People often remind me of problems I tried to solve decades ago now made possible through technology advances and creativity.
Some 30 years ago, I tried to concept a system where we could monitor all the electrical power buses in a plant using the data to reveal potential problems with machines along the production line.
It didn’t fly.
One of the few companies that I would expect to be able to put that sort of system into operation would be Schneider Electric. I had the opportunity to interview Manishi Tiwari, Global Director of EcoStruxure Power and Process at Schneider Electric during the recent conference held in Orlando.
Her task is to lead the teams that will enable the sort of system I had envisioned with a customer way back in 1995. The technology now exists. Now the leadership exists to bring it all together.
She told me that about half of her 17-year career at Schneider Electric was in the process business with the other half working in the electrical power business.
Industries require electrical power to operate. But those systems are not built for information exchange between it and process control. Engineers must connect these systems considering latency, reliability, and continuity. Many systems are upgrades to brownfield sites. These most likely require upgrades to electrical equipment such as circuit breakers, relays and other such equipment. How these new components interact with the process must be carefully considered.
Conversely, process system upgrades, say a change in capacity, will affect the electrical power system. These must be studied and considered at design.
Cyber security also must be engineered into the system. Then steps must be taken to improve information to the operator to make their job better.
Schneider Electric not only has expertise in power systems and process systems, but it also has the AVEVA software portfolio to finish the loop.
I must add that in 27 years of interviewing I’ve seldom had a conversation where the other person jumped right in with background, problem statement, possible solutions, and, oh, with a minimum of marketing jargon. And when I sat down to write, I could construct a logical story.
