Industrial software solutions help companies achieve sustainability: ABB

ABB Ltd. is a Swedish-Swiss multinational corporation headquartered in Västerås, Sweden, and Zürich, Switzerland. It was ranked 340th in the Fortune Global 500 list of 2020 and has been a global Fortune 500 company for 24 years

Sachin Vaidya, GM, AMEA, Digital Business, Process Industries, ABB, tells us more about how ABB is forging ahead with industrial software solutions, and more. Excerpts from an interview:

DQ: How are industrial software solutions able to help deliver sustainability commitments?

Sachin Vaidya: Energy-intensive industrial companies must function at their full potential due to insufficient transparency into emissions, energy purchase, generation, storage, trading, consumption, and performance of specific equipment, departments, production areas, and sites. Industrial software solutions can help establish a single source of truth system for all data related to emission optimization, energy mix planning, and regulatory compliance covering electricity and cryogenics, fuel gases, waste, water, and other critical resources for the circular economy. 

Industrial software solutions can help deliver sustainability commitments in several ways. For example, by streamlining processes and workflows, industrial software solutions can minimize energy consumption and emissions, thus reducing the environmental impact of industrial operations. By enabling Data-driven decision-making, these solutions enable data collection, analysis, and visualization, empowering companies to make informed decisions to minimize environmental impact and maximize resource efficiency. 

Industrial software can predict equipment failures and maintenance needs, helping to prevent downtime and reduce the consumption of resources associated with unnecessary repairs or replacements. Industrial software solutions can reduce emissions, waste, and overall environmental footprint by optimizing supply chain operations, including transportation and logistics.
 
 Overall, industrial software solutions play a crucial role in helping companies achieve their sustainability commitments by improving efficiency, reducing waste, and minimizing environmental impact across various aspects of their operations.

DQ: What are the practical applications of data analytics and AI in manufacturing?

Sachin Vaidya: The transformation of process industries is rapidly progressing and is driven by advancements, such as AI), machine learning (ML), and advanced data analytics. These innovations provide unparalleled visualization and pattern recognition abilities, suggesting optimal actions at each phase of the value chain. One such practical application is decarbonizing steel production with AI and data analytics.

Complex distribution networks for electricity, steam, by-product gases, and imported fuels account for as much as 20% of production costs. Iron ore reduction is where most carbon emissions come from in steelmaking.

ABB implemented a site-wide optimization of energy consumption and availability for a leading steelmaker and reported initial results of 10% less flaring of gases and a 15% accuracy improvement in electricity procurement forecasts. The solution covered steam yield, by-product gases, energy purchase, and production, including site power plants and turbines.

For the cement industry, which is constantly looking for ways to reduce the cost of operations while maximizing the yield, improving quality, and reducing emissions simultaneously, AI means looking at the old problems with a fresh perspective. It also means solving challenges around the accuracy and explainability of AI techniques -- so that machine's recommendations can be trusted. Data cleansing, anomaly removal, analyzing the correlation of parameters, and result interpretation are all key elements here. 

The latest enterprise-grade platforms and suites of AI and ML-enabled applications to support companies to deploy and monitor advanced controllers, data analytics, and optimization solutions at the edge, to and from an industrial cloud/multi-cloud, or on-premises.

DQ: What are the trends in digital transformation in 2024 and beyond?

Sachin Vaidya: Global pressures, such as sustainability, energy efficiency, safety, and transparency are reshaping the ecosystem for heavy industrial processes. While AI and ML are buzzwords today, there is no doubt that adopting them is the way forward. Reverse-engineering the realities of industrial operations using AI will enable trust and create competencies to realize the future vision for process industries. 

Another key trend is fully autonomous operations. This can include functions like advanced process control that handle multi-variable controls to steer the process to the most optimal setup. One could employ autonomous machines to operate in hazardous environments. 

Assistive technology, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for remote operations has been available for some time. However, many companies still need to adopt and prepare for it. The most challenging aspect of digital transformation is not the technology. It is about organizational change management. We need to nurture a mindset around distinct goals, such as reducing CO2 emissions, fostering a culture of knowledge retention, and driving holistic visibility. Equally, we must communicate how this ever-evolving digital toolbox will help get us there and why our people are mission-critical.

DQ: What are ways for safeguarding assets through cyber security solutions?

Sachin Vaidya: In the future digital enterprise, everything is connected. Data flows seamlessly between operational systems and business systems, enabling new capabilities such as process optimization, opportunity loss management, activity-based costing, predictive maintenance, and other data-driven decision making. 

On the other hand, cyber-attacks and hacking incidents have been on the rise this year and could undermine organizational continuity plans. As the degree of connectivity increases, a major technology trend that has emerged in industry is investment and implementation of an in-depth cybersecurity strategy.

Layers of individual cyber security controls are required to safeguard assets in industrial operations. The industrial cyber security journey starts with assessment, then a comprehensive security protection plan which comprises of malware protection, security updates, backup of data, system hardening, application allowlisting and asset inventory. 

ABB’s portfolio of products and services leverage common security building blocks and ABB security expertise -from consultancy-to-technology-to services – protect people, production, and assets from increasingly complex threats. To help companies navigate the increasing complexity and to stay ahead of today’s emerging threats, we need best-in-class technology to meet their security requirements. It is essential to simplify security without compromising reliability by reinforcing and enhancing the current security framework.

DQ: How do you see the future of workplace with connected workforce?

Sachin Vaidya: Unlike the mass market, industrial companies typically need some time before they are ready to dive into disruptive technology. This is not because they dismiss the possibilities, but because workforce transformations can be hard, if not approached in the correct way. Connected workforce emphasizes on five important parameters: People, Process, Culture, Information, and Technology.

In today's dynamic industrial landscape, the synchronization of frontline workers and office managers holds the key to unlocking seamless workflows and optimizing operational efficiency. With connected workforce, it is easy to connect the frontline workforce and highlight their issues to the office users/managers. 

Firstly, aligned frontline workers and office managers pave the way for smooth workflow execution. This alignment fosters seamless coordination in tasks, facilitating the timely detection and resolution of issues. By swiftly addressing challenges as they arise, disruptions are minimized, ensuring uninterrupted progress within short timeframes. 

Furthermore, the alignment of the workforce contributes to a significant enhancement in the decision-making prowess of stakeholders. With a shared understanding of goals and processes, informed decisions can be made with confidence at every level of the organization.

In essence, a connected workforce serves as the cornerstone of industrial progress, bridging the gap between workers and empowering them to drive positive change. ABB's suite of connected workforce solutions, including connected worker apps, visual remote support, control system simulators, and numerous others, presents a comprehensive solution for industrial clientele. This array of offerings enables customers to revolutionize their workplace operations effectively.