OSIsoft Process Book

Infobox Software
name = ProcessBook



caption = A typical ProcessBook display page
developer = OSIsoft
latest_release_version = 3.0.15.7 PR1 for Microsoft Windows
latest_release_date = January 2, 2007
operating_system = Microsoft Windows
genre = Display
license = Proprietary EULA
website = [http://www.osisoft.com OSIsoft]

Overview

OSIsoft ProcessBook is a graphical user interface tool to the OSIsoft PI System and provides both an user interface for process control visualization and a troubleshooting and data exploration tool. With its introduction in 1994, PI ProcessBook application has been a pioneer in the monitoring of process data from Microsoft Windows PCs.

ProcessBook users have access to current process values, archived data and many display and trending options. PI ProcessBook can also query and display data through customizable data sets to include data from ODBC data sources. Use of the interface is simple and refined. Users can extend ProcessBook's functionality by using Visual Basic for Applications and in this way is similar to Microsoft Office applications.

Delivery system

In order for process data to be delivered to ProcessBook, sensors must be implemented into the equipment being monitored. The sensors send data to control systems (such as DCS, SCADA, or other digital information systems) which are monitored by real-time interfaces. These interfaces collect and send the data to the PI System.

Examples of data delivered include pressure differentials, temperatures, pH values of a tank, flowrates in a piping system, pump amperes, reel speed on a paper machine, or even chemical makeup of a reactor via gas chromatography.

Options

PI ProcessBook displays can use PI tags in a similar fashion to spreadsheets, which can implement equations and generate functions of variables for virtually any task. PI ProcessBook is an automation server, which allows peripherally located programs to automate or control OLE objects within the process book server. Examples are Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications and Microsoft Excel. ProcessBook also accommodates ActiveX controls, allowing for use of objects not generated in the PI data library.

Archives

Data in the PI System are stored as a time-series indexed database in a network server, and can easily be queried into a spreadsheet add-in for Microsoft Excel (called PI DataLink) for manipulation or analysis. Integration with spreadsheet applications is useful for production supervisors, engineers, technicians or anyone interested in trends of process data during regular operation, process trials or even troubled activity due to power outages or equipment failure.

See also

* ActiveX
* Object Linking and Embedding
* OLE for process control
* Digital Command System, or investigate
** Pulp and Paper
**
** Refinery