lines 3, which lead to the plant components 2 affected by the work order and/or lines 3, which lead from one affected plant component 2 to another affected plant component 2 and/or lines 3, which run from the affected Plant components 2 lead to adjacent unaffected plant components 2, also be marked. As a result, a person responsible for the system and the operating personnel can clearly and quickly see which other system components 2 the affected system component 2 is connected to, or which affected system components 2 are connected to one another via lines 3 . It can preferably also be specified what kind of lines 3 are involved, for example power lines, power lines, gas lines or water lines. This greatly reduces the risk of misjudgments being made by people overlooking structural relationships

will.

Provision can preferably be made for different work orders to be output on the plan 1 with different markings 4, for example with different colors. This allows work orders to be clearly differentiated and it is quickly apparent whether a new work order can collide with a pending work order, for example if the same component is affected in both work orders, or whether two new work orders can collide with one another. This also allows decisions to be made to sequentially execute different work orders in a specific order, in particular to execute one work order first and the other work order subsequently in order to

Minimize maintenance time and downtime.

For example, different symbols can be used for different work orders, which are displayed next to or on plant components 2, or plant components 2 can have a different-colored border, which

even dotted, dashed or, for example, even from different

Symbols can be used to represent a good

To enable clarity of different work orders.

Provision can furthermore preferably be made for the software to check, when a work order is issued, whether the system components 2 affected by the work order are already affected by a pending work order. This involves a conflict check by the software, in which case the conflict check can subsequently be processed automatically by the software, or a person responsible for this conflict can be assigned

be made aware.

Provision can preferably be made for this that, when a colliding pending work order is detected, information or a warning about the pending colliding work order is output graphically and/or acoustically to the responsible operating personnel. The graphical and/or acoustic output of the warning about the pending colliding work order can prevent errors, increase the safety of the operating personnel and

further damage to system components 2 can be avoided.

It can also be provided that, in the event that two or more new conflicting work orders are detected, the responsible operating personnel or the person responsible for the system is informed or warned about the colliding

Work orders is issued graphically and / or acoustically.

For this purpose, it can also be provided that the software proposes countermeasures to the person responsible for the system or the operating personnel in order to solve the conflict. A number of suitable countermeasures for different conflicts, in particular for those that can be expected to occur frequently, can be used for this purpose

Conflicts must be stored on the computer or in the software itself.

For this purpose it can be provided that the responsible person has work orders

can modify to avoid conflicting work orders.

The warning can here information about affected system components 2 and

contain possible conflicts.

Processes or work orders can be further accelerated by allowing simultaneous work on different system components 2 if these work orders do not collide and they do not endanger the workers

to lead.

Provision can also preferably be made for the operating personnel to create a media file, in particular an image, a sound recording and/or a video, from a system component 2 using a mobile device, and link this media file to the associated system component 2, with this information being the computer is transmitted and in the Plan 1 this media file in connection with the

associated plant component 2 is shown, or can be retrieved.

This means that media files about existing system components 2 or for new system components 2 can be easily imported and integrated into plan 1, and changes to system components 2 or target states of system components 2 can also be documented and displayed in plan 1 in connection with the assigned system component 2 will. For example, the media file can be an image of a target state after maintenance of the system component 2, or it can be an image of a soiled component that documents the degree of soiling from which the system component 2 is to be cleaned. Furthermore, the media file can contain comments or notes on

Use of the system component 2 include.

Provision can furthermore preferably be made for data from the control center of the industrial plant to be integrated into the plan 1, which data is also displayed in the plan 1 on the associated plant component 2. The data can include, for example, a specific workload, efficiency, one or more temperatures, a pressure range, or other information about the

associated system component 2 include.

Provision can particularly preferably be made for the work order to contain work instructions on the work steps to be carried out in the industrial plant with regard to the system components 2 affected by the work order, and for these work instructions from the work order to be sent to a mobile

Device of the operating personnel, in particular to augmented reality data glasses

and/or to a mobile phone and/or to a tablet. As a result, the operating personnel have all the important information about the work order and the work instructions with the respective work steps, as a result of which human errors due to ignorance or incorrect knowledge of the work steps on the system components 2 are reduced and avoided. Particularly in complex industrial plants with many workers who work in several parts of the plant, it is important that the workers or the operating personnel have precise knowledge of the work orders to be carried out and of the affected plant components 2 and their interaction with one another

to have.

In addition to the work instructions, safety instructions can preferably be transmitted to the operator's mobile device for this purpose. In the case of hazardous activities in particular, which involve, for example, high or low temperatures, high currents and voltages, high pressures or vacuum and/or radioactive or toxic substances, it is important that the person responsible for the system and the operating personnel have information about the dangers involved the respective work order, and that the operating personnel have precise knowledge of the

Has safety instructions to follow.

Provision can also be made for images and/or videos relating to individual work steps to be transmitted to the operator's mobile device. As a result, complex instructions or work steps can be illustrated, which makes the work of the operating personnel much easier

becomes.

Provision can preferably also be made for the plan 1 to contain acoustic information about the system components 2, which is output acoustically if required. For this purpose, the operating personnel can, for example, give instructions via headphones

Work steps and/or safety information on those affected

Plant components 2 received.

