Automated process control (APC) is an advanced tool whose primary purpose is to analyze the data coming from the process, apply the appropriate heuristics rules, and signal if the process behavior changes significantly, and/or automatically adjust the process input variables to maintain control. The value of APC is that it replaces the human being in analyzing the data and it assures that the heuristic analysis rules are consistently applied. In addition, it allows exception reporting (i.e., receiving a notification only when there is a significant change in the process occurs).