Industrial Process Sensors

As manufacturing processes become increasingly complex, industry must rely on advanced sensor technology and process control to improve efficiency and product quality. Processes now need a variety of on-line measurements, such as film thickness, particle size, solids concentrations, and contamination detection. Industrial Process Sensors provides a coherent review of the physical principles, design, and implementation of a wide variety of in-process sensors used to control manufacturing operations. Real data from commercial installations illustrates the operation and limitations of these devices. The book begins with a review of the basic physics of sound, light, electricity, and radiation, with a focus on their role in sensor devices. The author introduces the generic sensor model and discusses the propagation of measurement errors. He goes on to describe conventional process sensors that measure temperature, pressure, level, and flow. The second half of the book focuses on more advanced topics, such as particle size measurement in slurries and emulsions, tomography and process imaging of manufacturing operations, on-line measurement of film thickness, identification of polymer type for recycling, and characterization of reinforced polymers and composites. By exploring both theory and final implementation of sensors used to control industrial manufacturing processes, Industrial Process Sensors provides the information you need to develop solutions to a wide range of industrial measurement needs.

As manufacturing processes become more complex, industry must rely on advanced sensor technology and process control to improve efficiency and product quality. This text explores the physical theory, design, and implementation of sensors used to control manufacturing processes.

This book reviews current design paths for soft sensors, and guides readers in evaluating different choices. The book presents case studies resulting from collaborations between the authors and industrial partners. The solutions presented, some of which are implemented on-line in industrial plants, are designed to cope with a wide range of applications from measuring system backup and what-if analysis through real-time prediction for plant control to sensor diagnosis and validation.

This symposium aims to explore the current state of the art in control of industrial processes in the field of extraction and processing of metals and materials. New sensor technologies, more advanced real-time models, and faster computers are enabling better control systems for these processes. Specific topics include but are not limited to: (1) novel sensors for hostile-environment materials processes, such as online inclusion detection, temperature, and velocity in molten materials, surface condition of hot moving products, etc.; (2) innovative online sampling and analysis techniques, (3) models for real-time process control and quality monitoring systems; (4) process automation, scheduling, and plant-wide logistics optimization, (5) control of composition, temperature, microstructure, and morphology in sintering, smelting, refining, solidification, reheating, deformation, and transport of ores, slags, mattes, metals, materials, and aqueous solutions; (6) prediction, monitoring, control, and optimization of process parameters in these systems; (7) control in manufacturing processes, including casting, annealing, forging, rolling, extrusion, powder metallurgy, electronic materials, welding, etc.; (8) control of impurities and environmentally undesirable components in product and waste streams.

This book reviews current design paths for soft sensors, and guides readers in evaluating different choices. The book presents case studies resulting from collaborations between the authors and industrial partners. The solutions presented, some of which are implemented on-line in industrial plants, are designed to cope with a wide range of applications from measuring system backup and what-if analysis through real-time prediction for plant control to sensor diagnosis and validation.

Manufacturing process controls include all systems and software that exert control over production processes. Control systems include process sensors, data processing equipment, actuators, networks to connect equipment, and algorithms to relate process variables to product attributes. Since 1995, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Industrial Technology 's (OIT) program management strategy has reflected its commitment to increasing and documenting the commercial impact of OIT programs. OIT's management strategy for research and development has been in transition from a "technology push" strategy to a "market pull" strategy based on the needs of seven energy-and waste-intensive industries-steel, forest products, glass, metal casting, aluminum, chemicals, and petroleum refining. These industries, designated as Industries of the Future (IOF), are the focus of OIT programs. In 1997, agriculture, specifically renewable bioproducts, was added to the IOF group. The National Research Council Panel on Manufacturing Process Controls is part of the Committee on Industrial Technology Assessments (CITA), which was established to evaluate the OIT program strategy, to provide guidance during the transition to the new IOF strategy, and to assess the effects of the change in program strategy on cross-cutting technology programs, that is, technologies applicable to several of the IOF industries. The panel was established to identify key processes and needs for improved manufacturing control technology, especially the needs common to several IOF industries; identify specific research opportunities for addressing these common industry needs; suggest criteria for identifying and prioritizing research and development (R&D) to improve manufacturing controls technologies; and recommend means for implementing advances in control technologies.

The success of the trend towards increased quality and reliabiltiy from production processes with minimal operator supervision depends very much upon the development and application of reliable and accurate sensors. Such systems can increase productivity through the use of extra unmanned shifts, through reduced cycle times and through reduced scrap levels. Industrial sensors are thus of vital importance to industry, and a wide range are currently either in use or undergoing development for future application.

A treatment of on-line monitoring techniques for optimizing various manufacturing processes while also making them safer. The book looks at the latest developments in sensors for quality control or preventing downtime, as well as environmental protection in the form of emission monitoring and waste reduction. Although the text concentrates on practical applications, it also provides readers with the necessary basic principles.