It can also preferably be provided that the mobile device of the

Operating personnel the location of those concerned in the work order

Plant components 2 are transmitted in the industrial plant on a digital map and / or information regarding the tools required to carry out the work order. As a result, the orientation of the operating personnel within the industrial plant is made much easier and human errors, for example by mixing up plant components 2,

are further greatly reduced.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the status of at least one of the

included system components 2 is not detected by sensors.

With the measures described above, system components 2 that are not automatically monitored or detected by sensors, such as valves and other manually operated system components 2, can also be included in the plan 1, which means that these can also be used for work orders or for

Security checks can be taken into account.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the operating personnel as well as those responsible for the system who issue the work permit can see how far a work order has progressed and that the person responsible for the system can intervene immediately in the event of complications. For this purpose, it can be provided that the operating personnel can mark work steps as completed on their mobile device and this information can be viewed by the person responsible for the system

is. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are given below.

Subsequently, the term “disconnect” means at least one system component 2 in a secured using a risk assessment

condition so that it can be processed or repaired safely.

Existing activations can be displayed as part of work approvals, for example in the form of activation lists. These can be shown in color on technical plans 1 in such a way that they give the person responsible for the system an image of the switching status of the entire industrial system at any time, or at least part of the industrial system, at the same time

including all associated documents of a work permit, such as

for example a hot work permit and risk assessments as they actually exist in reality. In this way, the person releasing work can see at a glance which parts of the industrial plant are being repaired, maintained or converted. When creating a new work permit, local conditions must also be taken into account. This information is available to the work releaser and preferably also to the operating personnel in the form of a media file. The resulting hazards, which prevail on site, may require additional documents such as a work permit, a clearance list, a driving license, VEXAT, a hot work permit, and/or a normalization list or risk assessment. In the risk assessment, the existing risks are assessed. Based on the assessment, the necessary

documents created.

All created documents are preferably subject to their own status check. In the event that test operation is necessary, the statuses "Temporarily normalized prepared", Temporarily normalized checked", Temporarily normalized" were introduced. Work orders may include an unlock list. Such an activation list can contain the system components 2 affected or to be activated, for example in list form. However, the system components 2 to be released can also be activated directly on the technical plan 1. In addition, system components 2 that are not included in the software or plan 1 can be included in the activation list. Like all other system components 2, these are subject to a conflict check. The normalization list is automatically filled in, but can be edited afterwards. The colored marking 4 on the technical plan 1 shows which system components 2 are currently already included in a work release and

which are still available.

In the event of a status change, a conflict check is preferably carried out. A conflict occurs when a clearly identified system component 2 is used simultaneously in different work orders with different release or normalization states or when these are used multiple times

Release or normalization states. In the event of a conflict

Certain status changes are not possible. This ensures that the industrial plant is always in a safe state and work orders are not

collide with each other.

The software also preferably recognizes that a system component 2, for example a motor, belongs to a specific pump and this system component 2, for example the motor, automatically during the conflict check

is included.

After the documents have been created and checked, the activation list is preferably sent to the person responsible or the operating personnel who go to the industrial plant and activate the relevant plant component 2 there. Because the motor and the pump are shown individually in the activation list in the above example, it is clear to the operator or the operating personnel that the motor must also be activated in order to activate the pump. It is therefore clear before the work begins that additional tools and safety equipment, for example, will be required. This reduces the risk of the operator attempting to complete the job with safety equipment that does not meet the requirements. After that is the

industrial plant in a safe condition to carry out maintenance.

The person responsible for the work or the operating personnel receives the work permit from the person releasing the work, preferably in the form of the printed work permit documents. The person responsible for the work or the operating personnel must carry these documents with them at all times. The person responsible for the work or the operating personnel then goes into the industrial plant and carries out the maintenance work. If the maintenance has not yet been completed at the end of the day, the person responsible for the work or the operating personnel transmits the work permit to the person responsible for the system or to the person who releases or has released the work order. The status of the work permit is set to "temporarily returned" in the software. Therefore, the person responsible for the plant or the person who releases the work order always has an overview of which people are in the industrial plant,

in particular whether there are non-employees in the industrial plant,

if, for example, certain activities are outsourced to non-company workers. Knowing about the people working in the industrial plant is very important, especially in an emergency situation, in order to protect the people in an emergency

for example to be able to evacuate.

If the work order is continued the next day, the operating personnel or the person responsible for the work collects his or her work permit from the person responsible for the system. For example, the work permit can be a physical document or it can be accessed virtually on the mobile device and/or stored on it until the work order is completed

is. The status is changed back to "issued".

After the person responsible for the work or the operating personnel has successfully completed the maintenance, a test run is usually carried out. Here, too, it must be ensured that no persons are endangered. The status “temporary normalization” can be set for this. This is important so that the system components 2 are not affected or used too early by another work release. Only after the successful test run may the work approval change to the "normalized" status. The test run ensures that possible damage to life and limb and to the industrial

system can be greatly reduced.

