Data-driven service enhances productivity, efficiency and quality in the process industry

With Control Performance Analytics, Siemens is presenting a new data-driven service for the process industry at the SPS IPC Drives show 2014. As part of this service, process and status data from control loops are captured by the Simatic PCS 7 process control system. This data is analyzed by Siemens experts, who then make recommendations for action. This gives companies transparency about their control loops, enabling them to introduce targeted measures for increasing efficiency, quality and throughput. This service is particularly useful for companies in the chemicals and pharmaceutical branches, food production, as well as the oil and gas and glass and solar industries.

Having optimal transparency with regard to control loops is a decisive prerequisite for increasing the efficiency of plants in the process industry. This is where Control Performance Analytics kicks in. Similar to the “plug & play” principle, the new service can be quickly installed during ongoing operation and the benefits reaped with a relatively small financial investment. First of all a data collector, such as a nanobox, is installed on site. This device captures process data from control loops (for example process tags and alarms), previously defined by the user. It then transmits the data to the Siemens Operation Center, adhering to strict security standards all the time. The experts there then analyze the data and make their evaluations available to the customer in the form of reports via a web portal. These range from detailed analysis of individual control loops, such as head temperatures of distillation columns and glass trough temperatures, up to optimization recommendations for control loops throughout the entire plant. This smart data analysis can be used to identify increased energy consumption due to badly adjusted control loops, for example. On the basis of evaluations, companies can introduce selective measures to increase efficiency, quality and throughput. Exact adjustment of the temperature of the glass trough can improve the quality of the glass, for example, while simultaneously optimizing energy consumption.

Thanks to its scalability and flexibility, this service is suitable for companies of different sizes. The Basic Package offers continuous analysis of control loops and their data defined together with the customer as well as appropriate recommendations. If required, Siemens can support users beyond this with the actual implementation of optimization measures. Thanks to its Control Performance Analytics, Siemens has expanded its range of Plant Data Services with its cloud-based acquisition and evaluation of production data.

For further information please see www.siemens.com/plant-data-services

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is No. 1 in offshore wind turbine construction, a leading supplier of combined cycle turbines for power generation, a leading provider of power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions and automation and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading supplier of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2013, which ended on September 30, 2013, revenue from continuing operations totaled €75.9 billion and income from continuing operations €4.2 billion. At the end of September 2013, Siemens had around 362,000 employees worldwide on the basis of continuing operations. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.

Reference Number: PR2014100005DFEN