Functional diagram of automation. What is it for?

In recent years, automation processes at the plant have become incredibly relevant with more and more new methods, devices and systems introduced to reduce the burden on a person, shifting it to equipment. Many factories have automatic machines that perform all the same functions, only with much greater accuracy and with less time. Moreover, it is worth noting separately that automation reduces the risk for people who previously had to work in incredibly difficult and dangerous conditions for health. Now they do not need to be in the very epicenter of what is happening - machine operators control them from a distance from a safe room.

Thus, we can safely say that automation is a movement into the future, incredible progress that is only for the benefit of humanity. However, in this article, we are not talking about automation in general, but about what an automation scheme is, how it is compiled and how it is used. For many people, this concept may seem strange. Virtually no one can just take and guess what it is for or what it is. All this will be described in detail later, but first you should understand that the automation scheme is a very important thing, without which the automation process itself would not be possible.

What is a functional diagram?

Before understanding the main concept of this article, which is an automation scheme, it is worth paying attention to the fact that most often to this name is added an adjective "functional". But this does not clarify anything - everything becomes even more confusing. What is a functional diagram? This is the name of the document that was created to explain and describe in detail certain processes that take place in a particular block or on a specific site. Thus, it can be safely concluded that the automation scheme in this case will be an explanation (in part, even visual) for the automation process in any particular enterprise. Naturally, this is a fairly general definition, so you should delve into the reading of this article, since it will describe in more detail everything that is connected with this concept, its implementation and application in practice.

Changes in recent years

It goes without saying that everything has its own standard. There is also a concept like an automation scheme: GOST. But it is worthwhile to understand that the standards do not stand still, and especially it concerns such high-tech processes. Over the last decade the set of technical means used in the automation process has changed very much, so the standards have changed too.

Now, automated systems are based on modern super-power computers capable of demonstrating much more impressive computing power than the same ten years ago. That is why now much more extensive functions for automated systems are available, including the preservation of results for any period of time, the output of information at any time in a convenient form, the creation of special detailed mnemonic schemes that would allow using any parameters for incredibly accurate control of virtually all possible Systems.

Now the controllers have become much more capacious, they can be placed both in specialized premises in close proximity to the automated system, and at a remote distance, which allows using a much more flexible control system. Thus, you can easily imagine how much the modern automation scheme will differ from the document of a decade ago. GOST 2006 will be absolutely irrelevant for today, strictly speaking, as well as the automated systems themselves, which can now be replaced with much more effective ones.

What does the automation scheme look like?

It's not a secret for anyone that such a scheme is one of the most important documents for designing automation of an enterprise, shop or any other unit of production. It describes in minute detail everything that will include automation, including technological equipment, controls for this equipment, communications and communication between the elements and so on.

It is also very important to remember the importance of designations on automation schemes - they turn a conventional document into a capacious and clear scheme. A single glance at it is enough to generally evaluate the whole process of automation and understand what and how it will be implemented. The designations on automation schemes should be as clear as possible, because on the basis of such a drawing, other relevant documents will be developed, which will be used in the future. Thus, this scheme, as you have already understood, is one of the most important elements of the entire automation process, and its implementation must be at the highest level - down to the smallest detail.

What is depicted on the diagram?

The functional scheme of automation is not a detailed picture of all the elements of production and communication between them. First, it is worth noting that absolutely all the elements are shown on the schematic diagram conditionally, that is, they do not correspond to what they look like in reality. Secondly, the scale is not respected, so the scheme has nothing to do with how all equipment is located in real proportions and ratios. To understand this scheme, you need to understand that this is only a conditional sketch that gives the viewer an idea of how the elements of the production process function, and also how they interact with the automation system.

The functional automation scheme, in principle, has a generally accepted format, so most of the notations are standardized. For example, according to GOST, it is necessary to depict equipment and communications with thin lines, while technological flows are indicated by more fatty ones. There are a lot of different notations, and? To learn them all, you will need to familiarize yourself with the GOST.

Single-type devices

Process automation schemes can be very numerous. Depending on how much equipment is included in the plan, what number of workshops and departments make up a single whole, it is worth considering the optimization of the planning process. And the very first rule concerns similar devices. The fact is that usually the scheme includes a large number of elements, since different departments require a different approach. However, if it happens that there are similar devices or elements, then they can be described by one scheme, giving it a link in other sources.

Let's say you have five identical devices that you need to display in an explanatory document. If they are really the same, use the same automation principle. That is, you can create a circuit for the first of these devices, and then indicate that the same circuit is applicable to the other four devices. As you can see, automation control schemes have many interesting and important points that should be studied, as they will greatly facilitate your life and make the process much more convenient and effective.

Tables with legend

It would seem that such a trifle, as the symbol for automation schemes, should be performed in a relatively free order, but in reality everything is far from the case, and this is very tightly controlled. You need to create a separate table for symbols, in which there will be two columns - one will contain the name of a particular device, a certain communication, and so on, and the other will directly depict the very symbol. In this case, all the conditions are quite rigid - even the specific width of the columns in this table is set, so that you do not have space for imagination.

