Expo Highlights: Operator Effectiveness, Mobility, Big Data and the Cloud

Numerous technologies and services are showcased in the Expo Hall at this year’s Invensys Software Conference, but the clear theme is access to data in a relevant context. From major updates to Invensys’ well-recognized HMI and SCADA to cyber security services and training programs, Invensys is refining not only the variety of ways customers can manipulate and manage the data in their systems, but how, when and where they view it as well.

Source: Automation World

Here’s a rundown of some of the highlights from the Expo:

•  In the new InTouch HMI software, Style Libraries are offered that allow the user to choose color palettes that conform to ASM Consortium guidelines or High-Performance HMI recommendations. These style definitions can also be altered to fit a company’s unique requirements. The ultimate goal of the new InTouch capabilities is focused on creating greater situational awareness for operators. The System Platform supporting the new InTouch software ensures that the information shown on the screen is put into context for the operator through the design templates offered. Initial testing indicates that use of InTouch’s new style definitions and standardized colors can help customers reduce situation interpretation time by 40 percent.
• InTouch HMI in a web browser that provides secure access to real-time plant information—without compromising functionality, empowers the modern workforce to minimize costs and improves operating efficiencies and drive real-time business optimization
• The convergence of mobile, the cloud, social and analytics is being taken to the next level with SmartGlance, which allows customers to access any data (from a historian or database) via a smartphone, tablet or PC. Using SmartGlance, the data can be accessed over the cloud or via a private network when the viewing device is on the same network. The “i” button on the SmartGlance display allows for drilling down into the context of data shown and even provides contact information to those responsible for the data as well as access to related reports.
• Invensys’ cyber security service now features more than 20 North America-based cyber security specialists. The offering does not extend only to Invensys products, but to all connected systems in a production facility—from switches and routers to servers and applications, regardless of the manufacturer of those products. Invensys sees its cyber security service as filling the gap between operational technology and information technology.
• A preview of the Customer First Support Tool is being shown. This tool monitors all computer systems in a plant, or multiple plants, 24/7. Monitored via VPN or the cloud, the tool can be configured so that notifications can be handled directly by the customer or by Invensys. Future plans already in the works for this tool include using it for predictive maintenance based on data gathered from connected systems. The Customer First Support Tool leverages SCOM (Systems Center Operations Management) and Azure from Microsoft to monitor the systems.
• MES Operations and Performance applications focus on addressing the gap between recipe management and batch management to integrate quality management, operations management and OEE. The gap between recipe and batch management is addressed via a standardized approach to formula management through model-driven software applications. The application maps formula parameters to equipment parameters to ensure the equipment works properly for quality production of the batch. To do this, customers drag and drop from a selection of stored recipes and then set parameters as needed. The MES handles validation of equipment for the batch.
• Another preview being highlighted is new capabilities for Advanced Process Control (APC), an application that is positioned between PID control  and first-principle-based optimization  to perform model predictive control. The data brought in by APC is used to build performance trends and model predictive controllers, which move the process to a new and more profitable point of operation as determined by ROMeo. SimSci APC is a complete revamp of the company’s previous product known as Connoisseur, with a focus on ease of use.

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