Processestyring

Processestyring, often translated as process control, is the discipline focused on regulating industrial processes to achieve specified output characteristics. It encompasses the measurement, monitoring, and adjustment of process variables such as temperature, pressure, flow, and composition to maintain product quality, safety, and efficiency. It is applied across sectors including manufacturing, energy, water treatment, and chemical processing. In Danish contexts, processestyring describes the integration of instrumentation, control logic, and automation to manage complex production systems.

A typical processestyring system comprises sensors that measure process variables, actuators that affect the process, controllers that compute corrective actions, and communication networks that connect equipment and software. Control loops compare measured values with desired setpoints and generate actuating signals. The most common algorithm is proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control, but more complex processes may use model-based approaches such as model predictive control (MPC). Data acquisition, historian databases, alarms, and visualization dashboards support operator decision-making and continuous improvement.

Automation platforms used in processestyring include distributed control systems (DCS), programmable logic controllers (PLC), and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. These platforms integrate with process instrumentation, safety systems, and enterprise software to implement interlocks, energy management, and maintenance workflows, while enabling engineering changes and remote monitoring.

Lifecycle and practices involve defining performance targets, modeling the process, selecting and tuning control strategies, and validating performance during commissioning. Ongoing maintenance, calibration, and cybersecurity are essential to reliability and safety. The approach is common in chemical plants, oil and gas facilities, water utilities, food and beverage production, pharmaceuticals, and pulp and paper, and is increasingly enhanced by digitalization, data analytics, and cross-system integration under Industry 4.0.