PLC with MPC capabilities?

Hello

I remember reading a printed article about a new powerful programmable logic controller (PLC) that had model predictive control (MPC) among its modules (library).

I can't trace this article (google didn't help either)

Has anybody heard of such a product and who is the supplier?

thanks Nikos

PS. I don't need a large scale DCS, I know most of these support MPC already. I need a "small" self-contained PLC

I'm not aware of any PLC with a standard MPC, but I understand Emerson's DeltaV DCS has a standard MPC block. About a year ago there was an article in "SA Instrumentation and Control" about Rockwell's model based control in an Allen Bradley PLC, but that was about single loop IMC and not MPC (that is if my memory serves, maybe you want to check with them).

I'm sure the processing capabilities of modern PLC's would be more than adequate for "simple" multivariable MPC, that is maybe without for example real-time QP for constraint optimisation. If you want any support and/or assistance in writing such a "simple" multivariable MPC for a PLC, I'll be very keen to be involved in that exercise and I don't think it'll take me more than week to do. I know you asked for it to run in the PLC, but you might want to consider running MPC in a PC with an OPC interface to the PLC. I do have a such a product, you are more than welcome to download a demo version from

(the demo version's OPC interface is disabled, so you can't control a real plant with it though, for that you'll have to buy a license from me).

Dependent on your requirements, another solution would be to do a multivariable IMC, and that would be really easy in a "small" self- contained PLC. This would not be as good as MPC, but it could be a good solution (better than PID in any case) if all you want to do is for the controller to compensate for multivariable process interactions and the ability to control long dead time to lag ratio processes.

Pieter Steenekamp

Check soft PLCs from Beckhoff

CoDeSys or K+W Software The capabilities are almost limitless.

They can handle this with aplomb. The advantage it is the Asset Management and other such applications programmed and integrated for total plant management.

If you are looking for hardware based PLC, look at TSX Quantum or TSX Premium PCX (for process control processors) from Modicon / Schneider Electric

This hardware is targetted at mini-DCS applications since > 20 years ago.

thanks.

thanks for your recommendations