Week 12 Flashcards
The function of PID parameters is BEST described as
a. placing the system in a safe condition during process upsets.
b. optimizing a control loop.
c. ensuring that specified components are properly calibrated.
d. ensuring that specified components are properly installed.
b. optimizing a control loop.
What is an advantage of using a linear approach during troubleshooting to isolate the
cause of a problem?
a. It efficiently exposes recurring problems and, based on experience, possible
shortcuts to fix the problem.
b. You can move top down or bottom up from point of entry and check process
steps until the problem is found.
c. It readily identifies process bottlenecks and minimizes backtracking in the
troubleshooting process.
d. Once a process step is found to work correctly, you can safely assume that the
layers below it are working as well.
b. You can move top down or bottom up from point of entry and check process
steps until the problem is found.
Which statement BEST describes the potential impact of intelligent device
management on human performance measures in system maintenance?
a. Faster acquisition of parts from intelligent lockers
b. Improved achieved availability measures
c. Reduced restore time
d. Reduced preventive maintenance and corrective maintenance expenditures
c. Reduced restore time
While following a troubleshooting framework, no one definitive solution to a problem
surfaces and several solutions are plausible. Which is NOT a recommended course
of action?
a. Order solutions from easiest to most difficult.
b. Choose the one with the broadest appeal to all stakeholders.
c. Analyze the cost of quality associated with each solution.
d. Propose solutions in order of their probability of success.
b. Choose the one with the broadest appeal to all stakeholders.
Good preventive maintenance can provide all of the following benefits EXCEPT
a. reduced operator error and random failures.
b. high operational availability.
c. correction of failures before they cause damage.
d. cost savings over a product’s life cycle.
a. reduced operator error and random failures.
Which troubleshooting technique replaces suspected bad components until the
problem is found?
a. Substitution method
b. Consultation method
c. “Remove and conquer” method
d. Fault insertion method
a. Substitution method
Consider the following automation system data:
- Preventive maintenance for one hour every month
- Quarterly preventive maintenance for two hours each quarter
- One failure that results in six hours of downtime
- One failure that results in four hours of downtime
What is the uptime for this automation system if it runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a
year?
a. 99.66%
b. 99.77%
c. 99.86%
d. 99.89%
a. 99.66%
A system problem has been identified. Affected stakeholders from operations,
engineering, and maintenance meet to further analyze the problem and the data
collected thus far. The merit of these individuals coming together is
a. out-of-the-box thinking.
b. case-based reasoning.
c. criteria filtering.
d. cause-and-effect analysis.
b. case-based reasoning.
On-call contract maintenance done by a third party BEST describes
a. equipment or system audits.
b. service level agreements (SLAs).
c. system utilization services.
d. preventive maintenance.
b. service level agreements (SLAs).
In troubleshooting a system failure, a suspected bad component is replaced with a
known good component. This does not correct the problem. What is the next BEST
course of action?
a. Build software traps involving additional logic and code to detect the problem.
b. Further analyze the problem and collect additional data as necessary.
c. Set additional alarms to pinpoint the problem.
d. Retain a consultant who specializes in this type of repair.
b. Further analyze the problem and collect additional data as necessary.
Which statement BEST describes troubleshooting procedures for automation
systems?
a. Systems engineering process
b. Continuous improvement (CI) process
c. Logical and analytical framework
d. Parallel set of actions
c. Logical and analytical framework
How are the maintainability and maintenance of automation systems related?
a. Maintainability is a front-end, design outcome; maintenance is related to
ongoing system availability.
b. Maintainability is related to system availability; maintenance is related to
traceability and warranties.
c. Maintainability is a front-end engineering function; maintenance is an ongoing
engineering function.
d. Maintainability is related to malfunctions; maintenance is related to service
quality.
a. Maintainability is a front-end, design outcome; maintenance is related to
ongoing system availability.
A recommended safety precaution when using a generic framework for
troubleshooting is
a. Review related failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) documents before
proceeding.
b. Secure proper permits and follow their requirements.
c. Compare the process capability index (Cp) with the mean-sensitive process
capability index (Cpk).
d. Conduct a Pareto analysis to prioritize areas of concern.
b. Secure proper permits and follow their requirements.
