<P> In control theory Advanced process control (APC) refers to a broad range of techniques and technologies implemented within industrial process control systems . Advanced process controls are usually deployed optionally and in addition to basic process controls . Basic process controls are designed and built with the process itself, to facilitate basic operation, control and automation requirements . Advanced process controls are typically added subsequently, often over the course of many years, to address particular performance or economic improvement opportunities in the process . </P> <P> Process control (basic and advanced) normally implies the process industries, which includes chemicals, petrochemicals, oil and mineral refining, food processing, pharmaceuticals, power generation, etc . These industries are characterized by continuous processes and fluid processing, as opposed to discrete parts manufacturing, such as automobile and electronics manufacturing . The term process automation is essentially synonymous with process control . </P> <P> Process controls (basic as well as advanced) are implemented within the process control system, which may mean a distributed control system (DCS), programmable logic controller (PLC), and / or a supervisory control computer . DCSs and PLCs are typically industrially hardened and fault - tolerant . Supervisory control computers are often not hardened or fault - tolerant, but they bring a higher level of computational capability to the control system, to host valuable, but not critical, advanced control applications . Advanced controls may reside in either the DCS or the supervisory computer, depending on the application . Basic controls reside in the DCS and its subsystems, including PLCs . </P> <P> Following is a list of well known types of advanced process control: </P>

Q6. define advanced process control (apc) on a chemical process plant