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MON300

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MON300: Control Quality Monitoring and Statistics

Contact Us Today: info@PiControlSolutions.com, Tel: (832) 495 6436

Duration: 2 Days Classroom or 20 hours Online
Audience: Process Control Engineers, Advanced Process Control Engineers, Instrument Engineers, Lab Technicians, DCS/PLC Technicians, Managers and Supervisors.
Prerequisites: 2-year or 4-year degree in engineering or operations and/or a few months of plant/ engineering experience is desirable, but not required.
Course Material: Software used: Apromon and Pitops. Also custom training slides.

Course Description and Objectives: Chemical plants can have anywhere from about 50 PIDs in small plants to over 2000 PIDs in large refineries and integrated petrochemical complexes. In addition to simple PIDs, there are cascades, override controllers, model-based controllers and multivariable controllers.

As time goes by, even well-tuned PIDs and other controllers can slowly start to deteriorate. As deterioration progresses, process oscillations can start with small amplitudes and can grow large over time costing the plant significant monetary and/or quality losses. Or conversely, PIDs could become sluggish because of changes in process and operating conditions, once again causing the control quality to deteriorate.

This course covers the technology and application of a control performance monitoring software (Apromon) that identifies poorly controlling PIDs (includes single, cascade, override and complex PIDs). Apromon runs online using OPC and calculates several control criteria and generates control quality reports. Integrated with Apromon is a novel, breakthrough algorithm called TAD (True Amplitude Detection) that accurately isolates oscillating or sluggish controllers. This course shows how to improve and maintain the plant’s primary and advanced control system and increase the plant’s profits.

This course explains how to identify control problems in an online/real-time manner and take immediate corrective action using online adaptive control. The course also shows how to implement true adaptive control inside the DCS by connecting the control quality monitoring software using OPC technology to the DCS/PLC and by designing special DCS/PLC-resident logic for triggering automatic control action.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, attendees will be skilled in understanding process control quality monitoring criteria and statistics. They will be skilled in the application, installation and use of real-time software products for process control quality monitoring at any plant.

Attendees will also be skilled on the application of online adaptive control technology using the control quality monitoring software and then linking it with closed-loop DCS based-adaptive control schemes. Using the knowledge, attendees on their own can build closed-loop adaptive control schemes at their plant inside the DCS/PLC using OPC connectivity.

Attendees will be able to significantly improve control quality at their plants, move the plant more stably and reliably in the direction of increasing profits with fewer shutdowns and fewer abnormal events. The plant will also see a reduction in the number of alarms and a reduced need for operator intervention.  The following topics are covered in this course:

  • Modern process control in plants
  • Process interactions because of mass balance and heat balance integration
  • Potential for process cycling and sustained oscillations
  • Causes of process oscillations
  • Pitops simulations illustrating different oscillation cases
  • Pitops simulations illustrating excessive control valve movement
  • Pitops simulations illustrating sluggish control
  • Definition of various process control quality performance criteria
  • Explanation of special new terms – crimp, cheat, vacillation, rope length etc. Component breakdown of PID contributions
  • Use of process control monitoring software
  • Apromon-Excel Run example cases
  • More explanation of process control quality performance monitoring criteria
  • Conduct what-if studies on example using Apromon-Excel
  • Adjust and understand oscillation tuning parameters
  • Set up online OPC servers to simulate real-plant environment
  • Use of Apromon-OPC
  • Run example cases on Apromon-OPC
  • Implement Apromon-OPC using OPC simulation server
  • More explanation of process control quality performance monitoring criteria
  • Procedure and tips on implementing Apromon-OPC in a plant environment
  • Need for detection of online oscillation in an industrial process
  • Need for detection of sluggish control in an industrial process
  • Precise determination of oscillation
  • Practical challenges of detecting oscillations reliably
  • Understanding of true amplitude detection) algorithm
  • Setting up Apromon-OPC and configuring it in online/real-time mode
  • Implementing online adaptive control using DCS
  • Apromon and a OPC server-based computer

