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High-Quality, Reliable Data is the Foundation of IIoT & ERP in Manufacturing, Says Karschnia

Bob Karschnia, VP & GM of Wireless at EmersonIndustrial operations executives are deluged with the new demands of automation and business management – IIoT (industrial internet of things), advanced ERP, and Top Quartile performance. But how do these ideas fit together into a real-world system that can be put to work saving time and money, and improving performance now? In a recent article in CIOReview, Bob Karschnia, VP & GM of Wireless, Emerson Automation Solutions, put these challenging concepts together in an article titled “Data Drives Microsoft Dynamics and Other ERP Systems.”

Bob first ties the more familiar ERP systems like Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, and Oracle, to the less familiar ideas of IIoT. Bob says, “Using the IIoT to connect to ERP systems and supply data is therefore a logical step, and one that has already been taken by many of Emerson’s customers.”

Before plunging into the how, Bob addresses the why of IIoT, and its impact. “According to Emerson’s research, there is a $1 trillion opportunity for process plant operators if they move to the top quartile in terms of safety, reliability, production, and emissions.”

He then says that process plant automation systems use the IIoT input to achieve Top Quartile performance (You’re going to want to see the details on this.) And the IIoT data starts with the collection of process parameters such as flow, temperature, level, pressure, etc.

While these parameters would originally have been collected by wired instruments, the move is now toward wireless sensors, which can save a plant half the cost of installation as well as be up and running in one-third the time.

Bob then goes on to explain how ERP systems, often also using an edge analytics software application, translate the IIoT data into Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for reporting to stakeholders. “For example, an ERP system would typically not display a temperature from a distillation tower in a refinery but might instead display and distribute a single number indicating the performance of the tower.”

Bob discusses how KPIs can then be interpreted by accounting, sales, business analysts, and operations managers among many others.

“In all cases, from top level KPIs provided to operations management to detailed information provided to plant personnel, the supply of high-quality and reliable data is the key. This makes wired instruments and wireless sensors the foundation of the IIoT, and of ERP systems in manufacturing enterprises.”

Take a look at Bob’s interesting discussion here. It may answer questions that have been challenging you. 

Where is your company in terms of ERP/IIoT integration?