Efficient Plant May 2022 - 17

feature | digital transformation
Opposite. An eff ective digital-transformation
journey begins by harvesting the most pertinent
data at the edge and then using it to create
immediate results.
immense amounts of money, time, and
infrastructure. Th ese projects took years to
defi ne and implement, with results oſt en
realized much too late, if ever, because
75% of these IIoT projects failed to achieve
success (newsroom.cisco.com/pressrelease-content?articleId=1847422).
A
better approach, made possible with
today's modern edge solutions, is for end
users to begin their digital-transformation
journey by harvesting the most pertinent
data locally at the edge, and then using it
to create immediate results. Th is method is
incremental, manageable, and eff ective-but
only if the solution can be scaled up, and
even connected to the cloud when it makes
sense to do so.
Th e cloud can and should be considered
in any long-term vision, but these types of
higher-level resources must have a clear
purpose. Th e cloud is the best option when
massive amounts of unstructured data need
to be analyzed over a long period of time.
Using the cloud in conjunction with the
edge delivers data analysis in full fi delity at
the edge, with the most pertinent information
forwarded to the cloud. Th is enables the
best of both worlds-rapid improvements
on the plant fl oor, along with long-term
continuous improvement empowered
by the cloud.
MANUFACTURING-CENTRIC
EDGE CONNECTIVITY
Turnkey hardware/soſt ware edge solutions
are the key to taking the risk and complexity
out of selecting and deploying IIoT platforms,
and for helping end users quickly
develop benefi cial digital transformation
projects starting at the edge.
Th e most advanced version of these
solutions are edge controllers. Th ese are a
MAY 2022
A true edge controller,
such as Emerson's PACSystems
Edge Controller,
provides a variety of IIoT
apps that can enable
data collection, storage,
processing, visualization,
and collaboration. Figure
courtesy Emerson
modern evolution of programmable logic
controllers (PLCs), able to perform traditional
deterministic control, but also able
to support extensive data connectivity and
processing at the edge. With the right suite
of apps, an edge controller can collect, store,
process, share, and visualize data, and even
provide closed loop, autonomous control
functions.
When more extensive processing capabilities
are needed, or when dealing with legacy
equipment with an existing controller, an
edge computer is the logical choice. Th ese
applications include advanced analytics,
artifi cial intelligence/machine learning (AI/
ML) applications, human-machine interface
(HMI) functionality, or even locally hosted
supervisory control and data acquisition
(SCADA) systems.
An edge solution should provide easy-touse
tools for creating insights, and built-in
dashboard elements to display results.
While many open-source tools are available
today, they are oſt en met with concerns by
IT personnel about long-term support and
security.
However, a purpose-built IIoT
enablement platform, incorporating tools
such as Grafana for visualization and
Node-RED for visual data-fl ow confi guration,
off ers the same benefi ts, along with
the assurance of interoperability, regular
upgrades, and recognized security that users
have come to expect. Th ese solutions can
also be augmented with more-advanced
connectivity, HMI, and SCADA applications
hosted on an industrial PC (IPC).
Th is fl exibility allows users to direct their
eff orts completely toward the IIoT projects
they need, while avoiding the burden of
experimenting with and proving-out basic
functionality.
Building from the edge up using proven,
fi t-for-purpose hardware/soſt ware solutions
is the best way for operating plants to use
available resources to quickly achieve
localized results. As confi dence is gained
and successes achieved, a proper solution
can be seamlessly scaled up within the plant,
across the enterprise, or to the cloud. EP
Derek Th omas was formerly Vice President of
marketing and discrete sales for the Emerson,
St. Louis (emerson.com), machine automation
solutions business. Prior to Emerson,
Th omas also worked as an engineering leader
at Procter & Gamble. He holds an MBA from
Washington Univ., St. Louis, and a Bachelor
of Science in mechanical engineering from
Purdue Univ., W. Lafayette, IN.
EFFICIENTPLANTMAG.COM | 17
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Efficient Plant May 2022

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