Abstract: A washing appliance with an agitator post configured for removable positioning in a receptacle. A shaft may be supported by the agitator post, the shaft rotatable relative to the agitator post. A plurality of movable tabs may be positioned at the bottom end of the agitator post and in mechanical communication with the shaft such that a direction of rotation of the shaft causes the plurality of movable tabs to be selectively movable along a radial direction between an extended position in contact with the receptacle that prevents rotation of the agitator post relative to the receptacle and a retracted position that allows rotation of the agitator post relative to the receptacle.

Abstract: A washer appliance with removable agitator post including a shaft positioned within the agitator post. A plunger may be attached to the shaft near the bottom end of the agitator post and is movable between an up position and a down position along the vertical axis. A plurality of bearings may be positioned between the plunger and the agitator post and configured for selective contact with the receptacle by movement through the openings at the bottom end of the agitator post so as to secure the agitator post in the receptacle when the plunger is in the up position and release the agitator post from the receptacle when the plunger is in the down position.

Abstract: A washing appliance with an agitator post configured for removable positioning in a receptacle. A shaft may be supported by the agitator post, the shaft rotatable relative to the agitator post. A plurality of movable tabs may be positioned at the bottom end of the agitator post and in mechanical communication with the shaft such that a direction of rotation of the shaft causes the plurality of movable tabs to be selectively movable along a radial direction between an extended position in contact with the receptacle that prevents rotation of the agitator post relative to the receptacle and a retracted position that allows rotation of the agitator post relative to the receptacle.

Abstract: A washer appliance with removable agitator post including a shaft positioned within the agitator post. A plunger may be attached to the shaft near the bottom end of the agitator post and is movable between an up position and a down position along the vertical axis. A plurality of bearings may be positioned between the plunger and the agitator post and configured for selective contact with the receptacle by movement through the openings at the bottom end of the agitator post so as to secure the agitator post in the receptacle when the plunger is in the up position and release the agitator post from the receptacle when the plunger is in the down position.

Abstract: The invention enables methods, systems and computer program products for control system optimization. The invention comprises retrieving from an engineering information repository, control system engineering information corresponding to an implemented control system. Based on the retrieved control system engineering information, a plurality of function blocks and function block interconnections corresponding to the implemented control system are identified. At least one group of function blocks is identified from among the plurality of function blocks corresponding to the implemented control system. Identification of the group of function blocks is based on identification of one or more attributes shared by each function block within the identified group of function blocks. The invention thereafter generates a control system topology based on the identified function blocks, identified function block interconnections, and identified group of function blocks.

Abstract: The method comprises obtaining data samples, each data sample comprising a process variable and a controller output for adjusting the process variable to reach a set-point variable; and determining if there is valve jump or stiction by calculating a jump index or a static band index; wherein calculating the jump index comprises calculating a mean of a first set of angles, each angle from the first set of angles being computed from a ratio of: a difference between a peak process variable and its preceding process variable, and, a difference between a controller output corresponding to the peak process variable and its preceding controller output; and wherein calculating the static band index comprises calculating a mean of a second set of angles, each angle of the second set of angles being computed from a difference between a controller output corresponding to a flat process variable and its preceding controller output.

Abstract: The invention enables methods, systems and computer program products for control system optimization. The invention comprises retrieving from an engineering information repository, control system engineering information corresponding to an implemented control system. Based on the retrieved control system engineering information, a plurality of function blocks and function block interconnections corresponding to the implemented control system are identified. At least one group of function blocks is identified from among the plurality of function blocks corresponding to the implemented control system. Identification of the group of function blocks is based on identification of one or more attributes shared by each function block within the identified group of function blocks. The invention thereafter generates a control system topology based on the identified function blocks, identified function block interconnections, and identified group of function blocks.

Abstract: A computer-implemented training system includes a) a plant replica server; b) a virtual environment reproducer; and c) a motion sensing system. The plant replica server has a plant replica associated with a simulated plant model. The virtual environment reproducer is configured to reproduce a virtual environment of the simulated plant model, based on the plant replica. The motion sensing system is configured to sense motions of a field operator in the virtual environment. The motion sensing system is configured to send an update associated with the sensed motions to the plant replica server. The plant replica server is configured to receive the update from the motion sensing system, and to update the plant replica based on the first type of update associated with the sensed motions, and to reflect the first type of update to the virtual environment reproduced by the virtual environment reproducer.

