Advantages of SMART POSITIONER on a CONTROL VALVE : Automatic calibration and configuration of positioner. Real time diagnostics. Reduced cost of loop commissioning, including installation and calibration. Use of diagnostics to maintain loop performance levels. Improved process control accuracy that reduces process variability. Intelligent Valve Positioner can communicate information on the state of the valve over the Internet. It continually monitors the performance of the valve's actual position and response dynamics, and can sound warnings if the valve's performance starts deteriorating. Typically, it can advise of excessive stiction, hysteresis, overshoot, etc. Moreover, some of today’s smart positioners now also offer data gathering and diagnostic capabilities that can help to reduce unplanned maintenance to an absolute minimum. A simple example might be counting valve open/close cycles in order to predict the amount of wear on the valve trim, stem or seals.