In particular, plan 1 includes system documentation, which also includes manually operated fittings. Such fittings are preferably provided with a unique identifier. This ensures that all system components 2 required for maintenance are available when work is released

are taken into account.

The use of different colors for different work orders makes it easier for the user to see at a glance which plant components 2 should be put into which state for which work order

are and also which system components 2 are not affected by the activation.

It should be noted that a downshift sequence is not the same as the

reverse activation order must be. A ventilation valve must

for example, be opened before a container is emptied, but it will

not closed before the container is filled.

The software preferably defines which statuses of the work permit are compatible with which statuses of the activation list. To this end, it can be provided that only suitable states are displayed to the operating personnel. That

facilitates operation and thus avoids incorrect switching states on site.

Provision can be made for the software to create the activation list. Provision can also be made for the created activation list to be printed out. The operator goes into the industrial plant with this list and performs the listed tasks of the work order. The actuated system components 2 are preferably stuck with an activation slip. This also makes it clear in the industrial plant whether and which activation of a plant component 2

assigned.

If a plant component 2 is contained in several work permits, it may only be reset to the operating state when the last activation in which it is contained is normalized. This can be indicated on a normalization list by the status "inactive". The status is not changed for system components 2 that are listed with this status in the normalization list. Only the activation slip is removed. Only when the last activation, which includes the system component 2, is normalized, does this system component 2 also enter an operating state

switched back.

Activation changes are possible. Facility managers have the ability to edit the work permit while it is active. Checks are carried out before a work permit can be changed in the "activated" status. The existing activation can only be edited if the processing of the activation has been classified as safe based on the criteria. This is sometimes necessary if unexpected conditions occur during repair or maintenance work, for example an oil leak from a pump, and the activation has to be modified or changed for this reason.

needs to be expanded.

The sequence of the work release procedure or the activation until the establishment of the normalization is preferably defined in one sequence and runs through various statuses. Undesirable or unsafe states are algorithmically not permissible and are blocked and/or reported back to the operating personnel or those responsible for the system. These interlocks are in

Dependency of the status of the activation and its parameterization.

It can be provided that a planning phase with the term “initial” includes work steps that specify a minimum scope of documentation. Depending on the requirements, these work steps can be supplemented by additional ones

Security documents are expanded.

The system components 2 affected by the activation are preferably parameterized by the operating personnel and/or the person responsible for the system and included in the software. Recorded system components 2 are monitored with regard to their naming and their status in further activation requests. Object queries and mutual locking ensure that no unsafe states occur. The other statuses accompany the activation process through the necessary operational activities and ensure that the required approvals are granted

be granted by authorized persons.

The work approval procedure is preferably subject to constant documentation (log function) in digital format and can be printed out

get supported.

The following are principles for understanding and interpretation

concrete revelation cited.

Characteristics are usually introduced with an indefinite article "a, an, one, one". Therefore, unless the context requires otherwise

"One, one, one, one" not to be understood as a numeral.

The conjunction "or" is to be interpreted as inclusive and not as exclusive. Unless the context otherwise requires, “A or B” includes “A

and B'", where "A" and "B" represent any characteristics.

Claims (10)

17 CLAIMS 1. Method for operating an industrial plant, wherein software with a plan (1) comprising different plant components (2) of at least part of the industrial plant and a link between the plant components (2) is stored on a computer and the plan (1) can be output graphically, with the assignment of a work order to an operator of the industrial plant marking the plant components (2) affected by the work order in the plan (1) and when the plan (1) is graphically output compared to other plant components (2) which are not affected by the work order, are optically highlighted, with the markings (4) of those affected by the work order after the end of the work order Plant components (2) are deleted. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that lines (3) which lead to the plant components (2) affected by the work order and/or lines (3) which lead from one affected plant component (2) to another affected plant component and/or lines (3) which are not affected by the affected system components (2) to neighboring ones Plant components (2) lead, are also marked. 3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that different work orders on the plan (1) are output with different markings (4), for example with different colors will. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that when a work order is placed by the software, it is checked whether the system components (2) affected by the work order are already in use by one pending work order are affected. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that at Determination of a conflicting pending work order informs the responsible operating personnel or warns about the pending conflicting Work order is issued graphically and / or acoustically. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the operator of a system component (2) with a mobile device creates a media file, in particular an image, a sound recording, and / or a video, and this media file with the associated system component (2), this information being transmitted to the computer and in the plan (1) this media file in connection with the associated system component (2) is displayed or can be called up. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that data from the control center of the industrial plant are integrated into the plan (1), which are also in the plan (1) on the associated plant component (2) being represented. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the work order contains work instructions on the work steps to be carried out in the industrial plant with regard to the plant components (2) affected by the work order and these work instructions from the work order to a mobile device of the operating personnel, in particular to augmented reality data glasses and/or a mobile phone and/or a tablet, to be transmitted. 9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the mobile device of the operating personnel shows the location of the plant components (2) affected in the work order in the industrial plant on a digital map and/or information regarding the tools required to carry out the work order are transmitted. 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the state of at least one of the plant components included in plan (1). (2) is not detected by sensors.