Of course, you can come up with your own conventions, but here, again, there are norms that everyone usually follows. That is, there are no specific signs, for example, for connecting or crossing pipelines, but in most cases it is customary to depict them as aligned lines, as well as using one continuous and another intermittent or with two lines, one Of which makes a semicircular bend at the intersection. But you should remember that even if you use the conventional designation, you still need to mark it in the symbol table. Only in this way do functional diagrams of automation facilities.

Letter notation

One of the most important moments in the questions of automation schemes, regardless of whether it is a functional table or a schematic diagram of automation, are letter designations. They play a very large role and carry an impressive amount of semantic load, so you definitely need to study what can be denoted by this or that letter that will be written in certain conditions. First of all, pay attention to the fact that the same letter can have several meanings. For example, it can be used to indicate the measured value and simultaneously the functional characteristic of the device. Yes, most letters have one of the two notations described above. For example, "A" indicates an alarm, and "E" indicates an electrical value. But there are also letters that can describe both one and the other section. For example, "H" - this can be both a manual action and an upper limit of the measured value.

Moreover, some letters indicate only the measured value, but still can take two values - the main and the additional. More precisely, this can be the main designation of the measured quantity and an additional one that specifies the measured value. To make it clearer, you can give an example with the letter "D". The main value that it denotes in these drawings is the density. However, it can also have an additional designation for another value. In this form, it will indicate the difference or difference. In general, the letter designations should be given special attention, especially considering that they are also using the above-mentioned basic, as well as the structural scheme of automation.

Two methods for creating schemes

Schemes of automation systems can have two methods of designation, and this is a very important point. They strongly influence how exactly the whole scheme will be drawn up in the future. So, the method can be simplified and deployed. In the first case, the scheme is simplified to a minimum. Specifically, this is expressed in the fact that all the automation tools included in the plan are depicted in the same way, that is, there are no specific notation for them. As for the second method, here everything is much more complicated and diverse. Each automation tool is applied to the circuit with its own designation, which, naturally, is written into a separate table, which we discussed above.

Both approaches are widely used, just each of them is used depending on the situation. In some cases it is much more convenient to make a sketch in which all the automation tools will be designated as one element. This will give an idea of the system as a whole. But sometimes it's much more important to have a deep understanding of the automation process, so every detail of the circuit looms separately. However, it is worth recalling that even in this case the scale is not respected. For each type of schemes, full automation can be performed. Technological schemes can be very much, but they do not have any kind of averaged form. Each looks a little different, even taking into account the fact that very much on it must meet the accepted standards.

Graphic images of automation tools

The functional diagram of process automation can include a huge number of notations, but there are those that you will see there quite often. It is a question of designations that are attached to specific means and automation devices widely used in modern systems. Naturally, there is a huge amount of their species and now there is no point in listing them all. But you can imagine a few basic ones, such as a primary transducer, which is represented very simply - with a circle. But if you see a circle that is divided by a line in half, it will be a completely different device - the device that is installed on the control panel.

If you see a circle from which a straight line goes down, it means that you have an actuator in front of you - but this is just a general designation. There are several types of actuators, and each of them is converted by additional elements, for example, an arrow at the end of a straight line with one of the sides, two short straight lines that cross perpendicularly one long line, a letter in the center of the circle, and so on. The regulating organ is designated in the form of a kind of "bow" - two triangles that touch one of the vertices. Also worth noting is a selective device that does not have a permanently connected device. It is denoted by a semicircle with a straight line going up from it.

Figures on the diagram

For the time being, it was exclusively about graphic designations that you can find on the functional automation scheme, and we also talked about the letters that can and should be used on these schemes. However, do not forget that the figures can also be used in drawing up such a drawing. You should understand that absolutely everything is marked on the functional diagram, and the more ways of designation there are, the better and the more understandable the scheme will be. Therefore, you should definitely use numbers, since their advantage is the fact that they are not assigned any values. You will need to create a complete table in which you describe what value is given to a particular digit. At the same time, it is necessary to remember that it is best to impart similar, related meanings to such symbols.

An example is the pipeline automation scheme. Numbers on it you can identify all the substances that flow through certain segments of the pipes. The number 1 is water, the number 2 is steam, 3 is air, and so on. Naturally, each circuit has its own specialization, so these designations are just an example. You can freely choose how to designate one or another element of your circuit using numbers.

In the end, we can say that automation is a very important and widespread process to date, which plays a very serious role in the development of industry, in production and in general in any field of activity. So drawing up a competent and accurate functional automation scheme is also a very useful skill, because thanks to such documents, the automation process is much faster and more efficient. The detailed and clear scheme of automation is a guarantee of the qualitative implementation of the plan and the further operation of automated production. Therefore, so much attention has been paid to this issue so far.