Samstuf™— GLOSSARY, ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS:
Beyond Distributed Process Control [over 5,500 terms]
Distributed Process Control Systems transcends the fields of process control, factory automation, computing, communications (phone, video, & Internet industries), desktop publishing (screen displays, reports, & information systems), fiber optics, software, hardware, internet & wireless technologies, business, cyber security, health & safety, and even psychology (human/ machine interface, artificial intelligence). Because of the increasing activities to link the plant floor to computer-based business planning operations, we now have even more terminology to address. Additional domestic and international impact comes from professional societies, various industrial standards and practices, and many different government agencies. For this reason, a huge collection of cryptic acronyms, abbreviations, and terminology show up in literature on the subject of industrial automation, with definitions sometimes conflicting. Included are hundreds of multiple meanings across disciplines. With all of this profound content, I just had to introduce a slight bit of humor as well.
I created this continually emerging list from my attempt to understand numerous magazine articles since 1980. I personally also have been publishing this growing list in a direct response to the uncounted questions from the scores of students I encountered while teaching various instrumentation courses worldwide, especially those involving Distributed Processor Systems. Accumulating over such a long period, most of the selections are modified from many individuals at several different companies who have sent me their favorites. To list the people or their original sources would be impossible. If this work picked up any formal references that should be recognized, I will be happy to include their sources in subsequent editions. The inspiration for this effort began back in the early 1960s by the late Gene Murphy of Honeywell. This list will always be incomplete and enigmatic. For thorough process control definitions, I recommend the more complete ISA The Automation, Systems, and Instrumentation Dictionary, found on the ISA website [www.isa.org].
For several more sources go to Technical Definitions under JAOMAD Resources.
Also see: Vendor-Specific System Acronyms
...Sam Herb 18 January 12 [4761 (-85) +785]
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Intro