MON300 Question & Answers

MON300 is a specialized training program focused on process control, quality monitoring, and statistics. It is ideal for Process Control Engineers, Advanced Process Control Engineers, Instrument Engineers, Lab Technicians, DCS/PLC Technicians, Managers, and Supervisors looking to enhance their skills in detecting and correcting deteriorating PIDs and control loops.
A 2-year or 4-year degree in engineering or operations is recommended, along with some plant or engineering experience. However, the course is designed to be accessible even without prior experience.
MON300 utilizes Apromon and Pitops for real-time control monitoring, oscillation detection, and adaptive tuning. The course also covers OPC integration for connecting control quality monitoring systems to DCS and PLCs.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
• Identify poorly performing PIDs (single, cascade, override, and multivariable controllers)
• Detect process oscillations and sluggish control behavior
• Apply real-time monitoring software to improve plant control quality
• Implement online adaptive control inside a DCS or PLC using OPC connectivity
• Reduce alarms, operator intervention, and process instability

Even well-tuned PIDs and controllers deteriorate over time due to changing process conditions. Without monitoring, oscillations and sluggish responses can lead to:

  • Higher operational costs
  • Increased energy consumption
  • Product quality issues
  • More frequent plant shutdowns

MON300 teaches how to use Apromon-OPC to monitor and control quality in real-time. Engineers learn to set up OPC servers to detect oscillations, sluggish control, and valve movement issues before they cause major disruptions.

TAD is a breakthrough algorithm in Apromon that accurately isolates oscillating or sluggish controllers. Unlike traditional monitoring techniques, TAD provides a precise measurement of oscillation amplitude, allowing for targeted corrective actions.

The course covers:
• Causes of process oscillations (mass balance, heat balance, improper tuning)
• Real-world examples using Pitops simulations
• Techniques to minimize oscillations and stabilize control loops

By applying control quality monitoring and adaptive tuning, engineers can:

  • Reduce process variability
  • Lower energy consumption
  • Improve product consistency
  • Prevent unnecessary equipment wear and failure

OPC (OLE for Process Control) enables real-time data exchange between control systems. MON300 teaches:

  • How to set up Apromon-OPC servers
  • How to simulate plant conditions for testing
  • How to implement adaptive control inside a DCS/PLC using OPC integration

Sluggish controllers can increase process variability and slow down response times. MON300 covers:

  • How to identify sluggish PIDs using Apromon
  • How to adjust tuning parameters for faster response
  • How to implement adaptive control for continuous improvement

By detecting and fixing oscillating and sluggish controllers early, MON300 helps:

  • Prevent unexpected plant shutdowns
  • Reduce the number of alarms
  • Minimize manual operator adjustments

The course explains how interactions between multiple PIDs can cause instability. It covers:

  • Mass balance and heat balance integration
  • Techniques to minimize process cycling
  • Case studies on improving multivariable control performance

Attendees learn to:

  • Design and install adaptive control logic inside a DCS/PLC
  • Use real-time monitoring to trigger automatic corrective actions
  • Improve process stability without manual tuning

MON300 provides hands-on experience in detecting and fixing deteriorating control loops. Engineers who complete MON300 can:

  • Optimize plant operations
  • Increase profitability
  • Ensure long-term control stability
  • Reduce equipment wear and energy costs

Yes. Apromon enables objective benchmarking across hundreds of controllers, helping plants prioritize improvement efforts and track control performance over time.

Yes. Improved control stability supports tighter process control, which is critical for meeting regulatory specifications for industries like pharmaceuticals, food, and chemicals.
Yes. By quantifying control degradation and its cost impacts, MON300 gives engineers the data they need to build ROI cases for upgrades or automation investments.
Absolutely. MON300 bridges the gap between plant-floor control and data-driven performance monitoring—an essential capability for smart manufacturing and digital twin environments.
Yes. The course includes setup guides, report templates, and parameter sheets that help fast-track deployment in live environments.
Yes. For companies that want support beyond training, PiControl can conduct a plant-wide control audit using Apromon as part of a service engagement.

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