Knowledge Builder

The Process Edition of Knowledge Builder is an industrial strength, fully-featured software environment for the capture and real time deployment of process operating knowledge which can be derived from previous experience, rules-of-thumb or in-house experts. In addition objective historical data from your process plant can be included within Knowledge Builder business rules to produce an application that not only provides consistent best practice decision support, but also acts as a repository for your valuable process expertise and know-how.

Applications

In todays operating environment process plants are under more pressure than ever to deliver improved operating performance with fewer staff. The Process Edition of Knowledge Builder enables the rapid deployment of powerful rules based applications for improved plant operation and decision support. Typical applications include :

• monitoring plant conditions and alerting operators and engineers to potential problems before they impact plant operations
• diagnosing the cause of existing faults to enable faster resolution of operating problems
• offering recommendations and advice to operators to avoid poor or abnormal operations
• optimisation of plant operation with a powerful in-built Genetic Optimisation Algorithm

Knowledge Capture

Most process companies have certain operations staff who have a vast depth of specific knowledge and experience; with Knowledge Builder, this knowledge can be converted into rules that can be retained and consistently delivered as advice and recommendations to less-experienced personnel and for early warning and fault diagnosis systems.

Flexibility of incorporating source data Rules Expertise Know-how Process Models Calculations Historical process data Plant Objects

Knowledge Builder supports a broad range of knowledge representations for rapid application development including the use of Decision Trees for graphical display of rules or alternatively Tables of Cases where rules are inferred from a set of user supplied examples.

Objects can be created where there are common items of plant or equipment with generic properties and methods. Fuzzy Logic can be used where there are applications, such as performance assessment and diagnostics, in which operators and engineers may apply fuzzy reasoning in their decision making.

Calculations or process models are incorporated via the use of Procedures and there is the option of using the KPS Process Data Analyser to automatically discover and build up rule sets from knowledge contained in historical process data.

Real Time Execution

A range of deployment options allow easy integration with existing process control and IT infrastructure. Knowledge Builder Process Edition has been developed for efficient and robust real time execution of rule based applications including the use of time based trend variables to take into account historical changes in process variables.