PRM FIELD DEVICE MANAGEMENT

PACKAGE

MORI Hiroshi*1 MACHIDA Akiharu*1 OZAKI Masahiro*1 SUKEGAWA Hiroko*1

The PRM (Plant Resource Manager) field device management package has
been developed to improve the efficiency of maintenance management of field
devices. PRM features include the preventive maintenance management of devices
that correspond to the digital interactive field network typified by FOUNDATIONTM
Fieldbus. It corresponds to the diversified maintenance method by classifying and
managing device maintenance information such as inspection schedules,
inspection memos, and configuration information of devices, in two or more phases.
Moreover, operation information on a field device can be easily acquired online via
a remote bus and this information can be used for maintenance. This document
describes the functions of PRM, and its contribution to the reduction in
maintenance costs and the use of field device information for plant operation to
decrease the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).

INTRODUCTION In response to the challenge to reduce maintenance costs of

field devices, we have developed the PRM field device

T here has been increasing demand for cost reductions and

lower-priced products in the manufacturing industry, and
maintaining cost competitiveness and achieving optimum costs
management package based on the following concepts.
(1) Integration of Maintenance Information Management and
Online Functions
have become necessary for the survival of manufacturers. This This entails improving the work efficiency of maintenance
calls for minimizing TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) over the management by linking online functions with maintenance
whole life cycle of plants and maximizing TVO (Total Value of information management. The online functions listed below
Ownership). In particular, maintenance during plant operation are critical to making remote diagnosis possible.
forms a major proportion of these costs and thus is a focus of • Remote monitoring of device status
demand for cost reductions. • Remote calibration of devices
Recently, F OUNDATIONTM fieldbus and other bi-directional (2) Support for Advanced Functions of Field Devices
digital field networks have been commercialized, enabling This requires the provision of effective operations for such
various kinds of information to be received from field devices advanced functions of field devices as multi-sensor and
online. This has made failure prediction of field devices or remote adjustment functions.
preventive maintenance of plants practical. Moreover, in (3) Facilitating of Information Sharing with Upper Domains
conjunction with centralized control of inspection schedules and This necessitates the provision of a mechanism that facilitates
inspection memos, and even more careful preventive information sharing between the field domains and the upper
maintenance, we can expect to be able to improve operating domains (MES [Manufacturing Execution Systems] and
efficiency and reduce maintenance costs. business domains), which will contribute to the improvement
of management efficiency.

This document describes the features of PRM designed to

help reduce TCO for plant operation, and the future prospects for
*1 Industrial Automation Systems Business Div. use of PRM.

20 Yokogawa Technical Report English Edition, No. 32 (2001)

 PRM Client (Asset Management / MES) maintenance information and device
Internet information, which has an excellent
reputation for reliability and is a large-
capacity database that can operate 24 hours
Ethernet continuously.
(3) Compatibility with Various Devices
HIS PRM supports the following and other
PRM Client/Server instrumentation devices.
• FOUNDATIONTM fieldbus-compatible devices
• HART and other hybrid devices
Vnet
• Conventional 4 to 20 mA devices
• Pumps and other static devices
FCS
FCS The PRM functions depend on the capabili-
Fieldbus
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ties of managed devices, especially the

HIS: Human Interface Station
FCS: Field Control Station
availability and level of field communica-
4-20 mA/Smart
MES: Manufacturing Execution tion capability. FOUNDATIONTM fieldbus de-
Systems
vices offer the utmost improvement in
maintenance efficiency. However, as PRM
allows integrated management of devices
Figure 1 PRM’s Place in Plant Operation situated in various locations of a plant, you
can set up an optimum maintenance plan for
other devices as well, even if they are not
equipped with field communication capa-
PRM ARCHITECTURE bility.

Figure 1 shows the PRM’s place in plant operation and the PRM FUNCTIONS
following describes the PRM features on a system.
(1) Flexibility in System Configuration Figure 2 shows examples of maintenance information display
PRM adopts a client/server configuration. It has enough (screen of detailed device information and device inspection
flexibility to allow you to start with one client personal memo screen).
computer and then add more clients in line with increases in PRM offers the following functions to perform maintenance
the number of devices as the scale of the system is expanded. work effectively.
Since the clients and server are connected through Ethernet, • Maintenance information management
maintenance information, device information, and device • Maintenance inspection work
data can be referred to from remote locations. • Documentation and reporting of maintenance inspection
(2) Database Reliability work
PRM adopts Oracle Corporation’s database for storing The following sections explain these functions in detail.

