Design and development of system level software tool for DCS simulation
This paper contributes the knowledge base in the context of applicability of simulation environment (analogous to virtual reality) in the Distributed Control Systems (DCS) domain. A simulated platform has been designed and developed considering the advanced features of DCS. The design and development of such simulation tool is considered to be generic in nature while advocating the System Level Software Tool (SLST) for DCS. The idea emphasizes that before designing a real DCS network/system for a target platform (e.g. machine, plant, automation system, etc.) the designer designs and tests a virtual DCS network containing the image such as control code, logical connectivity, control network database, event information, etc. of the target. Once the virtual design is over such image is transferred to the real DCS network/system. Not only DCS validation is achieved with such simulation-based design approach but also a considerable amount of design and installation time can be saved. Although, such ideas are not new in the engineering field but there are no SLST accommodating such features are available either in the DCS technology marketplace or in the research fields.
system level software tool distributed control systems object orientation programming