Which statement BEST describes the importance of real-time data entry and
validation by field maintenance technicians?
a. To separate failures in quality from unintended use
b. To facilitate timely billing of service level agreement customers
c. To promote professionalism and build customer loyalty
d. To gain accurate information for future improvements
d. To gain accurate information for future improvements
All of the following are generally recommended safety precautions when using a
generic troubleshooting framework EXCEPT
a. Communicate actions with the operator in charge.
b. Simulate the process on a computer before proceeding.
c. Be aware of increased safety risk to the troubleshooter.
d. Follow company procedures.
b. Simulate the process on a computer before proceeding.
Which statement does NOT characterize MRO?
a. Digital electronic and optical technologies have dramatically increased MRO
costs.
b. Improvements in maintainability can reduce both failure rates and MRO costs.
c. Computerized information on MRO activities tends to improve maintenance
operations.
d. MRO costs usually exceed acquisition costs.
a. Digital electronic and optical technologies have dramatically increased MRO
costs.
Which of the following statements BEST describes the calibration of a temperature
sensor?
a. It is the end user’s practice to perform bench calibrations.
b. Recalibration can be performed as needed if an out-of-tolerance condition
becomes evident.
c. A field calibration can be performed at the same time as a loop check.
d. It is normally calibrated in a laboratory environment.
d. It is normally calibrated in a laboratory environment.
Differentiation between primary and secondary symptoms should be done during
which troubleshooting activity?
a. Proposed solutions
b. Problem analysis
c. Collecting additional information
d. Problem definition
c. Collecting additional information
The inherent availability of an automation system is associated with
a. sales and marketing.
b. manufacturing engineering.
c. quality management.
d. service management.
b. manufacturing engineering.
Which of the following practices will NOT necessarily enhance login security for
process control system software?
a. Use a firewall as a gatekeeper between the network system and the Internet,
and set up a system to automatically install software upgrades.
b. Use alphanumeric passwords with at least one capital letter if the protection
system is case-sensitive.
c. Change passwords regularly.
d. Assign a user access level commensurate with job function.
a. Use a firewall as a gatekeeper between the network system and the Internet,
and set up a system to automatically install software upgrades.
Cause-and-effect diagrams and control charts would be MOST useful during which
troubleshooting activity?
a. Problem definition
b. Problem analysis
c. Proposed solutions
d. Testing proposed solutions
b. Problem analysis
The primary benefit of intelligent device management is
a. increased accuracy of alarm enunciators or recorders.
b. more reliable mean time between failure (MTBF) data.
c. remote monitoring before failure occurs.
d. ease in recording of nondestructive test data.
c. remote monitoring before failure occurs.
What is a common pitfall associated with using the replacement automation
approach in automation projects?
a. The salvage value of any sold or disposed assets will be negligible.
b. The system value will depreciate faster due to early obsolescence.
c. Breakthrough improvements are rare.
d. Required upgrades tend to erode any initial system price savings.
c. Breakthrough improvements are rare.
All operating (recurring) and implementation (nonrecurring) costs and capital costs,
plus other concepts of cost (e.g., time value of money, lost opportunity costs, etc.),
are identified during which phase of a project’s life cycle in the ISA CAP program’s
model?
a. Feasibility study
b. Project definition
c. System design
d. Deployment
a. Feasibility study
In addition to technical skills, which statement BEST describes an appropriate skill
mix that facilitates success as an automation professional?
a. Management and coaching skills
b. Business and interpersonal skills
c. Problem-solving and social skills
d. Writing and verbal skills
b. Business and interpersonal skills
Which of the following statements is correct with regard to the development of an
effective team?
a. A period of storming will often precede performing.
b. The norming stage begins the development.
c. Teams usually proceed directly from the norming stage to the storming stage.
d. Teams usually do not form before they go through the storming phase.
a. A period of storming will often precede performing.