Automatic identification of important batch events

A method for automatic identification of important batch events for a batch execution alignment algorithm, comprising:

• receiving historical batch data of a batch process, wherein the historical batch data comprises a plurality of batch executions, and wherein each of the plurality of batch executions comprises a plurality of batch events, indicating a specific event of the batch process, and at least one time series of a process variable, indicating a development of the process variable during the batch process;
• determining a distance between the at least one time series of the plurality of the batch executions for each of the plurality of batch events;
• wherein the distance is determined using an algorithm that uses metrics to compare pairwise time series of the at least one time series, wherein a result of the algorithm is a determination of the distance, the distance being between the compared time series and indicating how far away different batch events in the time series are from each other;
• and
• identifying at least one important batch event for a batch execution alignment algorithm with a smallest distance using the determined distances, wherein the at least one important batch event comprises batch events that are indicative for the progress of the batch process;
• wherein identifying the at least one important batch event comprises:
• ranking the batch events using the determined distances;
• and
• selecting the at least one important batch event with the highest ranking.