TECHNOLOGY
TOMORROW’S TECH HERE TODAY
NOVOTEK
AUTOMATION EXPERT LAUNCHES WHITEPAPER
EXPLAINING THE REALITY OF IIoT
Many countries around the world are
introducing initiatives aiming to achieve
industrial digitalisation in the next 10–15
years. However, industrial automation
expert Novotek UK and Ireland argues
that the technology is already available
and businesses can begin digitalising
operations by 2020. The company outlines
the technologies available, and the value
in using them, in its new industrial internet
of things (IIoT) whitepaper, which is free to
download from the Novotek website.
The whitepaper tackles emerging
technologies such as digital twinning,
artificial intelligence and next-generation
supervisory control and data acquisition
(SCADA) systems. Novotek explains how
each of these technologies can be used
to benefit the modern industrial business,
particularly in terms of significantly
improving maintenance operations.
“Whether you’re working in a food
processing plant or an automotive
manufacturing site, maintenance is an
unavoidable part of industrial operations,”
explained George Walker, managing
director of Novotek UK and Ireland. “It’s in
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these roles that we’re already seeing digital
technologies have the biggest impact,
providing detailed insight for maintenance
engineers and plant managers. This has an
impact beyond just technical data; it can
completely reshape a plant’s maintenance
schedule to reduce costs, maximise uptime
and minimise risk.
“For example, it’s now possible to use digital
twinning to create virtual representations of
physical assets that draw from current and
historical data. These twins allow engineers
to remotely view how a piece of equipment
is performing and when maintenance is
required, but we’re also at a point where
predictive analytics can be incorporated into
this. This allows the system itself to identify
trends and predict when maintenance is
necessary, reducing planned downtime to
an efficient minimum.
“This is just one example of intelligent
analytics and algorithms in maintenance
that plant managers can begin investing
in today. As our whitepaper explores,
platforms such as Predix by GE Digital
incorporate machine learning algorithms
into the core platform itself, which can
analyse the vast amounts of generated
data far more efficiently than any human
worker. Engineers can use this to make truly
impactful process improvements that can
add value to the business.”
Novotek’s whitepaper is designed to provide
an immediate benefit to plant managers.
According to the company, many businesses
are still under the impression that the IIoT is
a distant concept that is not yet practical.
“Discussions around modern industrial
automation and digitalisation are
always very forward-looking,” continued
Walker. “While businesses should create
a digitalisation roadmap for the future,
it’s important we don’t overlook the
technologies that exist today. Plant
managers don’t need to wait to begin seeing
the benefits of industrial automation.”
Engineers and plant managers interested
in achieving more from digitalisation and
automation can download Novotek’s
whitepaper from the company website.
www.novotek.com/en