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Open IIoT Demo at APPEX 2024

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Open IIoT will be unveiling four new demo units at APPEX 2024, marking an exciting departure for the group, which had previously combined all of the member companies’ technologies into one single automated system. The event marks the first time the group, originally founded in 2018 and consisting of member companies SMC Australia and New Zealand, Beckhoff Automation, ARGUS, Balluff Australia and Nord Drivesystems, will showcase their cutting-edge new demo units to the general public. While the previous demo unit was able to demonstrate the seamless integration and interoperability of revolutionary IIoT concepts in one physical system, their decision to showcase the power of automation through various Industry 4.0 applications opens up the group to a number of new possibilities.

“We have taken a more decentralised approach this time round”, said Jozef Ceh, SMC’s group manager ANZ for Integrated Solutions and Open IIoT member. “Fast broadband internet connections and sophisticated network protocols will enable all our demo units to operate both independently and in unison. With the new approach, we have combined the power of today’s network infrastructure and cloud connectivity to operate individual processes in remote locations.” Ceh added, “This gives users and visitors to Open IIoT’s APPEX Stand #D040 enhanced access to our demo units, right down to the sensor level.”

SMC’s new EXW1 compact wireless system coincided perfectly with this build. It features EtherCAT and IO-Link Master connections and is the ideal way to highlight SMC’s pipe fabrication architecture in a live application. “It underpins the power of networking when it comes to remote control and data accessibility.” The unit also makes use of an EXW1 IO-Link master wireless remote unit – a product Ceh believes is a gamechanger. “It integrates all the standard features and benefits of IO-Link into a wireless network while offering both Class A and Class B port specification — making this product a logical choice.” The JXC servo motor controller with IO-Link network interface and safe torque-off feature is integrated in this unit. “The direct-input step motor controller is designed for general machine builders who rely on accurate speed, position or force but at the same time look for improved flexibility and stronger security.”

As to the motivation behind Open IIoT’s new exhibition direction, Ceh explains that the separate demo units demonstrate a more decentralised approach to automation in metal fabrication through the utilisation of high-speed broadband connections and sophisticated network protocols. “These create connectivity between individual processes that, while operating individually in separate physical locations, are accessible and controlled through a central user interface and deployed via the cloud,” he continued. All four Open IIoT’s new demo units are connected by member company ARGUS’ advanced SYMBIONT Cloud Deployment Software, an industrial automation and data management platform tailored for medium to large-scale enterprises in the manufacturing industry and other related sectors invested in digital transformation. With its intuitive design that offers a low barrier to entry and straightforward interfaces, Symbiont places advanced system configuration and data contextualization directly into the hands of end-users, thus optimizing performance with asset resilience. This approach is transformative, reducing implementation costs and enhancing flexibility, making it a powerful ally in the digital transformation journey.

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Optimizing Performance With Asset Resilience

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To state the obvious, the digital world has arrived. 48% of organizations are now digital, having moved from the act of digitally transforming organizations to operating a digital business. This translates to running a business at scale and transferring much of the people resource to technology. Upcoming innovations like Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, computer vision/remote visual inspection, and even AI/Industrial voice interfaces, when integrated or embedded in modern cloud-based enterprise asset management (EAM) technologies, can help an organization scale and address all segments of the asset life cycle. This blog will look to deep dive deeper into this interesting topic.

Real-Time Sensing

In the digital world, asset resilience requires a focus on real-time oversight and data with, responsive maintenance and workflows that identify and resolve anomalies before the business is impacted. This is underscored with modern cloud-based innovative EAM technologies that can help manage your assets, including asset inventory, helping to set acceptable levels of service, and reducing manufacturing cycle times. With this level of monitoring, maintenance, and asset portfolio overview, the organization can achieve its planned productivity gains and operational efficiencies with greater visibility and control. Some organizations use EAM systems to track production supplies and purchases, while others use it to balance operational requirements against maintenance needs, finding the right time to perform regularly scheduled maintenance activities against production schedules, which increases peak performance runtime and asset availability. These examples automate more workflows, increase operating efficiencies for processes like heat induction bending services, curtail human errors, and reduce unplanned downtime and outages.

In addition, EAM technologies support sustainability objectives because assets and data are connected across the enterprise, enabling greater monitoring of sustainability goals and compliance to asset monitoring as part of business process integration. In addition, when an asset has reached its end-of-life stage in the business, the organization can start to plan for newer equipment while selling the old asset with intact records and suggested monitoring and maintenance for the new buyer. The asset life cycle can then come full circle.

