By George Senzere, solutions architect: Secure Power at Schneider Electric.
Analytics today is the golden thread that runs through multiple market segments, from consumer packaged goods (CPG) to mining minerals and metals (MMM). It provides immense value on an executive and plant level, bridging challenges that come with siloed information, and it benefits the value chain from maintenance personnel to facility engineers and executives.
Analytics is all-encompassing, spanning timeframes from milliseconds to months, and affects a facility’s resilience and efficiency. However, to unlock this value analytics and intelligence must run at every layer in an enterprise, from connected devices, to edge applications, to the cloud.
Looking at connected devices, IIoT with the right analytics can provide the insights required to allow employees to:
• Understand how their actions and decisions impact overall profitability in real time.
• Shift from a reactive to a more productive proactive approach to addressing and eventually avoiding issues.
• Establish benchmarks with easy access to operational trends and identification of process anomalies.
Ultimately, data sharing and connectivity to all process devices in the plant are vital cogs in a machine that will deliver intelligent solutions that ultimately generate rapid payback, support, and adaptable and scalable operations.
The next is edge computing, which brings information closer to plant personnel and managers; but to gain the most from edge computing, one must unlock the value that comes with the ability of analytics to analyse information in a seamless and insightful manner.
The operational edge is the critical point where traditionally siloed IT and OT systems converge and enable connected operations use cases. The edge serves as the connection point that preserves the autonomy of local operations while unlocking the cloud and remote capabilities.
A successful edge infrastructure will support remote, connected, secure, reliable, resilient and sustainable operations; but to ensure organisations harness its full potential it needs to scale up, which brings us to the next important enabler of analytics, cloud computing.
Cloud connectivity is taking place across the operations technology landscape, just as it has in IT. The cloud fosters the flow and connectivity of vital process and operational information to decision makers.
Importantly, the cloud securely stores and manages huge data volumes which analytics services can then convert into real-time information for quick decision-making. Using the cloud, remote teams and service providers gain access to process data and critical equipment performance.
In the end, connected devices, the edge, the cloud and all the analytics feed into each other – creating an important symbiotic relationship that should become a non-negotiable part of operations today.
How smart signalling can transform Africa’s manufacturing future Schneider Electric South Africa
Industrial Wireless
Imagine a factory floor where humans and machines communicate in real time with issues flagged instantly, workflows adjusted seamlessly and downtime reduced to near zero. This is the reality unfolding across Africa as manufacturers embrace the next generation of intelligent signalling technologies.
Read more...Unpacking the technoeconomic case for cleaner power in wastewater plants Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Behind every reliable wastewater plant is an electrical system exposed to the effects of harmonics, voltage distortion and overloaded networks caused by fleets of variable speed drives on pumps and aerators.Together, they steadily drive up maintenance demands and elevate the risk of failure.
Read more...Rethinking power for Africa’s data centres Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Africa’s digital economy is scaling faster than its power systems. If it wants resilient, competitive and sustainable data centres, the starting point must be a grid-to-chip architecture rather than a genset-first mentality.
Read more...Siemens ecosystem strengthens data and AI integration Siemens South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Siemens has announced significant expansions to its Industrial Edge ecosystem, accelerating data and AI integration and releasing enhanced cybersecurity functionalities. These enable a seamless integration of IT and OT environments, optimise processes and reduce operational disruptions.
Read more...Unifying building information into a sea of insight Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Facility managers realise that in order to gain the most from building automation, they can longer deploy and operate technologies in isolation. Modern, integrated building management solutions address this challenge by bringing data from multiple sources and dispersed locations like HVAC, lighting, access control, lifts, generators, field devices, energy and
Read more...Why digital LV switchboards matter Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Today’s buildings account for up to 40% of global energy consumption and CO2 emissions. However, buildings are also expected to deliver higher availability and stronger safety performance while also being sustainable. Digital swirchboards make a difference in the way buildings are developed, upgraded and managed.
Read more...Siemens manages shipbuilding process for HD Hyundai Siemens South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Siemens has been selected by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering as a preferred partner to establish an integrated platform to manage the entire shipbuilding process as a single data flow to help ensure consistency across all its global shipyard facilities.
Read more...The new energy landscape for buildings will be enabled by e-mobility Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
The adoption of the electric vehicle continues to proliferate, and buildings are becoming a vital part of the e-mobility movement, which requires a whole new approach to energy management.
Read more...Transforming the process industry through digitalisation Endress+Hauser South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
By connecting field devices, systems and people, digitalisation creates new opportunities to optimise operations, enhance maintenance strategies and support continuous improvement. As a leading instrumentation provider and major source of process data, Endress+Hauser plays a key role in enabling this transformation.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version