Product category:
Plantwide control
News Release from: APV
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 24 June 2003
Integrating plant and business systems
pays off
Invensys recently presented its vision of the "chemical plant of the future" stressing the need for integrating information collected on the plant floor with enterprise-level systems.
Invensys recently presented its vision of the "chemical plant of the future" stressing the need for integrating information collected on the plant floor with enterprise-level systems Speaking recently at a chemical industry conference, Dr Calvin B Cobb, Vice President and General Manager, Invensys Global Hydrocarbons, said that the amount of information currently being collected on the plant floor is much greater than 5 to 10 years ago
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 2 Feb 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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"If plant floor information, such as historian data, can be combined with an ERP system, such as SAP, chemical industry companies could save millions of dollars in improved manufacturing processes", Cobb said.
The key tool that Invensys is offering to customers to link their systems and create the plant of the future is ArchestrA technology, a comprehensive plant automation and information architecture designed from the outset to extend the life of legacy systems by leveraging the latest software technologies like Microsoft.NET.
ArchestrA is an open plant automation and control system architecture which links control, automation and ERP systems from any vendors.
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Cobb said that chemical producers are under tremendous pressure to reduce costs and maximise returns.
They are scrutinising all aspects of their businesses - including their enterprise systems.
"However, while some chemical companies will spend hundreds of millions of dollars implementing an ERP system, no matter how successful their installation, they will not maximise returns unless they link their business systems and shop floor data", Cobb said.
Cobb said he generally would not recommend that a chemical company abandon its legacy systems if those systems are delivering value.
"The beauty of ArchestrA", Cobb told the industry gathering, "is that customers can deploy it with their existing legacy systems and applications, preserve their investment in these systems, extend their life and functionality, and enhance their ability to integrate with other systems and applications".
Cobb heads up the newly formed Invensys Global Hydrocarbons solutions unit which works with chemical, oil and gas companies to help them increase their return on investment.
Invensys is uniquely positioned to serve the hydrocarbons industry because of its significant experience in the industry and its leading technologies and brands such as Foxboro, Wonderware, Triconex, SimSci-Esscor and Avantis - all of them used widely in the hydrocarbon industry.
Invensys has established similar solutions practices for the power, general process and the pulp and paper industries.
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