The application of the personal computer in the area of real-time process control is investigated. Background information is provided regarding factory automation and process control. The current use of the PC in the factory for data acquisition is presented along with an explanation of the advantages and disadvantages associated with extending the use of the PC to real-time process control. The use of interrupt-driven and polled I/O to obtain real-time response is investigated and contrasted with the use of a real-time operating system. A unique compilation of information provides guidelines for selecting an implementation method for real-time control. Experimental work is performed to evaluate the access time and latency periods for the hard drive, video monitor, and I/O devices operating in a DOS environment. The execution speeds of C and assembly language programs are investigated. A method to estimate the performance of a real-time control system using polled or interrupt-driven I/O is developed. / Graduation date: 1997

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In this thesis, a cost based process control model is formulated. A dynamic programming approach is used and along with the techniques of Bayesian decision theory, an optimal set of steady state control policies are shown to exist which are dependent upon prior beliefs about the condition of the process. It is the objective of this thesis to compare the results obtained from this approach to those of an X̅ control chart approach. The model proposed by Knappenberger and Grandage [20] is used as a basis for comparison. Numerical examples are used to illustrate each procedure. The results obtained illustrate that by using the operating policies specified by the dynamic approach, a savings of from 29% to 40% in the optimal cost per unit to operate the quality control procedure can be achieved rather than utilizing the policies of the X̅ control chart model. / Master of Science

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering / A multi-layered expert system shell that specifically addresses real-time issues is designed and implemented. The architecture of this expert system shell supports the concepts of parallelism, concurrent computation and competitive reasoning in that it allows several alternatives to be explored simultaneously. An inference engine driven by a hybrid of forward and backward chanining methods is used to achieve real-time response, and certainty factors are used for uncertainty management. Real-time responsiveness is improved by allowing the coexistence of procedural and declarative knowledge within the same system. A test bed that was set up in order to investigate the performance of the implemented shell is described. It was found in the performance analysis that the proposed system meets the real-time requirements as specified in this research. / Andrew Chakane 2018

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, .Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering. / As industrial plants become more complex. there is a growing need for new approaches to control and supervision. This research investigates the issues involved in applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques in the real-world engineering problem of process control supervision. Current AI theory is examined and some techniques modified to design a general-purpose, reactive planner. The planner forms the basis of a supervisory control system. The system is implemented and interfaced with an existing Laboratory plant, so that its performance can he tested and evaluated by comparing with a conventional feedback controller This real life testing necessitates explicit treatment of issues such as data: sampling. situation assessment and CPU scheduling. The case study shows that by combining AI techniques with conventional control, a system can be built which displays superior performance under normal operating conditions and which can deal with abnormal conditions such as equipment failures. / Andrew Chakane 2018

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Bibliography: leaves 231-242. / by Ellen Louise Hahne. / M.S.

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