by Gary Mintchell | Jan 6, 2023 | News, Open Source, Organizations
I picked up this bit of news last month on a blog at the Open Metaverse Foundation by Royal O’Brien published on December 15, 2022. I had written a couple of things on “industrial metaverse” speculating on what is actually new and what could possibly be realistic. The Linux Foundation has begun an effort to bring companies together to work on definitions and security issues. Befitting a project of the Linux Foundation, openness is the plea and the work.
In October, we brought top experts from diverse sectors together with leaders from many of the projects across the Linux Foundation to discuss what it will take to transform the emerging concept of the Metaverse from promise to reality—from digital assets, simulations and transactions, to artificial intelligence, networking, security and privacy, and legal considerations.
One thing I found interesting is the list of interest groups as initially defined. This provides a bit of definition as to their thinking of what constitutes a metaverse market.
- Users,
- transactions,
- digital assets,
- virtual worlds and simulation,
- artificial intelligence,
- networking,
- security and privacy,
- legal and policy.
They are looking for members. I am curious about what companies will join and work on this project. Of course, one thing I won’t discover will be the companies that join to slow down the process.
by Gary Mintchell | Jan 3, 2023 | News, Organizations
Siemens sent a news release notifying the release of its 2022 Sustainability Report. Regarding sustainability, click the link on the Carbon Almanac image on the right sidebar for general information about reducing our own carbon footprint.
Siemens has been a pioneer in sustainability for many years and is continuing to accelerate its commitments. With the publication of its Sustainability Report covering environmental, societal and corporate governance (ESG) for fiscal 2022, the company announced new, more ambitious targets for its own decarbonization as well as extensive investments. Siemens also disclosed the customer emissions avoided through its products and solutions sold in 2022, approximately 150 million tons, based on an updated future impact calculation methodology in accordance with the principles outlined in the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Reporting Standard.
- Approximately 46 percent CO2 reduction in own operations since 2019
- Ambitious targets: 55 percent physical CO2 reduction by 2025 and 90 percent by 2030
- Approximately 150 million tons customer emissions avoided with Siemens’ products and solutions sold in FY 2022
- €650 million investment for own decarbonization by 2030
- €280 million investment for training and continuing education of own workforce in 2022
by Gary Mintchell | Nov 24, 2022 | Business, Manufacturing IT, News, Organizations
PTC to Acquire SaaS Field Service Management Provider ServiceMax
PTC continually enlarges its footprint in the digital enterprise domain. There was its expansion a few years ago into Internet of Things with acquisition of ThingWorx and Kepware. Those brought a relationship with Rockwell Automation—and I noticed its stand at Automation Fair this month was continually busy. Now an extension into field service management related to its product lifecycle management (PLM) portfolio.
This is an interesting acquisition. Management believes it can bring all these acquisitions together to get the jigsaw puzzle pieces to interlock.
- Acquisition expected to strengthen service capabilities of PTC’s closed-loop PLM portfolio
- PTC’s manufacturing customers rely on field service management for product performance, customer satisfaction, and profitability expansion
- Strong synergies between PTC and ServiceMax’s manufacturing customers and product portfolios
- Transaction expected to be accretive to PTC’s SaaS ARR and cash flow in FY’23
PTC announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire ServiceMax for approximately $1.46 billion in cash on a debt-free, cash-free basis from an entity majority owned by Silver Lake. ServiceMax is a recognized leader in cloud-native, product-centric field service management (FSM) software. The acquisition is expected to strengthen PTC’s closed-loop product lifecycle management (PLM) offerings by extending the digital thread of product information into downstream enterprise asset management (EAM) and FSM capabilities. Subject to the satisfaction of regulatory approval and other applicable closing conditions, the transaction is expected to close in early January 2023.
Partners since 2015, PTC and ServiceMax both support manufacturers of complex, highly configured products for the medical device, industrial products, aerospace, and related verticals. These manufacturers view field service as a strategic part of their businesses to maintain product performance, extend their products’ lifecycles, increase customer satisfaction, drive revenue growth, and expand profitability.
Details:
- The purchase price will be funded in two stages, with $808 million paid at closing and $650 million paid in October 2023. The transaction will be funded with cash on hand, borrowings under PTC’s existing credit facility, and a new $500 million committed term loan.
- ServiceMax is expected to contribute approximately $160 million in ARR for PTC’s Q2’23.
