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The 5 Key Points to Effective Troubleshooting

You don't realize it, but in the next few minutes you're going to learn to the important skill of troubleshooting an Industrial Control system.

Industrial control equipment can malfunction for a diversity of reasons- that’s life. No matter how well a system is maintained, you cannot prevent all failures. Mechanical contacts, pilot lamps and moving parts such as switches can wear out; on poorly designed systems wires can overheat and burn open or short out. Some parts can even be damaged by the environment. When certain components in a system are damaged equipment may operate in a manner far different than it was designed to, or not at all.

Typically, when process system fails there is a sense of importance to get it fixed and working again as soon as possible. If the defective equipment is part of an assembly line, the whole assembly line could be down causing unforeseen “stoppages†with loss of revenue. If you are at a customer’s site to repair equipment, the customer’s staff may watch you, knowing that they are paying for every minute you spend troubleshooting and repairing their control system. The pressure on you now to solve the problem as quickly as possible! You are now the expert- even though you may have no clue as to what their process does!

So what is troubleshooting?

It is the process of analyzing the behavior of a system to determine what is wrong with it, if anything, and then work out which piece of equipment is not functioning correctly. Now, depending on the type of equipment, troubleshooting can be a very challenging task.

Sometimes problems are easily diagnosed and the problem component is easily visible; such as a blown fuse. Other times the symptoms as well as the faulty component can be difficult to identify. A blown fuse with a visual indicator is easy to spot, whereas an intermittent problem caused by a high resistance connection or loose terminal can be much more difficult to find.

So what makes an expert Troubleshooter?

One quality of expert troubleshooters is that they are able to find virtually any fault in a practical amount of time. By using a basic common sense approach, they find them all. Another quality they have is the knack for finding out exactly what is wrong. No trial and error here. So what is their secret?

Expert troubleshooters have a good understanding of the operation of electrical components, mechanical systems and their components, process controls and control theory. They have an approach that allows them to logically and systematically analyze a system and determine exactly what is wrong. They also understand and effectively use tools such as electrical diagrams, mechanical process diagrams and test instruments to identify defective parts.

Here is a list of skills that you need to troubleshoot a control system.

(1) Work safely! Be aware of your surroundings. This sounds easy, but under pressure to fault find quickly, mistakes can be made. Ask yourself these questions as you work: Are there high voltages in this control panel? Do I need a hard hat or safety glasses to work safe? Are there any dangerous chemicals or processes under high pressure near me?

Arrive on site with an effective amount of tools to help you troubleshoot. Take with you any hand tools, Multimeters, loop calibrators, PC with PLC programming software that you feel will be needed. It is more professional to arrive prepared than to have to keep going back off site for more tools, or even worse, asking the customer to ‘borrow’ his tools.

(2) Listen with an open mind! Ask the operators of the control system what the symptoms are, and also ask any maintenance workers what they think the problem is. How does the system function normally? What has changed? When did it start? You may not be a doctor, but you are diagnosing problem. Only ask pertinent questions.

(3) You need to understand how process controls work. This consists of understanding the operation of components in the system such as PID loops, Industrial ventilation, fans, pumps, valves, PLC systems, Instrumentation such as temperature transmitters, push buttons, contactors, pilot lights, switches, relays, sensors, motors, and much more.

PLC control systems operate mechanical systems such as motors and valves. Could you tell an electrically actuated ball valve from a mechanical check valve? Can you recognize if you are looking at a relay or a contactor in a control panel?

(3) Use a logical, systematic approach to analyze the system’s behavior. This is critical. There are several approaches that troubleshooters use. They may have different steps or processes but they have the following in common: They approach problems systematically and logically thus minimizing the steps and ruling out trial and error.

One such approach used to teach troubleshooting is called the “5 Step Approachâ€. Here is a summary of the key steps are:

* Observe. A good number of faults provide clues as to their cause. There could be visual clues such as signs of damage, improper operation, lack of control, or no response. Don’t forget to use your other senses; sounds and smells can also provide valuable clues.

* Define Problem Area(s). This is where you apply logic and reasoning to your observations to determine the problem area of the control system.

* Identify Possible Causes. Once you have the problem area(s) defined, you need to identify all the possible causes of the failure.

* Determine The Most Probable Cause. Once the list of possible causes has been made you can prioritize the items as to the possibility of them being the root cause of the system failure.

* Test and Repair. Once you have determined the most probable cause, do some tests to prove it to be the problem or not.

(4) The knowledge of how to use tools. Do you understand how to read prints and diagrams? Can you operate test equipment such as Multimeters, loop calibrators and current probes?

Some of the key things you should be able to determine from electrical prints and process diagrams are:

-How the control system should operate.

-What voltages should you expect at various points on the control system.

-Where components are physically located. Remember, process automation transmitters such as temperature, pressure and flow are located throughout a process control system. They maybe at ground level, up near the roof, or even inside of a large tank!

-Various types of test equipment are available for testing electrical control systems. The ones that you choose depend on the type of system you are working on. A Multimeter is capable of measuring current, voltage and resistance. A loop Calibrator can measure the current signal (4-20Ma) coming from a field device such as a Temperature transmitter or it can simulate the 4-20Ma signal to test analog inputs.

(5) Practice! Troubleshooting, like any other skill, requires practice for you to become proficient at it. Practice can be difficult to get. Until you become reasonably experienced, it is best to practice troubleshooting in a controlled, offline environment.

In summary, troubleshooting a control system takes a high level of knowledge of control systems, patience to handle customers and a keen eye for detail.

About the Author

Terry Howsham is a Senior Electrical Engineer for Unified Theory Inc, Camarillo, CA. Specializing in Process Control.

For more information please visit our main websiteUnified Theory Inc . We are a full service engineering firm specializing in facility and process design for industrial clients.

During insertion of IUD is it normal to bleed?

I had my IUD put in a month ago and things have not been normal since. The insertion took longer than I thought and it was extremely painful. I saw where I was laying down that there was a lot of blood she also had to give me a pad because I kept bleeding. I had already had my period, I've had the same partner for 3 years and I got checked for STD's before insertion and I was clean. When I got my period this month it was horrible I got sent home from work and I had to call out today. I have a low temperature of 100 and I'm a little dizzy and nauseated, but it's tolerable. Anybody experience anything similar? Could I have PID even though I'm not in the risk group? =(

You should go see a doctor ASAP. I had an IUD for 3 years and when they put it in it was a little uncomfortable, but not painful. I don't know if I bled because I was on my period, which is when they are supposed to insert it because you are a little bit dilated when menstruating.

But I think I remember that dizziness, nausea and a fever can indicate perforation, so you better go see a doctor, since that is very dangerous, even life-threatening. Also, I had some pain and a yellow-green discharge for a while when I had the IUD and I asked my doctor about PID. She said that while it usually happens from contracting chlamydia or gonorrhea, other non-sexually transmitted bacterias can cause it too. She said she had seen women with IUD's have scarring, pain and pus before without an STD. But I didn't end up having PID.

But overall, I thought having an IUD was the most awesome form of birth control. I never really had any serious problems, was able to breastfeed without worrying about hormonal birth control getting in the way, and it was the most low-maintenance form of birth control I've ever used.

So I hope it works out for you, but get to a doctor! Better to risk sounding paranoid to a doctor than to be seriously hurt....

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