Early Detection of Control Loop Failures

The Challenge

In manufacturing, control loops regulate critical processes using valves and measurement instruments. Over time, components like valves can stick or sensors can clog- issues that often go undetected until they cause significant performance problems or downtime.

Our Approach

We built an automated monitoring tool that tracks the performance of key control loops. By modelling each loop’s historically "healthy" behaviour, the tool detects when performance deviates from the norm- highlighting early signs of failure.

The Result

Engineers are alerted only when issues arise. The system sends automated emails with a summary of the deviation and a direct link to a dashboard where more detail can be viewed. This proactive, exception-based reporting helps engineers focus on real issues without sifting through data manually.

How It Works (Behind the Scenes):

• Data sources: Daily control loop data from plant instrumentation systems.

• Process: Historical performance is used to train anomaly detection models for each loop.

• Output: Daily checks run automatically. When deviations are detected, an email alert is sent to the relevant engineer, with links to an intuitive dashboard for further investigation.

Impact

• Hidden failures are surfaced early- before they impact product quality or production.

• Engineers can act in advance, ordering parts or scheduling maintenance.