Economic Value of Asset Resilience

In today’s economic environment, managing and controlling spend is critical to profitability. Spending money on nonessential maintenance, buying new assets because they have begun their useful life, and even procuring extra maintenance inventory “just in case” existing mining plant and equipment goes bad — all that eats away profitability. In the digital world, organizations should leverage EAM technology to the fullest so they can maximize their asset investment portfolios, account for the assets overall, bring insights into asset performance while monitoring for and scheduling preventive maintenance, and ensure the organization stays productive while optimizing asset utilization at peak performance.

EAM technologies deliver the following measurable benefits:

  • Savings in maintenance costs and time with the tracking of assets
  • Operational efficiencies resulting in longer runtimes
  • Improved uptime of equipment with monitoring and maintenance
  • Improved customer experience

These economic value-adds also reduce the angst within the business over asset performance and improve asset resiliency while providing greater transparency so course corrections happen immediately. Organizations can monitor and maintain asset performance regardless of economic conditions.

Finishing Touches

Today, technology plays a more significant role, as organizations seek to leverage as many advantages as possible. Previously, employees were more involved in the operation and maintenance of enterprise assets. But with digital transformation, technology has taken on much of this work, with 24/7 oversight, alerts, and automated workflows. It is now clear that Innovative cloud EAM technology is a win-win that organizations need to invest in to thrive in the digital world. Digital is no longer a vague buzzword, it is here and now – and organizations need to adapt to thrive!

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The Rise and Rise of IIoT

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It is a well-known fact that IoT (Internet of Things), such as IoT in Oil and Gas, has been a buzzword for some time now. The concept of “smart” living which involves usage of wearables which transmit data on health, performance and monetary matters captured the imagination and led to the development of smart watches, BP trackers etc. This concept has now been extended to the industrial space with Industrial IoT, or IIoT, being the result. So, why should organizations adopt IIoT and what are the considerations and IT’s role in this regard. Let us find out more in this blog.

Uniqueness and Benefits of IIoT

IIoT connects machines and devices in industries such as manufacturing, steel fabrication, transportation, oil and gas, power generation and transmission, mines, and ports. Commercial, enterprise, or consumer IoT—also simply known as IoT—is used to describe connected devices within homes and office spaces, such as cameras, badge readers, and HVAC control systems. Failure of IIoT can have catastrophic consequences, creating high risk and potentially life-threatening situations. Downtime of other IoT devices may result in inconveniences, but it does not usually cause emergency situations.

Industrial IoT enables organizations to get a wealth of actionable data from their operations. When properly aggregated and analyzed, the data helps them better control operations, with the potential to improve worker safety, increase production uptime by predictive maintenance of machinery, maintain product quality, ensure regulatory compliance, and improve operational efficiencies.

Major Considerations for IIoT Adoption

  • Network Equipment – The switches, routers, and wireless equipment that connect IIoT devices must provide the needed bandwidth and be able to withstand punishing physical conditions on factory floors or outdoors. Equipment, such as mining and plant equipment, must support the communication protocols in use to provide visibility and help monitor each endpoint.
  • Centralized connectivity deployment and monitoring – For organizations to efficiently monitor and scale their deployments, centralized visibility of device connectivity is of paramount importance. Organizations need to be able to deploy and configure connectivity to their edge devices and equipment quickly and accurately.
  • Asset tracking and monitoring – Continuous tracking and monitoring of IIoT devices, assets, and facilities is essential to keep them up and running efficiently. Such visibility helps to quickly identify potential issues that could impact operations, worker safety, and revenue.

Role of IT in IIoT

  • Reliable Network – IT must strive to ensure that a reliable network with sufficient bandwidth capacity is in place so time-sensitive data can be transmitted without delay to applications in data centers or the cloud. The network that connects IIoT devices and sensors needs to support diverse physical channels.
  • Intelligent network control – The network for IIoT must be kept highly available. IIoT devices may be numerous and spread across a large geographical area, but a network controller can automate networking equipment deployment and keep configurations consistent, and firmware updated. It can also help ensure that devices are performing to expectations—and guide administrators to take corrective actions if not.
  • Security for critical resources – As IT and IIoT networks converge, security practices must also converge. Protecting IIoT is best done with a comprehensive, integrated security solution (including cyber security) rather than a multitude of point products. The same proven security tools that IT has deployed over the years can benefit IIoT as well.

Closing Statement

With the advent of digital manufacturing and industrial AI-based solutions, IIoT has the potential to deliver breakthrough business outcomes with simplicity, speed, and scale. It can empower modern industrial workers and can resolve business challenges by making use of industrial data. Additionally, IIoT can also increase efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve safety and security. IIoT is a revolution in the world of fabrication and manufacturing and it is poised to transform the world of metal operations!

© K999 Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. 2023