- For machine builders and system integrators in the CPG, pharmaceutical and logistics sectors, the EcoStruxure Automation Expert is a game changer
- Based on this new type of automation, the processing volume at Schneider Electric's Smart Distribution Center in Shanghai could be increased by 5.3 percent
- 50 percent less engineering effort thanks to the combination of EcoStruxure Automation Expert and AVEVA
Schneider Electric today launched version 21.1 of EcoStruxure Automation Expert. Companies in the packaging, pharmaceutical and logistics industries in particular can benefit from the technical enhancements to the world's first software-centric, universal automation system.
Step-by-step improvements
"Version 21.1 of EcoStruxure Automation Expert is an important milestone in our journey to help manufacturers achieve the low-risk advances that come with a digital-first approach to industrial automation," said Fabrice Jadot, senior vice president for Next Generation Automation at Schneider Electric. "Companies today are challenged to respond dynamically and quickly to fluctuating market conditions and to mitigate potential risks in a timely manner. By separating the hardware and software layers, EcoStruxure Automation Expert enables the modelling of automated applications using asset-oriented, portable and tested software building blocks. These are completely independent of the underlying hardware structure. With such a software-centric approach, great advantages can be achieved in terms of operating costs and performance. In addition, engineering is freed from many redundant as well as routine steps, leaving more room for development and innovation."
German machine manufacturer GEA is one of the largest suppliers of technologies and solutions for the food processing industry and related sectors. The company develops technologies, components and sustainable solutions for complex production processes for diverse end-customer markets in which fast time-to-market and high agility are decisive competitive factors. By using the EcoStruxure Automation Expert to significantly simplify the intermeshing of OT and IT, GEA and its customers benefit greatly in terms of agility. "Bringing IT and OT together is our vision at GEA - and EcoStruxure Automation Expert helps us deliver on this promise to our customers," explains Matthias Wiemann, Head of Automation and Controls - Automation Separation at GEA. "Working with Schneider Electric on EcoStruxure Automation Expert allows us to deliver faster time-to-market and flexibility, which are very important, especially for critical infrastructures such as the food and pharmaceutical industries."
The southern French system integrator for industrial automation systems Master Systèmes also already has the EcoStruxure Automation Expert in use. For a customer in the cosmetics production industry, Schneider Electric's technology provides more agility and flexibility. "With the help of the EcoStruxure Automation Expert, we are able to modernise older automation systems to Industry 4.0 standards in a controlled, low-risk and agile way," explains Maurice Re, Director of Automation at Master Systèmes. "For us, this is a real game changer. EcoStruxure Automation Expert's advanced engineering tools help us shorten the development time of an application and simplify the integration of IT technologies - including predictive maintenance. As a result, our customers benefit from faster time-to-market with an easier-to-maintain solution."
Currently, EcoStruxure Automation is also being implemented in one of Schneider Electric's own Smart Distribution Centres in Shanghai. Here, the main focus is on reducing costs and increasing efficiency. By decoupling the software-based automation layer from the hardware conditions, changes to the line, such as conveyor belts, can be made more easily and cost-effectively. If the requirements for the conveyor line change, new components can be added independently of the hardware using the plug-and-play principle. Complex interface programming is not necessary. In addition, in the event of problems, troubleshooting and identification of causes is four times faster than with conventional systems thanks to the EcoStruxure Automation Expert. And with up to 45 per cent fewer missing parts, throughput can be increased by up to 5.3 per cent.
"Because EcoStruxure Automation Expert allows for seamless integration of third-party software, we are now able to seamlessly adapt our operations by reconfiguring processes and increasing throughput," said Mourad Tamoud, chief supply chain officer at Schneider Electric. "Based on a holistic, centralised view of our distribution centre's entire system, we can also significantly improve our maintenance efficiency through faster fault detection and resolution."
Next generation automation
Among other adjustments, version 21.1 of EcoStruxure Automation Expert includes the following optimisations in particular: improved cybersecurity, diagnostic tools, detection and commissioning functions, as well as expanded function libraries and language scope.
The now improved integration of AVEVA's system platform also enables EcoStruxure Automation Expert users to benefit from AVEVA's market-leading software portfolio with minimal engineering effort. This includes software for monitoring, enterprise SCADA, MES and IIoT applications. In a recent study, the combination of EcoStruxure Automation Expert and AVEVA reduced engineering effort by over 50 percent.
Universal automation
Named the world's most sustainable company by Corporate Knights, global company Schneider Electric is fully committed to open, software-centric automation with its end-to-end network of Smart Factories and Smart Distribution Centres. This enables the industry of the future to be more energy-efficient, agile and resilient. For manufacturing and process industries, the latest version of EcoStruxure Automation Expert is a clear call to action to take advantage of universal automation, sustainability and digitalisation to shape the post-Corona recovery phase of the global economy through next-generation industrial automation.
Based on the IEC 61499 standard, universal automation is about easy software connectivity of any hardware component. The EcoStruxure Automation Expert is fundamentally changing the way we approach industrial automation and is an expression of Schneider Electric's commitment to universal automation," emphasises Fabrice Jadot. "We also invite all other developers and manufacturers to develop their own IEC 61499-based software components and solutions that are compatible with EcoStruxure Automation Expert."
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