Executive Overview
Chemical companies are beginning the transformation to digital businesses, and real time plant operation systems are a key part of the coming IoT (Internet of Things), also known as the Industrial Internet of Things(IIoT) when applied to industries such as chemicals. The IIoT provides real-time plant automation connected to business systems, using Big Data tools to deliver preventive and predictive analytics. As a result, chemical companies are improving business
outcomes and enjoying better productivity, efficiency, profitability and even safety.
SAP HANA, an in-memory database and analytics tool, has become a key driver of the IIoT, especially for chemical companies. OSIsoft, provider of open
infrastructure to connect sensors, equipment, software and people, has joined forces with SAP to help make the IIoT a reality by creating a connector that
enables customers to easily integrate and use plant operational data as the driver for real time analytics with SAP Hana. The combination of OSIsoft and
SAP HANA make it easier than ever for chemical companies to achieve the promise of the IIoT.
The IoT and Real Time Decision Support
As companies migrate to becoming digital businesses, they need more than ever to differentiate themselves from competitors with fast decisions and quick
responses. With the combination of the OSIsoft connector and SAP HANA, companies now have the ability to make decisions in near real-time. The partnership will presumably help to drive the adoption of technology without causing disruption on the plant floor.
OSIsoft has been collecting data directly from the plant floor for over 30 years, and the connector enables the data to funnel directly to SAP HANA either in the cloud or on premise.
OSIsoft and SAP HANA: Better Together
Using the OSIsoft connector and SAP HANA, operational technology and IT become symbiotic—each enhancing the value of the other—rather than disruptive and expensive technologies. Chemical companies don’t have to make expensive changes in infrastructure to achieve the promised benefits, since the connector is an effective and inexpensive bridge between the PI server and SAP HANA platform.
As Martin Otterson, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at OSIsoft says, “Big Data and IoT are helping converge the operations and IT worlds to drive business. Companies are connecting data directly from sensors or other assets such as SCADA, PLC, and DCS.” Mr. Otterson goes on to say that the cloud and the IoT are driving the need for Big Data, and that in the near future, companies will have access to operational intelligence in real time. OSIsoft’s PI Cloud Connect enables users to adopt the solution quickly and to achieve a rapid ROI.
Recommendations
Chemical companies should begin immediately to develop predictive analytics solutions using OSIsoft’s connector and SAP HANA. However, as with any IT project, it is important to identify the project objectives and to define the desired outcome. It is also important to ensure that the planned outcome does not exceed the level of sophistication of the intended users, since users will not embrace a solution if they don’t understand its value. SAP partners can help with this project, as many are already hard at work developing IIoT solutions for the chemical industry.
What are your next steps in adopting the IIoT?
