Quality Management in Chemical Process Control Expert Systems

Abstract

The reliability of Process Control Expert Systems (PCX) can be guarantieed only by comprehensive test methods. The knowledge acquisition process as well as the carefully applied test methods are important factors in increasing the acceptance of automatical systems even in controling complex chemical processes. The quality of product and process knowledge and the quality of the software system from the technical point of view has to be considered with the same consciousness. In this paper we describe how formal test methods are used during a PCX development process and how the development process itself is guided intuitively by knowledge engineers in five steps. An investigation of a concrete PCX development process based on several interviews at a major German chemicals company is the basis for a quality process model which is described in detail.