Abstract: A method of qualifying performance of a conventional control valve in a process plant, the valve being controlled by a controller, the method comprising a processor obtaining data samples from a database stored on a server of the process plant, each data sample comprising a process variable, a set-point, and a manipulated variable; the processor computing a non-linearity index from the data samples and determining if the non-linearity index is greater than a threshold value; if the non-linearity index is greater than the threshold value, the processor charting a plot of the process variable against the manipulated variable and determining if the plot has an elliptical or rectangular fit; and if the plot has an elliptical fit, the processor determining if a percentage of the total number of data samples lying within a theoretical ellipse encompassed within the elliptical fit is less than or equal to a preset percentage.

Abstract: The method comprises obtaining data samples, each data sample comprising a process variable and a controller output for adjusting the process variable to reach a set-point variable; and determining if there is valve jump or stiction by calculating a jump index or a static band index; wherein calculating the jump index comprises calculating a mean of a first set of angles, each angle from the first set of angles being computed from a ratio of: a difference between a peak process variable and its preceding process variable, and, a difference between a controller output corresponding to the peak process variable and its preceding controller output; and wherein calculating the static band index comprises calculating a mean of a second set of angles, each angle of the second set of angles being computed from a difference between a controller output corresponding to a flat process variable and its preceding controller output.

Abstract: A computer-implemented training system includes a) a plant replica server; b) a virtual environment reproducer; and c) a motion sensing system. The plant replica server has a plant replica associated with a simulated plant model. The virtual environment reproducer is configured to reproduce a virtual environment of the simulated plant model, based on the plant replica. The motion sensing system is configured to sense motions of a field operator in the virtual environment. The motion sensing system is configured to send an update associated with the sensed motions to the plant replica server. The plant replica server is configured to receive the update from the motion sensing system, and to update the plant replica based on the first type of update associated with the sensed motions, and to reflect the first type of update to the virtual environment reproduced by the virtual environment reproducer.

Abstract: A method of evaluating a model of an industrial plant process, the method comprising the steps of: evaluating at least two out of three criteria, the three criteria consisting of: (i) a condition deviation, (ii) a quality deviation, and (iii) a priori information obtained from a fuzzy logic module; and giving an indication as to whether or not the model should be retrained.

Abstract: A method of qualifying performance of a conventional control valve in a process plant, the valve being controlled by a controller, the method comprising a processor obtaining data samples from a database stored on a server of the process plant, each data sample comprising a process variable, a set-point, and a manipulated variable; the processor computing a non-linearity index from the data samples and determining if the non-linearity index is greater than a threshold value; if the non-linearity index is greater than the threshold value, the processor charting a plot of the process variable against the manipulated variable and determining if the plot has an elliptical or rectangular fit; and if the plot has an elliptical fit, the processor determining if a percentage of the total number of data samples lying within a theoretical ellipse encompassed within the elliptical fit is less than or equal to a preset percentage.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring an industrial process comprising a plurality of variables. The apparatus comprises a defining module configured for defining a normal-condition data set may comprise data values of the variables when the industrial process is operating under a normal condition and for defining an abnormal-condition data set may comprise data values of the variables when the industrial process is operating under an abnormal condition; a modelling module configured for modelling a normal-condition model from the normal-condition data set and modelling an abnormal-condition model from the abnormal-condition data set; a plotting module configured for plotting a normal-condition plot from the normal-condition model and plotting an abnormal-condition plot from the abnormal-condition model; and an analysis module configured for analysing live data values of the variables for simultaneous display with the normal-condition plot and the abnormal-condition plot.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring an industrial process comprising a plurality of variables. The apparatus comprises a defining module configured for defining a normal-condition data set may comprise data values of the variables when the industrial process is operating under a normal condition and for defining an abnormal-condition data set may comprise data values of the variables when the industrial process is operating under an abnormal condition; a modelling module configured for modelling a normal-condition model from the normal-condition data set and modelling an abnormal-condition model from the abnormal-condition data set; a plotting module configured for plotting a normal-condition plot from the normal-condition model and plotting an abnormal-condition plot from the abnormal-condition model; and an analysis module configured for analysing live data values of the variables for simultaneous display with the normal-condition plot and the abnormal-condition plot.