Maximum force logging and operational performance prognostics for process control devices

An actuator comprising:

• a position sensor that is configured to measure a position of a valve element and to output a corresponding position value;
• a force sensor that is configured to measure a force applied by the actuator and to output a corresponding force value;
• a processor communicatively coupled to the position sensor and the force sensor;
• and
• a memory device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to repeatedly execute a routine comprising:
• receiving a position value from the position sensor, the position value indicating the current position of the valve element;
• receiving a force value from the force sensor, the force value indicating the current force applied by the actuator;
• retrieving, from a location in the memory corresponding to the current position, a stored force value for the current position;
• comparing the current force value to the stored force value;
• determining, based upon the comparison, that the current force value for the current position exceeds the previous force value for the current position;
• and
• replacing in the memory the stored force value with the current force value in response to determining that the current force value exceeds the stored force value.

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing machine-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, repeatedly cause the processor to:

• receive from a position sensor a current position value indicating a position of a valve element in a valve;
• receive from a force sensor a current force value indicating a force applied by an actuator coupled to the valve;
• retrieve, from a memory device coupled to the processor, a previous force value measured at the current position;
• compare, by the processor, the current force value for the current position with the previous force value for the current position;
• determine, based upon the comparison, that the current force value for the current position exceeds the previous force value for the current position;
• and
• replace the previous force value for the current position with the current force value for the current position in the memory device in response to determining that the current force value for the current position exceeds the previous force value for the current position.