Edge Computing – Easy to Implement?
The use of 'Edge Computing' in OT seems inevitable to support these new technologies that are emerging (and will emerge!) and to comply with the real-time limitations required by the environment.
I Introduction to Edge Computing.
The term ‘Edge Computing’ is used to define computing and data storage systems that are close to where they are needed, to improve response times and save bandwidth.
The origin of the use of this term is from IT, especially for the distribution of web/audio/video (CDN) content to users. And as often happens, OT adopts ideas from IT to apply them to the optimization of processes, production, control, supervision and increase overall efficiency.
The OT world is currently experiencing a revolution of possibilities, thanks to the emergence of intelligent hardware and software that leverages that intelligence to implement increasingly autonomous and efficient systems.
However, OT still has a limitation that IT does not have, it is tied to the physical: we can generalize (and saving the distances with the particularities of each sector), OT works with materials to manufacture tangibles, and this makes the real time and latency of the processes and their communications important.
The use of ‘Edge Computing’ in OT seems inevitable to support these new technologies that are emerging (and will emerge!) and to comply with the real-time limitations required by the environment.
I is it Easy to Implement Edge Computing in the Plant?.
To answer this question we have to stop, concentrate, introspect and analyze our particular case:
- Surely we have different processes, with machines and controllers distributed in several locations, local or remote.
- The equipment in these areas needs to collect and process data from the different sensors and send orders and instructions to the different actuators.
- Surely we want to be aware (or have the possibility of being so) about the status of each and every one of the different processes, individually and globally.
- Surely we want to take advantage of that data to process it and turn it into useful information for decision making within our continuous improvement cycles.
- Surely we want to interrelate this data with other departments different from production, such as maintenance, quality, human resources, supply chain, etc.
Then, for our “Edge Computing” we need to take into consideration several factors intrinsic to the “Computing” part:
At Logitek we have worked together with Aveva and Stratus to offer ‘Edge Computing’ systems that combine the most advanced Software for the control, supervision and exploitation of industrial data in real time with Hardware that guarantees the reliability and availability of the systems with a very simple management.
If you want to expand information you can visit our Edge Computing website where you can see our solutions that we send pre-integrated:
