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Today's automation industry quiz question comes from the ISA Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST) program. Certified Control System Technicians calibrate, document, troubleshoot, and repair/replace instrumentation for systems that measure and control level, temperature, pressure, flow, and other process variables. Click this link for information about the CCST program. This question comes from the Level I study guide, Domain 2, Loop checking. Level I represents a professional who has a five-year total of education, training, and/or experience.
Changing the point of origin for input data and the output signal destination is easy with a distributed control system (DCS) because many changes can be implemented by:
a) relocating wire jumpers in a junction box
b) changing the pneumatic tubing connections
c) reassigning inputs/outputs by changing loop configuration
d) installing new transmitters and final control elements
e) none of the above
While one could accomplish changing data input and output by performing a), b) and d) the whole point of beauty in a distributed control system (DCS) is one doesn't have to go into the field to reconfigure the process. Recall that a DCS is that class of instrumentation (input/output devices, control devices, and operator interface devices) that in addition to executing the stated control functions also permits the transmission of control, measurement, and operating information to and from one or many user-specifiable locations, all connected by a communication link. [ISA-5.3-1983]
The best answer is C.