IT in Manufacturing


Rockwell Automation’s analytics cloud for OEMs

March 2017 IT in Manufacturing

IoT-enabled assets and machines can improve operations when information that matters is delivered to the people who can use it best. Yet equipment builders who invested heavily to build smart machines are often blind to the use and performance of their products after deployment.

To this end, Rockwell Automation has announced FactoryTalk Analytics for Machines cloud application – a new Microsoft Azure cloud-enabled capability that empowers equipment builders with information. As part of the company’s expanded Information Solutions strategy, the application provides access to performance analytics from deployed systems in order to gain valuable insight, to support their customers. For manufacturers going through a digital transformation, this capability capitalises on connected technologies to help drive higher availability and output while reducing maintenance costs.

“The sophistication of plants today has made specialisation and collaboration essential,” said Axel Rodriguez, SaaS/Cloud products manager, Rockwell Automation. “Your manufacturing operations and maintenance teams have a lot on their plates. Allowing your equipment builders – who know their machines like the backs of their hands – to become collaborators in performance analytics can free up the best minds to focus on optimising entire lines, plants or applications.”

OEMs can embed a FactoryTalk Cloud gateway device onto the machines they provide. Once commissioned, the machine starts collecting data. The data from selected controllers is sent to the FactoryTalk cloud application securely, with minimal configuration by the equipment builder or the end user. The equipment builder then has access to real-time analytics and actionable information via prebuilt dashboards. It is that simple.

This cloud-based application, provided as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), empowers equipment builders to best support their systems by seeing how they are used, and offers insight into performance, states, events and other relevant activities.

Before now, there was no standard approach for equipment builders who needed to collaborate with their manufacturing customers. With Rockwell Automation providing trusted access to information, equipment builders can offer customised services, like proactive maintenance and training, and help manufacturers operate more effectively.

For more information contact Christo Buys, Rockwell Automation, +27 (0)11 654 9700, [email protected], www.rockwellautomation.co.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...
Generative AI for immersive real-time visualisation
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Siemens will deepen its collaboration with NVIDIA to help build the industrial metaverse.

Read more...
Award-winning Gen AI solutions
IT in Manufacturing
Amazon Web Services recently hosted an exclusive event in South Africa on ‘Elevating Possibilities with Partners - a Showcase of GenAI Excellence’. This event brought together ten esteemed partners, including Synthesis Software Technologies, to highlight innovative advancements in the field of Generative AI.

Read more...
AI is driving data centres to the edge
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
The data centre has become the cornerstone that links our digitally interconnected world. At the same time, the rapid growth and application of AI and machine learning (ML) is shaping the design and operation of data centres.

Read more...
Full-scale central control room simulator
Valmet Automation IT in Manufacturing
Valmet will deliver a full-scale central control room simulator to Nordic Ren-Gas, the leading Nordic green hydrogen and e-methane developer in Finland.

Read more...
Re-imagining business operations with the power of AI
IT in Manufacturing
inq. has introduced a range of artificial intelligence solutions to assist organisations across industry verticals in optimising business operations and improving internal efficiencies.

Read more...
Safe, sustainable cycling helmet technology
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Lazer Sport, one of Europe’s leading cycling helmet manufacturers, has adopted the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software to bring to market KinetiCore, its new proprietary rotational impact protection technology.

Read more...
Defending against modern-day cyber threats
IT in Manufacturing
The anatomy of cyber threats has changed, meaning that organisations can no longer rely on traditional cybersecurity solutions to protect their perimeter, but should instead rethink their data protection strategy and become proactive in their defence against breaches.

Read more...
Data centre sector 2024 market outlook
IT in Manufacturing
As the world adapts to the digital transformation of almost every aspect of everyday life, the data centre sector, which plays such a pivotal role in digitalisation, is constantly evolving.

Read more...
Reinventing the workforce in the age of generative AI
IT in Manufacturing
Generative AI has burst onto the scene. It appeared fast, and is evolving even faster. Its impact on value chains will fundamentally transform the nature of work, reshaping how businesses deliver value, and delivering better experiences for employees and customers.

Read more...