Device connectivity is not a revolutionary concept in process automation. Bi-directional communication between the process control system and field devices has been the norm for decades. Controllers have had their own IP addresses and web servers provide access to manage software updates and data acquisition. So why the elevated interest in connected devices now?
ARC Advisory Group believes that it’s because the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) will increase the number of connected devices in manufacturing by orders of magnitude. As industrial organisations gain full appreciation for the potential value of connected devices and figure out how to use them effectively, asset and operations optimisation are emerging as the primary IIoT opportunities (at least for the immediate future).
At ARC’s nineteenth annual Industry Forum in Orlando, Florida, the high interest level in connected devices necessitated two sessions (Parts 1 and 2) under the common theme: ‘Connected Asset Performance Management – Where Industrial Internet of Things Gets Real’. The two sessions helped illustrate the two sides of the connected device coin, with the speakers in the Part 1 session discussing real value achieved from device connectivity, while the speakers in Part 2 reminded attendees that continuous connectivity remains a challenge and that data can lull plants into a false sense of security.
Leveraging device connectivity at Dow Chemical
In his forum keynote address, Peter Holicki, vice president, manufacturing and engineering and environment, health & safety operations at Dow Chemical, openly acknowledged that his company is ‘addicted to technology’. He qualified this by calling the addiction, a ‘healthy’ one as he explained that the purpose of technology adoption at Dow is to ensure the company remains agile and competitive by investing in technology that supports its strategy and business goals.
By coincidence, both speakers in Part 1 of ARC’s asset performance management (APM) Forum session were also from Dow Chemical, although the two had never met prior to the event. Their presentations reflected Holicki’s statement as each shared how they make innovative use of device connectivity to perform their respective work functions.
Kevin Snowden, reliability engineer, is a champion of using tools to analyse maintenance data to discover and correct problems to improve as-set and plant reliability. He stressed the need for consistent data to enable meaningful analysis and comparisons. He relayed the pain associated with cleansing data as Dow streamlined seven regionally-based computerised maintenance management systems (CMMS) systems into a single global enterprise asset management (EAM) system with one code set in SAP.
Dow utilises Meridium APM to improve work process efficiency of the approximately two million pieces of equipment in its ERP database and Meridium Asset Answers to compare asset performance internally within its own plants as well as with external parties. With the touch of a button, Snowden can access data on all 32 000 centrifugal pumps in use globally at Dow. Now that’s connectivity!
From Dow Chemical’s Deer Park, TX location (winner of the HART 2013 Plant of the Year Award), Shadrach Stephens, instrument and electrical maintenance group leader, described how his team delivers value to the company through instrument reliability. Stephens’ strategy was to drive quick solutions to demonstrate results to build momentum for the improvement effort. To gain a better understanding of their needs, prior to implementing any changes, he sought the ‘voice of the customer’, in this case, Dow employees who rely on valve data. He also created an infrastructure that enabled managers to assign craftspeople with the right skill sets to the right place. Stephens advised keeping a sharp focus on the goals at hand and to execute the plan.
The facility utilises HART technology as part of a reliability improvement programme to connect process and device data to improve plant performance. HART is employed to monitor critical control valves connected to asset management software for diagnostics, failure analysis, and preventive/predictive condition-based maintenance. By using intelligent device information to reduce costs and improve plant operations, the team reduced reactor trips by 85 percent, contributing millions of dollars in EBIT savings to the company.
Other benefits realised included changing plant culture and recognising the need for an equipment maintenance strategy that enables work to continue automatically.
Plan for the disconnected state
A primary driver for IIoT is the ubiquity of mobile communications. Those of us that live and work in areas with pervasive cellular coverage take it for granted. However, in Part 2 of the APM session, Stacie Sourasinth of Loram Maintenance of Way, reminded the audience that IIoT requires connectivity and advised owner/operators to develop contingency plans for the disconnected state. Any intrepid readers currently utilising cloud-based Office 365 have undoubtedly experienced instances when connectivity was momentarily lost. (Hopefully, your work was autosaved and not lost forever.)
