Computer Aided Control System Design Software in Process Control — A Survey

Abstract

The field of Computer Aided Control System Design (CACSD) has developed rapidly during the past decade. In this paper a survey is presented of the current state of software for this field. Software packages are classified according to the aspect of the control system design process addressed by the package. An analysis of the existing status examines reasons for the limited acceptance of this technology in industrial process control practice. A strong need for an integrated computer aided engineering environment is identified and this is discussed in more detail. With the growing interest in artificial intelligence and expert systems in mind, the potential impact of these technologies on CACSD software is examined. Finally some consideration is given to newly available hardware and speculations made about future directions of CACSD.