Electricity and Control October 2024

COMMENT

INDUSTRY 4.0 + IIOT

Walk with those who know the way

I am reminded of the true interpretation of Einstein’s theory of relativity – and it goes like this: The older you get, the shorter a year becomes as a proportion of your life. It therefore seems to rush by increasingly rapidly as the years go past. When you are 20, a year is a mere 5% of your life – and therefore it seems rather long… When you are 60, it is less than 2% of your life – and flashes by rather quickly… It seems like yesterday that I crafted the Comment for the previous issue of Electricity + Control . And much has changed since then. But one thing that remains steady is that load shedding (per se) is still being admirably managed. Now we need to brace ourselves for the failures of electrical distribution systems as well as water treatment and delivery net works – issues that are already becoming evident. However, as I reflect on the topics for this month’s edition, I am struck by the over whelming integration of industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things into indus try – and how pervasive these technologies have become. Folk refer to this revolution by various names – but the most appropriate is to bun dle it together as Digital Transformation: it implies a positive and transformative way of doing things. It implies better ways of intel ligently measuring, monitoring, controlling and managing things – in all cases in the broadest sense. It further speaks to the seamless integra tion across a variety of platforms – but with the potential risks of doing that. Think back to hard-wired loops, analogue controllers, and the seeming mystery of tun ing so many systems in a plan that we al ways hoped would work (at least until we’d moved on). It reminds me of the story of the white-coated fellow at the soft drinks factory – but I’ll save that for another comment. Now we face instead the immense challenge of data all over the place. Where

we want it and where we’d really rather not see it! And we all agree that data on its own is worthless. Modern industry requires – indeed is re liant on – the elevation of that data to real information. Real information is useful to the plant and the operating team and should allow you to plan, control and manage the way your plant runs far more efficiently and repeatably. However – we also have many legacy systems installed in various plants around the country. The transition from legacy to a digitally transformed system is a big step – indeed a continuing journey – and it is best to get sound advice on how to undertake this. I remember fondly the angst when cen tral control systems were slowly being re placed by distributed control systems. It almost felt like control was being lost. Of course, it was not – rather the intelligence of the system was being distributed, mak ing the flow of data far more effective and the system more rugged. Now we can encapsulate far more intel ligence at the end of the line and transmit back only the information that has value. In this regard I recall the anxiety when wire less communication systems were first being introduced to industry: it felt as if privacy were likely to be compromised – and certainly there were risks. But these systems were based on technology and encryptions that were developed in times of international anguish – and they worked and were remarkably impenetrable. And so it is today. The next steps to make your plant more efficient may well require big investment and, certainly, cour age. Engage with those who have walked the path and learned the lessons.

energy + information in industry

Editor: Leigh Darroll Design & Layout: Darryl James Advertising Manager: Paul Engelbrecht Circulation: Karen Smith Editorial Technical Director: Ian Jandrell Publisher: Karen Grant Deputy Publisher: Wilhelm du Plessis As EM celebrates 40 years of empowering industry, it is launching its latest catalogue of products designed to shape the future of electrification and automation. (Read more on page 3.)

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Ian Jandrell PrEng IntPE(SA), BSc(Eng) GDE PhD, FSAAE FSAIEE SMIEEE

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OCTOBER 2024 Electricity + Control

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