As global providers of railroad track maintenance and machinery services, Loram personnel operate high value equipment in remote areas where cell service is not often available – such as in the wilds of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. To complicate the issue, Loram’s work sites (moving trains) are mobile. Loram plans for the disconnected state by equipping its trains with both cellular and satellite networks. Cellular is the preferred connectivity method, with satellite communication utilised in areas without cell coverage. However, this too is limiting as signals can only be transmitted when the equipment is stationery. When totally disconnected, DVRs are employed as ‘a backup to the backup’, since work history and inventory information can be uploaded to a central database when connectivity is re-established.
To extend the life of its high-value assets and record activities even when in the disconnected state, Loram relies on the IFS Applications suite, a proven maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) solution for fleets with robust mobile capabilities. The suite provides enterprise asset management (EAM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), enterprise project management, and supply chain management (SCM) applications.
Keep moving forward
For the past 10 years, Agrium, manufacturer and retailer of agricultural products, has been working to improve the performance of both its operations and maintenance departments. Initial improvement efforts focused on workflow management and turnaround planning and execution, yet plants continued to experience unplanned maintenance outages. Availability numbers consistently in the 90 percent range lulled the plants into a false sense of security regarding performance. The need to migrate from a reactive to proactive maintenance culture was sorely apparent, but conflicting priorities hampered the effort. Despite resource limitations, Keith Berriman, former reliability director at Agrium, advised the Part 2 audience to keep moving forward, recommending a coordinated approach that leverages both technology and integrated systems.
Agrium selected Bentley Systems’ AssetWise (formerly Ivara) to provide the framework for improvement. A common matrix view in AssetWise facilitated asset criticality reviews. The ability to share analyses between sites helped the company create templates for common tasks and supported collaboration. The solution’s cloud-based library of failure modes facilitated developing action plans and the management of change (MOC) process. Networking capabilities made it possible to monitor programme progress and ensure continuity.
While Agrium is not yet planning its IIoT strategy, the company leverages open architecture solutions to enable connectivity with other systems and tools. For example, AssetWise is integrated with the process data historian, RBMware vibration monitoring software, and of course, SAP.
Consistent themes emerged
Despite the contrast in messages, some common themes emerged as each speaker addressed the impact of culture on improvement efforts in their respective organisations. Data-driven engineering types generally shy away from ‘soft’ topics involving human behaviour because it is largely unpredictable. However, culture cannot be ignored because it affects the manner in which people interact internally and externally. It can prove to be the most challenging organisational characteristic to change and requires leadership to set the tone.
Corporate culture at Dow Chemical embraces technology, provided it aligns with business objectives. The company is willing to adapt to change and is committed to attracting and retaining talent. Snowden cited the implementation of a single taxonomy for asset data as an example of its willingness to adapt to change. Stephens discussed culture change to drive improvement. As a leader, he set out to discover the needs of his customers prior to implementing changes in work procedures and sought quick returns to sustain the momentum for improvement.
At Loram, innovation is a core value as exhibited in its use of multiple technologies to ensure work is properly performed and documented.
Berriman indicated Agrium is making progress, but has not yet completed the transformation from a reactive to proactive maintenance culture. He observed that plants with strong leadership are proving to more successful in making the transition.
The APM and IIoT connection
ARC end user surveys consistently indicate that unplanned downtime, a key metric of production performance, continues to plague manufacturing. The potential to incrementally improve this metric through asset monitoring is a primary business value proposition for justifying connected devices. The ability to serve up data from connected devices to improve operations and maintenance helps drive the promised savings. Industrial companies can use information from connected devices to lower costs, optimise processes, and transform applications, services and business models.
In IIoT, the emphasis is on remote access to connected assets to enable incremental business improvement. In a world where even the slightest competitive edge can make or break an operation, remote monitoring can offer considerable value by helping minimise unplanned downtime and improve performance.
The rich flow of monitoring data from smart, connected products, coupled with the capacity to control product operation, allows companies to optimise product performance in numerous ways, many not previously possible. IIoT-enabled smart, connected products can apply algorithms and analytics to in-use or historical data to dramatically improve output, utilisation and efficiency.
About the author
Paula Hollywood, senior analyst at ARC Advisory Group, currently focuses on asset management and asset reliability. She has over 30 years of experience in automation. Prior to joining ARC in 2000, her roles included sales, marketing and product management for suppliers of process automation hardware and software. Paula has a BS from Northeastern University and an MS from the University of Massachusetts Boston.
For more information contact Paul Miller, ARC Advisory Group, +1 781 471 1126, pmiller@arcweb.com, www.arcweb.com
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