Qualitative Process Automation vs. Quantitative Process Control

This paper introduces a new level of process control technology. Associated issues and opportunities are presented relative to accurate sensor measurements (sensor data accuracy), process information derived from temporal changes in sensor measurements (sensor understanding), and information reasoned from a multitude of sensors (fusion of sensor information). Recent research in the area of Artificial Intelligence (AI) based process automation is introduced and discussed as applied to autoclave curing of graphite-epoxy composite materials. Comparisons of conventional quantitative process control with qualitative process automation are highlighted.