The Honeywell (Process Solutions) Users Group (HUG) 2009 for the EMEA region was held in Lisbon, Portugal. The theme for the conference was ‘Return on imagination’. Technews asked Honeywell’s Norm Gilsdorf and Jean-Marie Alliet which emerging challenges and technologies they imagined are likely to impact industry.
By way of introduction, Gilsdorf, president of Honeywell Process Solutions, explains that he believes that the key challenges facing industry are as follows:
* Data overload.
* Skilled worker shortages.
* High technology churn in open systems.
* Safety and security concerns.
* Economic swings driving unpredictable demand loads.
* Increasing regulations.
* Environmental concerns.
Whilst the challenges he highlights are made in the context of an industrial conference, they are certainly not limited to industrial/manufacturing orientated enterprises. These same hurdles face all businesses – irrespective of the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), or the size, of the enterprise. On a personal level, almost identical challenges continue to confront the citizens of developed countries. For residents of developing nations, the issues loom hand in hand with industrial and commercial growth.
Gilsdorf elaborates, “The combined effect of these challenges is that fewer skilled people must respond faster, handle more complex processes, make better decisions, with bigger consequences across the global enterprise. Ironically, as we address these trends, we create more data to manage. It is estimated that 40 Exabytes (4,0 x 1019 Bytes) of unique new information will be generated worldwide this year – that is more than in the previous 5000 years. What we seek to achieve (by use of existing and emerging technology) is to manage data overload and to turn the data into knowledge that will result in a safer, more efficient and reliable environment.”
Ubiquitous sensors
Gilsdorf is unrepentant about his passion for sensor technology. Whilst he normally projects a somewhat reserved, perhaps even stern persona, just his enthusiasm for sensors is almost contagious. “Sensors really excite me . . . I believe that they are a rapidly changing technology.”
He envisages a world of ‘ubiquitous sensors’. “We see new sensors that are being created for new applications with key developments including:
* Micro-electromechanical sensors (MEMS) and smart dust devices.
* Analysers that fit on a single microchip.
* Wearable/personal sensors for applications such as fire and gas detection, and location sensing.
* GPS tracking of not only equipment but also people.
* Flying sensors for security and leak detection.
* The maturation of standards that promote interoperability and growth.
* Embedded sensors.
* Video as a process input using various technologies eg, infrared, motion, etc.”
Gilsdorf also sees video as “a new input – a new variable that uses video signals as a control signal. Video will allow us to capture previously inaccessible field data. Potential applications include leak detection, hot spots on equipment (furnaces, boilers), video trip alerts, and security systems that are integrated in control systems.”
Wireless as an enabler
Gilsdorf argues that the ISA100 standards (wireless systems for automation) will help enable safety, reliability and efficiency. He believes that wireless is a cost-effective enabler that can bring in targeted data and push out the right information to the right person. Key issues include:
* Extension of the control network to mobile operators and future control systems.
* Allowing more sensing technologies in more places.
* Convergence of multiple devices eg, gas detection and location.
* Empowerment of employees with field/control room collaboration.
Conversion of data into knowledge
Jean-Marie Alliet is Honeywell’s director of sales and support in the EMEA region. Alongside Gilsdorf, he provides a convincing argument that recent advances in computing power (PCs in particular) have injected a new verve into data-intensive software systems that previously would not have been technologically achievable, let alone affordable.
“We now have the ability to develop reasonably-priced, advanced software applications that are able to convert decades of recorded/historical data into something that is usable and has tangible value – the fundamental difference between data and knowledge. Potential applications include:
* Embedded early event detection.
* Context-specific advanced visualisation techniques.
* Online models for optimisation and reliability.
* Workflow engine and procedures built into control systems to drive automated/semi-automated actions, including safe park procedure.
* Soft sensors.
* Simulations based on realtime data for operator advisory systems (what-if scenarios).
