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Embracing the cloud
Manufacturing environments require a high level of coordination , planning and precision . Providing anytime , anywhere access to data can help improve productivity and drive operational efficiencies , even on a production line , and particularly for businesses with multiple sites . Despite this , there remains a reluctance to embrace cloud services such as Software-as-a-Service . Andy Graham , product manager at Wonderware UK and Ireland , looks at how the cloud can be used to deliver ‘ always on ’ access to data to enable smarter decision making , improved scalability , security and mobility .
Modern manufacturing environments are filled with multiple devices collecting data and an average site can easily generate and store millions of data points every day . Harnessing that data is vital for effective decision making , but finding a way to access , analyse and manage vast volumes of data is easier said than done .
Historically , many manufacturers have feared connectivity , believing it opens the door for security breaches . However , for manufacturers looking to initiate an Internet of Things ( IoT ) strategy , connectivity is a must and it ’ s here that Software-as-a-Service ( SaaS ) comes in .
Software-as-a-Service is software that is delivered to you as a service , and can then be accessed via a web browser or App . Google , Facebook and YouTube are all examples of SaaS solutions - you haven ’ t installed them on your machine , you simply use them as a service .
Today , SaaS solutions are used by almost everybody . Cloud services are here to stay and will only bring benefits to your organisation but , despite this , the mere mention of a cloud-based service terrifies many manufacturers . Do you use Office365 in more than one location across your business ? If so , you ’ re already embracing SaaS . And if you trust the cloud with your accounting and confidential business data , why not trust it with your production data ?
Nobody is suggesting you operate your real time production via the cloud , but a cloud-based service such as SaaS can correlate all the other business data you collect before collating and presenting it in a way that does not require additional IT expertise or capital expenditure . For example , Original Equipment Manufacturers ( OEMs ) can leverage cloud-based services to monitor machines remotely , analysing energy consumption and production data , providing valuable insight to their customers to help them drive efficiencies .
Increased external legislation and regulation has resulted in increasing numbers of manufacturers needing to provide regular data to third parties . Cloud helps to do this by ensuring data is readily available and collated , meaning that information for metrics such as energy usage can be accessed by those authorised to do so , whenever they need it .
Real time overview
Manufacturers with multi-location operations are another potential beneficiary of cloud . Previously , each site would be managed independently , with data and process information never leaving the plant . However , when data is fed to the cloud , a business can then get a real-time overview of the operation and performance of all its sites , making it easier to compare productivity and measure efficiencies . This can prove invaluable when identifying why plant X outperforms plant Y .
The connectivity within each site is also improved through cloud , paving the way for the implementation of mobility across the facility .
Improving Overall Equipment Effectiveness ( OEE ), the metric that looks at the availability , performance and quality of operations , is also a key driver for switching to the cloud . Cloud can help reduce system downtime due to its ability to quickly monitor and react to data , meaning that system outages can be pinpointed before they become a reality . Similarly , cloud also provides a low cost and easy way of upgrading systems , as there is no expensive hardware required and system updates can occur without costly downtime .
There is an increasing view that intelligent analysis of data will be one of the key factors used to differentiate between the most successful organisations in future .
SaaS solutions , such as Wonderware Online InSight , deliver powerful data intelligence to the people who need it , when they need it , where they need it , all supported by the highly secure Microsoft Windows Azure Cloud Services environment . This allows you to use the software without being responsible for its implementation , maintenance or upkeep .
Security is often one of the objections raised when discussing the cloud . However , many manufacturers are already utilising cloud services in their corporate and commercial processes , whether that be email , accounting or even online services such as DropBox , and , as such , there is no reason why non-critical manufacturing processes shouldn ’ t be moved there too .
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