Electricity and Control August 2023

INDUSTRY 4.0 + IIOT

As organisations see greater volumes of data generated from their operations, they need to be able to leverage the data to generate more value and insight that helps opera tions and asset integrity managers ‘do more, better’. In this regard, Charles Blackbeard, Business Development Manager, ABB Ability™ Digital says significant value can be gained by integrating information from assets (IT systems), sensors (OT systems) and design (engineering) systems. In a manufacturing environment, most of these systems are running in multiple networks across different units. He notes too that sometimes the ownership of the data varies from plant to plant and is also dependent on the users’ roles. “Organisations need a centralised environment where they can integrate, validate, contextualise the cleaned data and make it accessible centrally. This is where the cloud presents great potential and can yield particular benefits,” he says. Consolidating data and deploying via the cloud opens up multiple solutions and application possibilities, including business, asset and sustainability solutions as well as solutions in planning and logistics, operation, supply chain, and advanced supervisory systems. In industry, it also serves to inform predictive, diagnostic, and prescriptive analytics applications. This means that previously siloed information is now available across the entire enterprise. “Concerns about security are, of course, front of mind when the number of users across a system is increased, more devices are connected to the network, and more and more information is being stored in the cloud,” says Blackbeard. There are also a number of data and integration chal lenges to be considered in the prospective use of cloud solutions. These may include: compliance, an understanding of fibre and undersea cable rollouts (and the importance of reliable internet connectivity in cloud services), and knowledge of the state of the cloud market in Africa and how it is evolving. Most important, says Cruise, is the availability of support. “Though some international providers also offer reliable support, interacting with people who are in the same country and speak the same language, in all senses, is a quicker route to good support.” Cost Cost is a critical factor for businesses anywhere and in Africa, cost-efficiency is crucial for survival. However, choosing

cheap over efficient, is not always wise, warns Cruise. “The cloud provider should offer competitive pricing models that align with your business needs and budget, as well as providing for scalability and respective pricing models. Costs will increase over time with changing economic pressures.” Carefully considering these criteria in evaluating poten tial cloud providers, businesses can select a provider that lifts their operations and shifts them towards a future of effi ciency, scalability, and growth in the digital age. □

For more information visit: https://routed.co.za

INDUSTRY 4.0 + IIOT : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

Integrating data streams to optimise asset management

- Differences across in dustry verticals - Coupling to applications and - Isolated networks. However, he adds that there are some powerful risk mitiga tion strategies available. For example, deploying edge solu

tions – whether this is so-called ‘lite edge’ – for secured communication from edge to cloud, or ‘heavy edge’ – for deploying application at the source of data and enabling distributed computing, faster response time and cost op timisation. He highlights several clear benefits to this approach. - The use of an SaaS- (software as a service) based business model enables customers to focus on op erational efficiency. - It allows for the building of an integrated asset in formation model using operations, process control, assets and design systems based on a contextu alisation engine. - It empowers users by delivering solutions in par ticular focus areas in controls or process: for en gineers, manufacturing system engineers, data engineers, integration engineers, and system ar chitects. - It enables hybrid deployment of containerised solutions, so reducing data round trips and sup porting faster responses. - Cost reductions can be achieved by distributing data processing between edge and cloud, filtering and aggregating high-volume data at the edge. - Additionally, it builds operational resilience to un reliable networks by enabling the hosting of man aged applications with data at the edge; data can be synchronised with the cloud when connectivity returns.

Consolidating data and deploying via the cloud opens up multiple solutions and application possibilities.

- Proprietary controls - Multiple data formats - A lack of contextual information - Data quality issues - Design for operations

For more information visit. www.abb.com

AUGUST 2023 Electricity + Control

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