Convergence of IT and process control
It is the author’s opinion that effective management of the convergence of IT into affiliate technologies and disciplines (eg, manufacturing, human resources, security) is the single biggest challenge facing business. With regard to actual technology, Alliet is of the opinion that the most significant recent technological development that will reinforce the merger of the IT and manufacturing disciplines, is that of ‘virtualisation’. Virtualisation, as defined by Wikipedia, is a term that refers to the abstraction of computer resources.
It is the author’s opinion that the best non-computer-geek explanation of virtualisation is given (co-incidentally) by the company that Honeywell has chosen as its virtualisation technology partner – VMware. An edited definition from VMware.com follows:
“Virtualisation allows one to run multiple virtual machines on a single physical machine, sharing the resources of that single computer across multiple environments. Multiple operating systems run concurrently on a single physical computer and share hardware resources with each other.”
The next paragraph is perhaps the most significant to the issue faced by mission-critical systems, “By encapsulating an entire machine, including CPU, memory, operating system and network devices, a virtual machine is completely compatible with all standard x86 operating systems, applications and device drivers. One can safely run several operating systems and applications at the same time on a single computer, with each having access to the resources it needs, when it needs them.”
By way of illustration, Alliet conveyed some of the frustration experienced by end-users that feel they are at the whim of PC manufacturers. Consider the following scenario:
a. A specific configuration of PC hardware is used to run a manufacturing system, with multiple PCs to ensure redundancy and high availability of the system.
b. After 10 years of nicely profitable manufacturing of the said PC hardware, the PC hardware manufacturer decides that it no longer wishes to manufacture or support the specific motherboard used by the manufacturing facility. Herein lies the first indication of potential for end-user unhappiness. A manufacturing facility expects to get at least 20 years of life from all its hardware. This expectation simply does not align to the rapid change that is driving the PC hardware industry.
c. On a dark and stormy night, one of the PCs in the plant fails.
d. he support engineer calls the PC manufacturer to order a replacement motherboard, only to be informed that the motherboard in question is no longer available.
e. The PC manufacturer recommends that the client opts for an upgrade to a new motherboard that has a very similar but not identical configuration to the original.
f. The client installs the new PC hardware and . . . the new PC hardware is not fully compatible with the old hardware.
g. So how does the client resolve this? It’s actually quite simple . . . at great cost to both the maintenance budget and to the sanity of the support engineer.
“It is to this kind of scenario that virtualisation promises a solution,” enthuses Alliet. “However, we (Honeywell) do not intend jumping in at the deep end. We are not yet rolling out virtualisation technology in mission-critical applications . . . only in non-critical applications eg, system monitoring. We have yet to confirm that we can safely implement virtualisation in mission-critical systems. It should also be noted that the core concepts of virtualisation are certainly not new to computing, nor is the technology proprietary to VMware. For example, Microsoft’s longstanding relationship with Cytrix to provide what is now known as ‘Remote Desktop Connection’, has been in place since Windows NT4.0 (released to manufacturing in August 1996).
A technology solution specific to South Africa
As South African Internet users know, South African connectivity to internationally hosted websites is significantly poorer (in reliability and speed) than connectivity to websites that are hosted within South Africa. Unless the content is hosted on a server that is physically located in South Africa, viewing of streaming video/multimedia is unreliable and intermittent (at best).
Technews Publishing, (publisher of Dataweek) has been performing trials on the hosting of video content (of a technical nature) on its South African located servers. The intention is that this multimedia content will be available to its readers, in support of and alongside, existing online content. Technews has obtained permission to host video material that was recorded during HUG 2009. The technical presentations include Norm Gilsdorf’s keynote in which he lays out his vision for future technologies that will impact industry.
South African readers (in particular) are encouraged to make use of this free service by visiting www.dataweek.co.za/video
For more information contact Debbie Rae, Honeywell Southern Africa, +27 (0)11 695 8000, [email protected], www.honeywell.co.za
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