Stand-alone computer system

Figure 2 depicts the entire process of computer-aided engineering (CAE). A part of this process is the software for computer-aided engineering, which, as shown in Figure 1, consists of modeling systems, stand-alone programs, and Hbraries of utihties for engineering calculations. 

Cluster computing. Integrates stand-alone computers devised for mainstream processing tasks through local-area (LAN) or system-area (SAN) interconnection networks and employed as a singly administered computing resource (e.g., Beowulf, NOW, Compaq SC, IBM SP-2). 

The CACTVS molecule editor is a graphical input tool for molecular structures and is free of charge for non-profit use. It can be used as a stand-alone or as a dependent remote program of the CACTVS computation workbench. The software is available for aU platforms (excluding Macintosh systems). 

The assessment of the contribution of a product to the fire severity and the resulting hazard to people and property combines appropriate product flammabihty data, descriptions of the building and occupants, and computer software that includes the dynamics and chemistry of fires. This type of assessment offers benefits not available from stand-alone test methods quantitative appraisal of the incremental impact on fire safety of changes in a product appraisal of the use of a given material in a number of products and appraisal of the differing impacts of a product in different buildings and occupancies. One method, HAZARD I (11), has been used to determine that several commonly used fire-retardant—polymer systems reduced the overall fire hazard compared to similar nonfire retarded formulations (12). 

Stand-alone computer systems, usually based on a personal computer (PC) or programmable logic controller (PLC), provide a separate computer system for each pilot plant. This allows for economical expansion for new units, separates pilot plants completely for maintenance and troubleshooting, and often has the lowest initial cost. Standardization can be a problem and software control, data gathering, and storage packages can be limited in size, scope, and capabiUty these are usually acceptable trade-offs. 

Virtuady ad new pdot plants wid be computer controded and heavdy automated due to the high cost of operating labor, need for high accuracy and repeatabdity, and ease of data gathering and work-up. Stand-alone computer and programmable logic controder systems wid continue to dominate the market because of their low cost and ease of use. 

When the first of our new pilot plants was designed we had the option of full computer control. We decided to Install stand-alone solid state controllers and safety systems to allow the fullest operating flexibility and the best possible data retrieval. The computers chosen for the latter have the capability when we wish to control temperature, pressure or feeds using our own algorithms. 

The facility inspection should include a review of the computer systems and software to ensure they have been validated. There may be differences between how network systems are validated in contrast to stand-alone systems. The records, procedures, and SOPs for the different systems should be reviewed as part of the facility inspection. If validation reports have not previously been reviewed by the QA unit, the facility inspection may provide an opportunity to review these reports and data. 

Size exclusion liquid chromatography M) has been widely used to characterize distributions of molecular weights in polymer specimens. This paper describes a package of computer programs for automatic data collection and data reduction in size exclusion liquid chromatography (2). The programs and the environment in which they operate are carefully tailored to emphasize the interaction between the user and his data rather than the Interaction between the user and the computer. The system we describe differs from that described by Koehler et al. (J) in that all functions are performed by a stand-alone system. 

An important use for FT-IR spectrometers is in coupling them to gas chromatographs in what is called a coupled or hyphenated technique, i.e. GC-IR (p. 117). This enables the spectra of eluting peaks to be recorded without the need to trap the component or stop the gas flow. Computer enhancement and manipulations of the recorded spectra are additional features of both stand-alone FT-IR spectrometers and GC-IR systems. 

Generalized valence bond interaction energies were computed for mono/poly-nitrogenous five- and six-membered heterocycles.203 Results that diverged from those obtained by other methods were obtained only for poly-nitrogenous systems such as pyridazine, benzotriazole, and tetrazole, which may confirm Bird s earlier finding123 204 that electron delocalization is not a stand-alone and direct measure of aromaticity for nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds. 

Until recently, most expert system building took place in the research departments of universities and a few major corporations. The primary emphasis was investigation of artificial intelligence principles, and the application was of secondary importance. The expert systems tools used reflect this interest. They are typically stand-alone AI computer systems, using special hardware and software environments (usually Lispr-based) not commonly fo md in scientific and engineering organizations. 

