Peter Zornio, chief technology officer at Emerson describes how a new automation architecture will help industries eliminate data silos, expand computing power closest to its user and introduce new cloud-enabled operations and engineering models.
The increasing availability of transformational technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, advanced modeling, high-speed communications, and cloud computing is compelling manufacturers in all industries to explore how they can use these innovations to drive new levels of engineering and operational performance.
Automation has evolved from early digital technologies in the 1980’s to Industrial IoT in the early 2000’s, to Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0 in recent years. Regardless of the buzzword, the goal has been the same: harness technology and software to reduce downtime, increase safety and security, reduce carbon footprint and drive greater efficiencies.
Yet, while automation has delivered enormous benefits over the past few decades, an unintended consequence has developed as each functional team has built their technology portfolio: siloed data.
Over many years, technology adoption has occurred within specific roles and functions, like reliability, production, safety and sustainability. The result has been the creation of vertical silos of technology, intended to help each role measure performance, prioritize work and change operating conditions in the context of their job function. While functional productivity improved, the ability to meaningfully collaborate and correlate data suffered.
The reality of this fragmented approach has become obvious recently, as organizations pursuing their own digital transformation realized their data often lacks the context necessary to deliver new insights. Promising aspirations have failed to deliver results: data lake projects become data swamps, cloud-based analytics initiatives see cost overruns and corporate digital projects deliver mixed results.
The root cause is simple: the underlying automation architecture – nearly 50 years old in its design – is not equipped to meet the information needs of the modern organization. Modern technologies and software demand an openness and data transparency the traditional architecture cannot support. A new automation architecture is needed, one that is increasingly open yet more secure, where data can be leveraged by various roles and software is unleashed to its full potential.
Emerson calls this new architecture ‘Boundless Automation™'. This emerging architecture connects three distinct, but interdependent computing domains: the Intelligent Field, the Edge and the Cloud. Integrated and aligned by a unifying data fabric, Boundless AutomationSM will create a cohesive architecture that transforms how data is accessed and used by increasingly powerful software, at all levels.
Intelligent Field
Innovations in sensor, installation and communications technologies are driving an expansive network of intelligent assets and improved visibility. Applications once deemed too costly or too challenging technically to instrument are now enjoying the benefit of real-time data. Blind spots in facilities are being eliminated and new ways of distributing that data are being realized, such as:
New monitoring applications like corrosion, leak and vibration detection are becoming real-time windows into the health of critical assets.
Wireless and non-intrusive installation techniques are making the deployment of sensors faster, easier, cheaper and less risky.
Rich data applications like video and distributed data visualization are being supported by faster, high-capacity data transmission.
Cellular communications like 5G deliver data directly to the Cloud, creating greater operational flexibility.
Onboard analytics in field devices like digital valve controllers accelerate deeper, faster understanding of asset health and prescribed actions.
The foundation of any manufacturing operation, the intelligent field and factory floor are rapidly evolving to push computing power deeper into the operation, convert data to insights faster and make information available to anyone, anywhere in less time.
The Edge
Prominent for more than a decade, the ‘Edge’ is defined as the computing and networking space on the periphery of an operation, managed by IT. The new, modern Boundless AutomationSM Edge helps simplify the deployment and management of operational technologies (OT) that enable greater on-premise agility, deeply integrated computing power at all levels and greater connectivity between the field and cloud.
Among the key drivers of modern edge technologies is a proliferation of software, including software taking on traditional hardware functions. Organizations looking to make better use of data through open, yet inherently secure software environments will rely on modern edge technologies to make data more accessible across different functions, make software easier to deploy and administer, thereby reducing complexity and eliminating data silos.
Software containerisation will decouple software from hardware, making software functions portable across domains.
A unifying data fabric will help data from various systems integrate and be accessible to more users.
Administrative tools will simplify management of more complex technology architectures, streamlining version management, maximizing cyber resiliency, and reducing engineering hours.
The Cloud
Once considered a centralized data repository and method to simplify software distribution, the modern Cloud is maturing as an integral, real-time operations and engineering domain.
While on-premise operations teams manage the real-time decisions and actions required to run the facility safely and profitably, centralized teams and remote experts can take on a strategic role to monitor and assess how different strategies deliver best-in-class results across the entire enterprise. Thanks to faster communications and advanced software innovation, companies can centralize visibility to different operating assets and even share the technology and operations strategies that make one asset outperform its peers. This ‘Enterprise Operations’ model manages a fleet of operating units in unison, with a more tightly integrated operating philosophy, better comparative data and a more agile approach to operational changes.
For capital projects, Boundless AutomationSM positions the Cloud to reduce the complexity of today’s projects by providing centralized engineering and data management tools which connect and align dozens of suppliers and project teams around the world. This reduces errors and ensures that all teams are operating from a common understanding and a single source of truth with project data. Modular project designs become easier to manage with engineering integration tools that virtualize configuration and testing to ensure accelerated project schedules remain on-time and budgets intact.
Summary
The demands for safe, sustainable and profitable operations are driving the need for greater operational flexibility, agility and better decisions. And despite massive increases in the availability of data, the ability to convert that data into new and actionable insights is stymied by an outdated technology architecture. An open, secure and modern Boundless AutomationSM architecture will give manufacturers across all industries the power to liberate data and unleash the power of software, for world-class performance.
Learn all about Boundless AutomationSM in “Innovations in Automation”.
