Electricity + Control May 2018

round up

CYBER SECURITY

Security a top trend for the future of IIoT

serves to make plants more efficient, safer, and more reliable,” says Marc Ramsay, Vice President for the Industry Business Unit, Schneider Electric South Africa . IIoT tech- nology has continued to develop at a steady rate, and a number of trends are expected to guide these developments for 2018. Adoption of IIoT has increased signif- icantly, as more and more devices get connected to the Internet of Things. The networks have expanded, volumes of data have increased, and more information is at risk, it, therefore, comes as no surprise that the focus on creating applications and data storage solutions capable of providing the necessary security has intensified. “We understand that robust cyber se- curity protection is a must, and Schneider Electric’s solutions apply rigorous policies and methodologies to ensure the protec- tion of critical infrastructure. We also as- sess risk, implement cyber-specific solu- tions and maintain onsite defences over time. Cyber security solutions are applied from the operations perspective while making sure all appropriate IT policies and requirements are implemented. And this, I think, is what sets Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure apart,” he says. While early IIoT implementations gener- ally focused on improving asset utilisation through better monitoring and predictive

analytics, such as predictive maintenance, many industries are now taking advantage of increased connectivity in order to imple- ment more autonomous systems. “Schneider Electric is leading the digi- tal transformation of energy management and industrial automation in South Africa, and the rest of the globe. Our EcoStruxure solutions offer a new level of efficiency and performance, and specific products such as Edge Control allow for remote automa- tion, process automation and machine au- tomation,” says Ramsay. Maintaining plant equipment can be a daunting and costly task, and creating effi- ciencies and using predictive maintenance has become a top priority for the future of IIoT. Here, sensors and real-time monitor- ing could help organisations understand precisely where and when equipment needs to be adjusted or replaced. “This connected ‘smart’ technology is capable of automatically measuring, mon- itoring and controlling energy consumption and demands. When automation and ener- gy is coupled with software and analytics; an unprecedented level of operational intel- ligence is delivered, to make better, more predictive decisions in real time,” he says. Enquiries: Jason Ullbricht. Tel. 27 (0) 11 254 6400 or email jason.ullbricht@schneider-electric.com

The effects of the Internet of Things (IoT) is something we experience in our every- day lives, with the proliferation of smart phones, cars, thermostats, and even smart refrigerators entering our homes. These smart devices provide us with a rich source of sensor data that can be networked, gathered and analysed by software to detect potential issues, allow us to work more productively and save more energy. A less frequently talked about phenom- enon, the Industrial IoT (IIoT), is the ap- plication of the same principles to a wide range of industrial plants and processes. IIoT has been developing in parallel to the more consumer-focused IoT, and it promises to revolutionise industrial prow- ess by improving efficiency at manufactur- ing plants, mining, refineries, off-shore oil platforms and a lot more. Looking for opportunities to expand their digital offering and expand the appli- cation of IoT to industrial environments, plants and factories, Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure promises to change South Af- rica’s Mining, Food & Beverage, andWaste and Wastewater industries. “Gathering technical data, tracking equip- ment and monitoring maintenance activity would help to reduce downtime, process energy use, maintenance costs and time-to- market. This smart IIoT software ultimately

Electricity + Control

MAY 2018

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