Manufacturing Magazine June 2018 | Page 19

POWERING DATA-DRIVEN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN MANUFACTURING

Hewlett Packard Enterprise ’ s ( HPE ) Hybrid IT technology is enabling original equipment manufacturers ( OEMs ) such as GE Digital enter a world powered by Internet of Things ( IoT ) connectivity and data analytics – where nothing ever breaks . These benefits are being passed on to customers , allowing them to adopt new business models , streamline operational processes and create more innovative products and services .
Hewlett Packard Enterprise ’ s ( HPE ) Hybrid IT technology is enabling original equipment manufacturers ( OEMs ) such as GE Digital enter a world powered by Internet of Things ( IoT ) connectivity and data analytics – where nothing ever breaks . These benefits are being passed on to customers , allowing them to adopt new business models , streamline operational processes and create more innovative products and services .
CHALLENGE
For OEMs , the current idea economy is all about turning ideas into value faster than the competition . With the vast amounts of data gathered from a growing number of IoT endpoints , manufacturers can drive operational efficiencies , deliver better user experiences , and develop new capabilities . However , while leveraging technology to improve performance is critical to remaining successful , it ’ s not as easy as it sounds . This is due to a variety of factors , including :
• Bespoke systems : Many existing industrial systems are purpose-built , with distinct protocols and limited capabilities . However , right now , what companies need are cross-platform visibility and insights .
• Implementation difficulties : The lack of mature skills and resources for IoT implementation means that the integration of information technology ( IT ) and operational technology ( OT ) has become essential in driving productivity and business results .
• Alignment between IT and operations : The financial risk and uncertainty resulting from IoT adoption has driven companies to use a mix of SaaS , Hybrid and Cloud-first strategies , which must now be connected to each other .
SOLUTION
To combat these challenges , HPE OEM has built hybrid IT solutions that include pioneering edge computing and analytic data techniques , to help manufacturers turn vast quantities data into real-time , actionable insights .
These solutions have been designed to adapt to a variety of business challenges . For example , GE Digital harnessed them to create Predix – the operating system for the Industrial Internet – to drive its own business transformation , as well as that of other manufacturers .
As the world ’ s first and only industrial cloud platform , GE Predix is turning data into actionable insights from the edge to the cloud , and employing the latest innovations to optimize assets and operations – all supported by a robust ecosystem that accelerates app development . With the HPE-powered Predix , manufacturers can leverage big data and analytics in conjunction with industrial expertise to achieve real gains in productivity ,
BENEFITS
The partnership between HPE OEM and GE Digital is helping national electric utility company Saudi Electricity achieve an ambitious modernization of Saudi Arabia ’ s electricity infrastructure .
Working with the HPE OEM and GE Digital Alliance , Saudi Electricity implemented an industry-leading Industrial IoT platform that supports machine learning and predictive maintenance technologies . This allows them to improve the company ’ s quality of service while minimizing energy costs .
By 2020 , Saudi Electricity expects to this continuing partnership to yield a $ 19B reduction in operational and capital costs , 3x increase in power generation capacity and improved reliability , and 100 % control of critical electrical assets .
Ultimately , companies seeking to thrive in the idea economy must implement data-driven digital transformation practices . By identifying problems before they occur , manufacturers will derive improved quality , reduced production time and machine downtime , and lower production costs – and then pass these benefits on to the customer . The collaboration between HPE OEM and GE Digital is a powerful example of how hybrid IT platforms are giving manufacturers real-time visibility across heterogeneous systems , putting them in a safe and secure environment that enables decisions to be made quickly , accurately , and intelligently .