Questions & Answers for Web Tech Talk WT207

Life Cycle Cost Calculation for System 800xA − Practical Demo

by Ralf Gitzel (ralf.gitzel@de.abb.com)

Question:
Is this tool suitable for all products? I mean not only for System 800xA, but also for DCI,
Infi 90, Melody, Satt?

Answer:
The tool was designed to accommodate a generic DCS from the HMI level down to I/Os.
It has so far been tested on 800xA and Melody, so we assume that it should be applicable
to the whole ABB DCS portfolio.

Question:
Can the tool import prices directly from Wizard 800xA?

Answer:
It currently cannot import prices from the Wizard. The main reason is that you typically
have to simplify the Wizard output to get a manageable result. We hope to establish a set
of catalogue files in the future so that this question will be of no concern to the end user
any more.

Question:
Are there any plans to develop or share actual experience on unit MTBF figures?

Answer:
There are plans to do so but the actual realization is difficult to the constraints on
resources. However, we were informed that there is MTBF info hidden in the Wizard
800xA, which will be available soon.

Question:
How can we use the tool? Is there a web address?

Answer:
If you wish to use the tool for a project, contact Bert Mijten of PASV.

Question:
What about pricing? Who is the contact, who is the product owner?

Answer:
For further information contact Bert Mijten of PASV.

Question:
I am used to seeing LCC shown in a shape of a bathtub with higher initial cost at the start
of the life cycle and higher maintenance cost at the end of the life cycle. Your bar graph
showed a typical normal distribution in which I could not read the axis units. Can you
explain what information could be obtained from the bar graph?
Answer:
The x-axis on my graph was not time but total cost of ownership. The y-axis was the
"probability" (actually the histogram count of simulation results that gave that level of
cost). The effect you are referring to would apply to the first bar chart, if you recall it.
That one actually starts with a high cost. It does not go up again in a bathtub-like shape
because of the upgrades we perform.

Question:
Are any of the calculations within the tool based on any industry accepted equation or
method?

Answer:
It is based on a DIN standard adapted for the domain of process automation. Also, typical
“best practices” of reliability engineering such as fault trees, reliability curves etc. were
used in the tool.

Question:
Have you used the LCC tools (or can the tool be used) to quantify the LCC of an older
system as a means to justify the replacement with a newer DCS with a lower LCC?

Answer:
If you want to do that, there is an ABB product called LCI (Life Cycle Index) maintained
by Jörg Niemann. Both Jörg and I see great potential in merging our approaches but so
far we did not have the opportunity to do so. LCI is more of an interview approach, the
LCC tool would complement the conclusions nicely with numbers.