Overall, most of the requirements for a process spectrometer/analyzer are straightforward to implement, but they do require attention at the design level. Another important area, which is FTIR specific, is the user interface and the need to provide for industry standard data communications. Standard software packages do exist for process instrumentation. For prototype development, and even for the front-end interface in a stand-alone mode of operation, software products, such as National Instraments Lab View and the Mathworks MatLab, are also important instrumentation development tools. Note that National Instruments also provides important computer-based electronics and hardware that meet most of the computer interfacing, and system control and communications needs for modem instrumentation. For practical installations, a product known... 

The turnkey system illustrated in Figure 9.24 can be mounted close to the sensor which will reduce potential electrical noise picked up by the cable connecting the sensor to the rest of the equipment. The equipment shown can also be used without a computer as a stand alone measurement transmitter . The... 

A historical control database can take on many formats, from a simple spreadsheet (e.g., Microsoft Excel) to a fully searchable database that is interfaced or a part of the laboratory s computer data collection system. Most laboratories that conduct large numbers of studies according to GLP standards have a validated computer data collection system, and some of these systems automatically compile control data ftom studies so the user does not have to reenter the data into a separate historical control database. However, because of the inflexibility of the data acquisition systems, many laboratories still compile their historical control data by manually entering into a stand-alone database, such as customized spreadsheet format (e.g., Microsoft Excel). 

Proper functioning and performance of equipment and computer systems play a major role in obtaining consistency, reliability, and accuracy of analytical data. Therefore, equipment qualification (EQ) and computer system validation (CSV) should be part of any good analytical practice. It is also requested by FDA regulations through the overall requirement that equipment must be suitable for its intended use. While in the past, equipment qualification and computer validation focused on equipment hardware and stand-alone computer systems, recently the focus has been on network infrastructure, networked systems, and on the security, authenticity, and integrity of data acquired and evaluated by computer systems. 

Networked systems with integrated databases are used extensively in the pharmaceutical industry. These are computerized systems, and as such, must be qualified and validated to demonstrate suitability of their intended use. While validation of stand-alone computer systems is well described [8] and understood, there is still uncertainty on how to qualify networks and networked systems. On the other hand, inspectors are looking more and more into such systems, and validation of... 

HEAT STABILIZERS] (Vol 12) Stand-alone computer systems... 

A number of the basic characteristics of operator stations (OS) are described in Section 7.19.4. Distributed computer control systems normally offer two types of operator station, a stand-alone OS, and a host-dependent OS. Both provide a logical display hierarchy which, if properly configured, improve significantly the... 

The design, development, and system build phases need to deliver computer systems and services in a manner that facilitates effective and efficient system validation, operation, maintenance, modification, and upgrade. This applies to both stand-alone and embedded process control computer systems (see Sec. VI). 

For a stand-alone system the computer system normally undergoes factory acceptance testing at the supplier s premises, and as with associated instrumentation and regulating devices is shipped to the site, inspected, and where applicable is stored and then installed with the manufacturing process/plant equipment. 

The scope of the CRS validation must be defined. For a stand-alone application on a stand-alone computer system, this maybe straightforward. If there are any interfaces with other systems, however, the scope becomes more challenging. A clear definition of the VMP scope will help prevent misunderstandings and scope creep that can cause significant schedule delays. Consider such questions as... 

A computer is a machine that has the ability to store internally sequenced instructions that will guide it automatically through a series of operations leading to a completion of the task (Goldstein, 1986 Morley, 1997 Parker, 1988). A microcomputer, then, is regarded as a small stand-alone desktop computer (strictly speaking, a microcomputer is a computer system built around a microprocessor) that consists of three basic units ... 

Much of the gain in desk top publishing is lost if the publishers proceed to treat the hard copy in the same way as a typewritten copy, namely to rekey the text and recreate the figures. The results of an ACS survey of ACS authors indicated that 1) in generating drafts for their manuscripts, 59% of the authors use word processing systems, and 2) 93% of the authors produce some of their manuscripts in final form by some type of word processing system, (ref. 24) The types of computers used were 71% microcomputer, 12% stand-alone word processor, 6% minicomputer, 4% mainframe computer. 

The User Interface. A wide variety of stand alone steady state simulation programs and flowsheet systems are available to the process engineer. These have been reported in a series of articles by Peterson, Chen and Evans in 1978 (j>) and by Chen and Evans in 1979 (6). Some practical advice on the use of the computer Tn design is reported by Weismantel (7 ). A course in the use of several commercially available systems is given in the AIChE Today Series ( ). A report on the use of networks to share chemical engineering programs among educators was recently issued (9 ). ... 

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