Cloud Apps: Helpful Technology?
Opinions disagree when it comes to apps for production cloud or edge applications. Some companies are trying to implement such solutions in their processes and systems, while others are not yet aware of the specific benefits. Cloud apps offer great potential to improve the process, as the actual use cases show.
The Edge and Cloud apps promise more efficient maintenance, a better overview, and higher productivity. Intelligent apps for use on production systems and machines use data from system automation to generate actionable recommendations for service technicians and system operators. However, when it comes to deploying the right solution, companies are divided into two parts. Some companies are already using such solutions, while others have been reluctant so far.
Cloud App: Acceptance isn’t just about innovation motivation
The big difference between accepting cloud and edge-based apps can only be explained by the difference in managers’ willingness to innovate and the innovation cycle. In each industry. Rather, the reason is often that the benefits of IIoT technologies such as edge or cloud platforms are unknown or not well related to the challenges of their own production environment.
Cloud App and Automation
In a production environment, not mutually but together, generate notifications and messages from automation and send them to other systems to make plant operators aware of or make available malfunctions. need to do it. To the current key figures for production control of assembly lines. This feature can also be implemented in automated systems. However, such a solution involves a lot of effort. This notification feature is much easier to implement in your Edge or Cloud app.
Practical Support for Device Management
The Device Management topic also shows how much automation can benefit from edge and cloud apps. Maintaining installed devices can be a complex task, especially in highly automated systems. Without a central device management system, as it used to exist in IT, hundreds of different devices in different locations and systems may need to be updated on a regular basis. In many cases, this meant that employees had to import updates into the site’s system, with all the associated costs involved.
Cloud apps improve knowledge management
Cloud apps not only help production and service teams perform tasks but also enable companies to more effectively use the knowledge of employees, another central resource. It also helps to do. Know exactly why plant A requires different parameters than plant B for all productions, what to do if a unit fails on a particular machine, and therefore why it makes an immeasurable contribution to productivity. There are specialists.
Automation with Data Processing Options
By integrating cloud and edge applications, you can easily and effectively support many common tasks in production. Apps can complement existing automation with efficient options for data preparation and processing without significant intervention in machine or system architecture. You can also retrofit an existing machine or system with the appropriate IIoT gateway or edge device. This reduces investment costs and reduces the risk of ongoing system operation.