Figure 2 Examples of Maintenance Information Display

PRM Field Device Management Package 21

Maintenance Information Management the availability of replacement devices.
Table 1 lists the maintenance information which PRM can (2) Device Adjustment
manage. Information can be easily retrieved because they are PRM incorporates the following remote calibration functions
assigned to a Device ID and associated to each other. With for FOUNDATIONTM fieldbus devices.
historical information, a history of items that can affect devices, • Parameter adjustment
such as device settings/adjustments and other operation history (displays, compares, and sets parameter values.)
and events from the devices or inspection memos, can be kept in • Method execution (executes special adjustment procedures
the database. Who did the operation or what for can also be for each field device shown in Device Description.)
recorded together with data. PRM notably considers not only data • Helper package (executes special tools for each field device.)
recording but also data stability so as to retrieve old operation (3) Valve Diagnosis
parameters easily and safely using the parameter comparison Diagnosis of valves is particularly important compared to that
function. of other field devices as valves directly act on a process.
To intelligibly obtain necessary information from many Advanced valve positioners have made highly accurate valve
devices, PRM uses the plant explorer described in Table 2. There diagnosis possible.
are from several tens to thousands of devices in a plant depending PRM is equipped with the helper package offering a special
on its scale, as well as spare devices, devices being inspected, or diagnosis function for each device, thus providing an
defective devices other than those in actual operation. The plant operating environment for diagnostic programs using tools
explorer makes it easy to identify devices. prepared for each device. This allows for optimum diagnosis
Figure 3 shows an example of device configuration display of devices and integrated control of historical data including
through Network View. diagnosis start and exit.
Statistical preventive maintenance of a valve can be realized
Maintenance Inspection by acquiring and accumulating valve information. Statistical
(1) Device Status Monitoring preventive maintenance can contribute to not only effective
Remote monitoring of device statuses allows you to verify a maintenance work, but also higher availability of plant
device status immediately after occurrence of a failure and operation by extending the inspection period. Better still,
reduce on-site monitoring work. accumulated information can lead to more appropriate
• Can verify a device status (ready/not ready) as well as device adjustments, thus improving valve accuracy. As the valve
parameters when an error occurs. acts on the process quantities, improvement of its accuracy
• Can verify device error information with an alarm event that can enhance quality and yield.
is notified by the device and corresponds to respective error.
These functions enable you to retrieve information such as Documentation and Reporting of Maintenance Inspection
those on the degree of influence of the device failure on plant Managing the results of maintenance inspection work as a
operation, countermeasures, defective parts to replace, and work record provides a useful information source for future
reference. The device information acquired online can be
effectively used for creating a device inspection memo. With
Table 1 Maintenance Information PRM, we have placed priority on the following.
Managed
Information Description

Device master Device tag name, Device type, Manufacturer, Revision, and others
Inspection
information Inspection schedule and memo

Parts list Components including spare parts information

Link to document Device specifications, Parts configuration, and others

Historical information Device events, and Operation history such as settings, adjustments, and diagnoses
Device setting
information Device settings

Table 2 Plant Explorer

Type Function

Displays devices according to a logical arrangement (plant

hierarchy) inside a plant. Can classify devices into in
Plant View
service, spare, and failed, and then display them depending
on the use status.
Displays devices along with the wiring status of the field
Network View
network according to the network configuration.

Class View
Displays devices in types (e.g., vendor, device type, and Figure 3 Example of Device Configuration Display with
revision). Class View is ideal for the control of spare devices.
Network View

22 Yokogawa Technical Report English Edition, No. 32 (2001)

 • The inspection memo must be created according to the
maintenance schedule, and the inspection work status must be
ERP Business
explicitly shown by means of the function for approving the Domain
completion of work.
• The device information and inspection memo must be printed MES
in uniform format (self-documentation function). MES Domain
Furthermore, it is desirable that PRM has a function for
maintenance personnel, which automatically generates a work PAS Control
Domain
report or assists in reporting. This function leaves room for future
study, because if PRM could run in conjunction with E-mail and
the World Wide Web, it would be able to help effectively process PRM Field
Domain
business affairs regarding maintenance work reporting within a
Field Network
manufacturing company.

SHARING OF FIELD INFORMATION Figure 4 Domain Configuration

An environment has been created in which business

information in the business domain can be accessed through an are confident that the establishment of a supply chain through
intranet or the Internet. The gap between the business domain and information sharing can optimize and speed up enterprise
control domain can be bridged by connecting to an open network activities.
via TCP/IP, and information can be shared by way of OPC (OLE
for Process Control) or the World Wide Web. CONCLUSION
It is PRM that allows field information to be accessed by
connecting the field domain to the business and control domains. We have described the PRM features which are key to
PRM can not only serve as a medium between a field network and effective maintenance work. The IT (Information Technology)
upper networks, but can also supply the field information wave has transformed the methods of conducting business in all
obtained through the field network in a meaningful format. industries. PRM is a platform for making good use of information
Figure 4 shows domain configuration and the following obtained through the field network, and we expect that it will
examples of its use. contribute to realizing the most suitable form of maintenance, as
• Supplies device setting information from PRM to the well as effective plant operation, operation planning, and
production control department (link to information on improvements in work incorporating devices. We believe that
manufactured products and their quality). PRM is a powerful tool for minimizing TCO as the key
• Supplies parts information from PRM to the facility control component for plant operation and maintenance.
department (link to purchasing information including
delivery dates, and purchasing work and plans). REFERENCE
• Supplies device diagnosis information from PRM to the
facility control department (link to plant inspection and (1) A special issue featuring fieldbus, Yokogawa Technical
production schedules). Report, No. 27,1998
Only by connecting the field domain and control domain to
the business domain can we consummate seamless information * The product names appearing in this document are trademarks
sharing, ranging from offices to factories, for manufactures. We or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

PRM Field Device Management Package 23