Which of the following is NOT a role of a Data Acquisition System?

A Data Acquisition System (DAS) primarily serves to capture and record data from various sensors monitoring the conditions of a process, such as temperature, pressure, or flow rates. It is designed to gather data continuously or at specified intervals, ensuring that accurate information is available for analysis.

While a DAS may also play a role in communication, sharing data with other systems or networks for further processing or visualization, it does not typically engage in controlling process variables directly. Control of process variables is generally the function of a Control System or Distributed Control System (DCS), which actively adjusts inputs or outputs based on the data received from the DAS to maintain desired operating conditions.

Analyzing data for patterns can be undertaken by additional systems or software that receive data from the DAS, but this function is not inherent to the core role of the DAS itself. A DAS focuses on data collection and communication rather than performing direct control actions. Thus, the role of controlling process variables falls outside the primary functions of a Data Acquisition System.