March 2019

33 www.drivesncontrols.com March 2019 EXECUTIVE VIEWPOINT n applications and cloud services that can truly deliver smart manufacturing and embrace the principles of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). But rewind…. How did we get here that quickly and isn’t it a huge jump to take on “edge” when other aspects of your enterprise are probably still lagging behind? Essentially no, it isn’t such a big step, existing products already provide edge computing functions. With products that offer database connections and data management, combined with standardised connections such as OPC UA offering reliable and secure data communications between the manufacturing-level and IT-level systems, edge is very much here already. It is true that the pace of development has accelerated somewhat. First, we had automation systems based on logic- driven PLCs. Then, over the course of some decades, the PLCs became more intelligent and we started getting data from them into HMIs and Scada platforms. After that, we quickly realised this data could be used in other parts of the organisation, so we started pushing the data to enterprise databases. More recently, PLCs got even smarter and started being able to directly push the data straight to enterprise databases, or the cloud. The data volumes became larger, with every sensor and inverter starting to pile zeros and ones into the PLC which had to put it somewhere – just as the likes of Microsoft, Amazon, IBM and Oracle brought vast, scalable cloud storage and processing resources online. All this happened at breakneck pace (at least in manufacturing terms) until one day we were left to consider why the heck we were sending all this data to the cloud? Especially when a lot of it is the same or irrelevant and invokes high data-processing costs at the cloud level. Plus, what about security and so on? Making sense It’s at this point that edge computing starts to make a lot of sense and it’s clear why so many businesses are busy organising meetings between production management teams and IT departments. Deciding to aggregate and analyse raw production data closer to the source and only send the relevant information to the higher levels is where edge computing fits in. There are a lot of system improvements and efficiencies to be gained from a modest investment. For automation professionals who have seen the developments described above unfolding, it is very similar to when we first started to connect Scada to processes, but with a more analytical spin on things. This latest development enables us to make important process feedback decisions at – or close to – the source and feed that information back to the process to adjust its performance. What makes edge computing most valuable to an organisation, though, is the operational and logistical efficiencies that can be achieved through real-time analysis. Making it happen will become a whole lot easier thanks to emerging products and open technologies which will bring with them further benefits. n talent is available. Advanced manufacturing opens up huge potential for UK manufacturers, but companies have to invest in skills to reap the benefits. In the 1970s and 1980s, Japanese companies leapfrogged the UK and Europe in terms of competitiveness and productivity, by adopting new manufacturing processes and putting people at the centre of the change. There is a danger this could happen again as the world's economies wake up to the digital revolution that is happening now. The major manufacturers need a supply chain with a talent pool of people prepared for the changes that technology brings. It is vital that our schools, colleges and factories prepare people for the skills required in a digital economy. If we can do that, we will anchor the supply chain for high-value manufacturing sectors in the UK. This will generate increased economic benefits and sustained social benefits through the generation of high-value jobs. The good news is that there is plenty of help available, and many companies have woken up to the challenge. It is important to learn the solutions from the right people, though. In the past five years, digital manufacturing has gained momentum and there is now plenty of advice available from independent experts who can take a detailed look at a business and identify where technology can make improvements, and equally importantly, where it would be a waste of time and money. And it's not just manufacturing experts who can help with advice. Networking by speaking to companies that have already begun the digital journey can be an enormous help. Drawing on the experiences of those who have already begun the process of implementation can provide valuable insights to take your own business forward. In addition, we are seeing the emergence of excellent courses on key digitalisation topics that can be taken up as part of a full-time job. Learning can be flexible and delivered through part-time or online courses, and webinars. So, in summary, digitalisation, while it might seem to be all about machines, computers and software, is actually about people. Employees with the right skill sets are the key. Indeed, they are probably the most important requirement. Companies need to empower people and put them at the centre of change if they are to realise the rewards that digitalisation offers. n