IT in Manufacturing


Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)enables new business models

May 2015 IT in Manufacturing

The transformation of the industrial sector has begun. Information-driven systems based on increased connectivity, real-time data, advanced analytics, and execution software can deliver better performance and enhance competitive advantage – not only in the plant, but across a global industrial enterprise and out to its value chain. Many suppliers are developing and deploying new Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions. Thanks to intelligent, connected production assets and new service models, companies are improving performance, reducing operating costs, and increasing reliability.

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) enables new business models.
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) enables new business models.

According to Accenture, the IIoT could add more than $10 trillion to the global economy by 2030, opening up new opportunities for economic growth and competitiveness. ARC Advisory Group defines the IIoT as connecting intelligent physical entities, such as sensors, machines, and other assets to each other, to Internet services, and to applications. The IIoT serves up data from connected devices in the plant or in the field and then processes those data using sophisticated new analytics and execution software systems. This sets the stage for operational improvements and for implementing new and innovative business processes. Smart connected products and machines can be more flexible and perform better than their unconnected predecessors.

The IIoT architecture builds upon current and emerging technologies. IIoT-enabled solutions, which combine appropriate elements of both operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT), have the potential to bring plant and business performance to a new level. Yokogawa’s industrial automation (IA) product and service offerings, industry domain knowledge, and VigilantPlant approach – which emphasises safe, secure, and uninterrupted operations – provide a solid foundation for the Industrial Internet of Things that specifically addresses the requirements of process automation, particularly for the OT side of the equation. To be able to provide an equally solid foundation for the IT side, Yokogawa is partnering with Cisco Systems and other industry leaders.

Collaborative engineering

Yokogawa is focused on the potential project, operations and maintenance benefits that IIoT can deliver for their customers across a broad cross section of industries. To reduce engineering times during the design phase of automation projects and reduce travel time and costs for engineers and designers, The company is developing effective and secure methods for performing simultaneous, remote collaborate engineering via the Internet. This includes the ability for engineers and designers based in different competency centres around the world to 'meet' in cyberspace and share data, information, and design documents via web-enabled applications. This represents the true application of concurrent engineering practices to automation projects, where multiple engineers and project personnel can have access to up-to- date project information regardless of where they reside. In the example provided, DCS engineers located in Yokogawa’s Industrial Automation (IA) Center in Tokyo could collaborate effectively with EPC engineers in the US, engineers from a packaged equipment supplier based in Europe, and engineers and other end users from the owner-operator based in the Middle East.

IoT integrates Operational Technology with the Enterprise.
IoT integrates Operational Technology with the Enterprise.

Big Data analysis provides intelligence for both routine and non-routine operations

Today’s industrial facilities generate tremendous amounts of data from connected devices, machines, plant equipment, systems, and software applications. As more ‘things’ become smart and connected, the volume and variety of data that must be collected, managed, stored, and parsed will only increase, creating new challenges at both the OT and IT levels. To gain value from this Big Data and improve the total cost of ownership (TCO) for industrial assets, owner-operators will have to take full advantage of the advanced analytics solutions now coming onto the market for industrial applications.

Yokogawa believes that by analysing the OT-related Big Data generated by IIoT-connected plant assets and providing the resulting analysis to the right people, applications, and systems in an appropriate timeframe and context, industrial organisations can optimise their operations to both improve TCO and achieve operational excellence (OpX). The organisation’s efforts here focus on two areas:

1. Providing feedback for humans to interpret and act upon for non-routine OT-related work processes.

2. Develop real-time logic and intelligent applications to trigger the appropriate automated responses in mission-critical systems for routine processes. This builds upon Yokogawa’s leadership in modular procedural automation (MPA). Big Data analytics offer exciting potential to bring MPA to the next level.

Conclusion

Yokogawa’s vision for the IIoT is to add significant value in the OT domain, while helping ensure the prerequisite integration of OT by working closely with both IT suppliers and end users. In addition to supplying a wide variety of related industrial hardware, software, and services, this includes taking advantage of the company’s deep knowledge of industrial organisational issues; real-time data processing, data storage, and analysis; and managing data from devices, machines, and other ‘things’ in the plant and in the field.

Images published courtesy the ARC Advisory Group.

For more information contact Christie Cronje, Yokogawa South Africa, +27 (0)11 831 6300, christie.cronje@za.yokogawa.com, www.yokogawa.com/za



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Bringing brownfield plants back to life
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Today’s brownfield plants are typically characterised by outdated equipment and processes, and face challenges ranging from inefficient operations to safety hazards. However, all is not lost, as these plants stand to gain a lot from digitalisation and automation.

Read more...
Faster access to device data
EPLAN Software IT in Manufacturing
Eplan eStock gives companies access to centralised device management in the Eplan Cloud, simplifying collaboration, and reducing coordination times and media discontinuities.

Read more...
Accurate and effective bearing replacement
SKF South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Each year, incorrect mounting is causing countless bearing failures. Overcoming this can deliver multiple benefits to owners and operators of rotating machinery, including reduced maintenance costs and fewer breakdowns.

Read more...
Comprehensive protection of the network
Phoenix Contact IT in Manufacturing
In recent years, the generation of data to create ever better transparency and control of production has become a decisive competitive factor. IIoT has also contributed to more manufacturing systems being connected to IT or cloud systems. This places higher demands on access security, which Phoenix Contact meets with the Secure Edge Box.

Read more...
Manufacturers should watch for these five trends
IT in Manufacturing
Over the last several years trends have emerged in manufacturing, realising significant advancements in machine-reliant assembly lines through to highly automated factories. As we look ahead, there are several key trends to watch.

Read more...
The role of technology in mining safety and environmental protection
IT in Manufacturing
Modern mining practices routinely integrate technology into workflows to improve operational efficiencies. AI can also play a role in managing employee health, decreasing safety risks, and managing the environmental footprint of mining and extractive industries.

Read more...
Machine safety, diagnostics and data security
Turck Banner Southern Africa IT in Manufacturing
Personnel safety systems on machines are often seen as a necessary evil. To function correctly, a safety device is required to be self-checking, which adds more complexity and costs compared to a non-safety device.

Read more...
SMOM – the future is here now
Iritron Editor's Choice IT in Manufacturing
In his presentation at the recent MESA Africa conference, Neels van der Walt, business development manager at Iritron, revealed the all-encompassing concept of smart mining operations management (SMOM), and why it is inextricably linked to the future of worldwide mining operations.

Read more...
Navigating disruption in manufacturing
Editor's Choice IT in Manufacturing
When considering IT in manufacturing, the underlying assumption is twofold: first, a wave of valuable maturing technologies can be harnessed to create new business value, and second, the environment in which these technologies will be applied will be relatively predictable, with change following a manageable, evolutionary path. However, recent disruptions have shattered these assumptions.

Read more...
Multi-discipline simulation of axial flux motors for next-generation EVs
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Siemens Digital Industries Software’s Simcenter E-Machine Design software helps electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and their associated supply chains to predict the performance of e-machines accurately, including axial flux electric drive units.

Read more...