2009-06-04 - ABB is revolutionizing control room design and is proving time and again that a well-designed and ergonomic control room improves operational performance, plant productivity and site safety.
By ABB Communications
According to a leading independent automation analyst (Arc Advisory Group), 40 percent of production losses in the global process industries are the result of operator error. In most cases, these can be traced to operators not being able to access vital information quickly enough.
Another alarming fact for process industries is that many operators are nearing retirement, and it is proving difficult to recruit replacements from the younger generation. This is especially worrying for sectors like mining, where sites are often located in remote areas.
ABB’s System 800xA Extended Operator Workplace addresses these issues by making an attractive, ergonomic and performance-enhancing environment for operators the focal point of control room design.
The end result of this attention to detail, as many customers can confirm, are faster operator response times, correct decision-making, and measurable improvements in plant productivity, safety, information flow between departments, and a considerable boost in job satisfaction.
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The System 800xA control room at the StatoilHydro Tjeldbergodden methanol plant in Norway - attractive, ergonomic workplaces consistetly produce measurable improvements in productivity, safety, response times and job satisfaction.
The groundbreaking concept integrates the unique information processing capability of ABB’s award-winning System 800xA automation platform with a specially designed operator workplace that can be configured to meet the individual needs of each operator.
Through a combination of large seamless overhead displays and desktop monitors, operators get a complete overview of the process and can immediately access any information - trends, documentation, maintenance records, CCTV, and so on – on the overhead display or the monitors, and view that information in context and without the need for separate browsing.
“Customers feel that increased operator effectiveness is a true differentiator, as is the integration platform for data and the large screen solution with the operator as the focus.”
ARC Advisory Group on ABB’s Extended Operator Workplace
The fact that all relevant information can be integrated in the 800xA system for much faster and intuitive retrieval makes it possible for the operator to make faster decisions and avoid unnecessary downtime.
In addition to the operator screens, ABB offers a complete ergonomic control room environment with consideration taken to lighting, noise level, traffic, collaboration and even air quality. No other vendor can offer such a complete control room concept.
For the customer, this means that ABB can save time and money in project delivery, create an attractive environment for the operator and improve productivity and product quality.
Available since 2006, System 800xA Extended Operator Workplace is installed at more than 30 sites worldwide, including onshore and offshore oil and gas facilities, chemical plants, mining sites, cement plants, power stations and district heating plants.
Read what StatoilHydro think about their new ABB control room.
Read ARC Advisory Group on System 800xA EOW.
Read a recent article on System 800xA EOW in ABB Review.