La trasformazione digitale nei processi di polveri e materiali sfusi

Contactless, at a distance, with protective equipment – these are the key words in (post-)Corona times. This also applies to all levels of relationships between plant and component manufacturers, plant operators, and service providers in the powder and bulk industries. Grandparents and grandchildren demonstrated this with video calls – the Internet as the key to information exchange and maintaining contact. The crisis is thus also a fuel for the long-promoted Internet of Things. Thanks to Corona, it is clear: it is time to finally make digitalization a reality. How this can succeed is also the topic of POWTECH, which will take place this year from September 30 to October 1, 2020, as a Special Edition in Nuremberg. With an adapted concept in response to the global COVID-19 impact, the POWTECH Special Edition this year focuses on knowledge transfer – among other things on the topic of digital transformation.

”Until now, there was a lack of awareness of the necessity and the change. There is pure fear of what is coming. But it has long been here, the beast that, with buzzwords like IoT, Predictive Maintenance, or Big Data, paints fear of losing control on everyone’s faces,” said – even before Corona in 2019 – Dr. Uwe G. Seebacher (MBA), Global Director Marketing, Communication & Strategy of Andritz AG, headquartered in Graz. Measurement data acquisition, evaluation, pattern recognition, remote diagnosis, up to remote process optimization, these completely contactless information flows are available. However, Seebacher warned: “Incorrect conclusions are being drawn in many places regarding IoT, Big Data, Predictive Maintenance – that is, the exchange of data beyond corporate boundaries. Ultimately, on the provider and customer side, the necessary decisions and investments are not being made decisively enough.”

Since digitalization penetrates all areas of a process plant – from development with simulation, digital twins of assets and plants, from the field level through ERP to predictive maintenance and process optimization – it offers numerous opportunities for migrations and optimizations. These information flows are also the key to new contact levels between process operators and plant or component suppliers. Contactless information exchange becomes a competitive advantage – for all parties involved. Now is the time to accept existing offers and information flows and to be data-wise there for each other to unleash new strengths. Corona forces us to reevaluate digital transformation completely. Tools come into play that are not new, but only need to be rethought.

New relationship between providers and users

The core of digital transformation is not “digital twins” or “cloud solutions.” These are merely tools that have made the way to the 4th industrial revolution possible. The core of Industry 4.0 is a completely new and challenging relationship between providers and buyers. The optimization of this relationship determines who wins the competition for customers. As Amazon & Co. have demonstrated in the consumer goods sector, a very short response time to buyer inquiries, more personalized offers, and a more resource-friendly approach are the main roles in the battle for customers. Digitalization in all areas of industry offers companies increasingly effective tools in this fight for market share.

The extensive experience with digitalization in sectors with mostly discrete manufacturing is gradually flowing into process industries. Despite a densely woven data network in the form of process control systems, industries shaped by process engineering still find it difficult to implement the advantages of digitalization in competition and thus in value creation. Especially powder and bulk procedures, which often run in batches, are ideally suited for digital transformation in process industries.

Manufacturers of process plants and process components are doing their part to integrate the customization of process products on the one hand and the plants themselves on the other into data structures and to make the offers that digitalization imposes usable.

Current state-of-the-art solutions include, for example, stand-alone solutions for the process-optimized operation of milling systems focusing on performance, throughput, product consistency, and availability. To make the know-how of the company Netzsch Vakumix, traditionally represented at POWTECH, more useful, plant operators can already today access worldwide online monitoring and online support for complete plants. Simulation tools enable operator training with a realistic functional replica of the plant and process. This way, services, preventive maintenance, plant auditing, training, simulation exercises, migration, and process optimization are also offered online.

Efficiency increase through data analysis

The renowned POWTECH exhibitor Hosokawa Alpine also offers, if needed, a remote service that analyzes process settings and plant operation and minimizes or prevents possible disruptions. The company optionally provides support for process optimization. Service specialists have the opportunity to access all relevant measurement data online. The remote service is implemented by integrating a data logger into the machine control. It enables continuous storage of process data and transmission of data to Hosokawa Remote Service. The plant operator alone determines who has access to the data.

In line with the challenge of Industry 4.0, such service deployments occur extremely quickly and on short notice, are tailored to the operator’s and plant’s requirements, and are resource-efficient because time-consuming travel by a service specialist is eliminated.

POWTECH 2020 Special Edition: Secure Networking

As the world’s leading trade fair for particle, powder, and bulk technology, POWTECH offers process industry specialists with the 2020 Special Edition the best opportunity to discuss their digital and contactless solutions and offers with plant and component manufacturers. This year’s edition focuses, as a result of the global impact of the Corona pandemic, especially on knowledge transfer. The core of the POWTECH Special Edition are the technical forums, which are realized in two exhibition halls, taking into account all safety regulations. The accompanying trade exhibition provides all exhibitors with the opportunity to present their innovations efficiently and attractively. Predefined booth construction concepts and spacious meeting areas ensure compliance with all hygiene and safety guidelines. Parts of the technical program will be available online for participants after the event.