In VISTA/SFC, mapping from process statements to simulator steps is accomplished by tool agents , which reconcile equipment and process views with simulator models and input requirements. Figure 5.3 shows the basic mechanism for converting a tool-independent process flow description into a simulator-specific flow.
A tool agent generates the required input for a simulation tool from the data in a process or equipment statement. Each step has attributes attached to specify the simulator and to supply values for simulator-specific parameters.
When determining the sequence of simulation steps corresponding to
a process sequence, both the names of the tools to call as well
as their respective inputs have to be established
.
In the first place, the number of possible tool candidates has to be
reduced by means of exclusion or explicit preference stated in the
flow or in global resources. Once a tool has been decided on, parameter
values get filled in from locally defined data, global defaults as well
as calibration data by the tool agent,
to yield a complete set of simulator input data.
Figure 5.3:
Mapping from process steps to tool steps.
Tool agents generate simulator input statements for each step in
the process flow.