- The transaction is expected to be accretive to PTC’s FY’23 cash flow from operations, free cash flow, and adjusted free cash flow targets.
by Gary Mintchell | Nov 18, 2022 | Business, News, Organizations
Is “Metaverse” a flash-in-the-pan? An ephemeral vision soon to succumb to reality? This news from Hexagon from a couple of weeks ago is about the last I’ve heard. There was one comment about metaverse at the trade show I visited this week, but I think the person spoke ironically.
At any rate, the technologies (if not use cases) are real and under development. Hexagon has announced previously a startup incubator called Sixth Sense—an “accelerator-style” program to fast-track their solutions to commercial success.
Hexagon has announced eight startups that will join its fold under its Sixth Sense. These start-ups have been identified by Sixth Sense as the next big thing for digital reality solutions in the manufacturing sector (digital reality, AR, VR Metaverse).
Examples of the start-ups’ innovations include:
- A ‘handheld lab’ gel scanner that replicates human skin tactility to autonomously test materials
- An algorithm that can analyse an entire car or plane, and in seconds recommend which elements would be stronger, cheaper or lighter if 3D-printed
- An app that takes product data and turns it into a 3D virtual and interactive model, using any smartphone
- An AR overlay to remote customer service, enabling technicians to literally show how it’s done
Eight ‘best of the best’ startups have won out in a competitive pitch process and will join a rigorous ten-week programme to inform and refine their offering with Hexagon’s market insights to global brands like Audi, Boeing, and Microsoft. It will conclude in showcase in February, where two winners will be offered a unique opportunity to scale with Hexagon’s portfolio and bring their digital reality solution directly to customers.
The eight start-ups are:
- 3YOURMIND, Berlin, Germany—enables more agile manufacturing with a software suite that standardises, optimises and automates the entire process chain to enable on-demand part production. Software is designed to efficiently schedule and track manufacturing processes – from the initial order to the finished part.
- Augmentir, Horsham, USA—provides companies with smart insights to the workforce and processes, from “hire to retire”. The collected data helps to reduce time to productivity, enables targeted reskilling and upskilling, and provides individualised guidance and support at the point of work.
- Threedy, Darmstadt, Germany—provides the visual computing technologies to translate the ever-growing web of 3D, business and process data into highly responsive and interactive 3D applications. Its instant3Dhub technology translates existing 3D data entities into highly interactive experiences while minimising device and infrastructure costs.
- oculavis, Aachen, Germany—develops Visual Assistance software which connects machinery and equipment with experts, technicians and customers worldwide. Intuitive Augmented Reality (AR) annotations in video calls facilitate focused collaboration between technicians and clients.
- CASTOR, Tel Aviv, Israel—provides automated 3D printing software which analyses thousands of parts simultaneously and offers deep technical analysis of a complete machine design. It enables manufacturers to identify cost reduction opportunities, suggests geometry changes to the part’s design, estimates the cost and lead time and connects the manufacturer to a printing service bureau.
- GelSight, Waltham, USA—develops human skin-like tactile sensing technology that provides detailed and rapid surface characterisation, enabling several surface measurement applications and robotic sensing capabilities.
- JITbase, Montreal, Canada—builds smart manufacturing software that uses machine data and information from CNC programmes to calculate the optimal sequence of machinist activities on the shop floor. The Optimal Path System (OPS) is based on algorithms that calculate in real-time what should happen in production to maximise the availability rate of the fleet of machines.
- Teratonics, Orsay, France—offers highly automated non-destructive testing, imaging systems and analysis services through the use of ultrashort Terahertz pulses. Users can look into every produced part to uncover internal defects and measure dimensions.
by Gary Mintchell | Nov 10, 2022 | Business, News, Organizations, Security
Research conduced world-wide initiated by BlueVoyant, a cyber defense company, revealed that 98% of firms surveyed have been negatively impacted by a cybersecurity breach that occurred in their supply chain. This is up slightly from 97% of respondents last year. Digital supply chains are made of the external vendors and suppliers who have network access that could be compromised.
“The survey shows that supply chain cybersecurity risk has not decreased and, in fact, more enterprises than ever have reported being negatively impacted by a cybersecurity disturbance in their supply chain,” said Adam Bixler, BlueVoyant’s global head of supply chain defense. “The good news is that across industries and regions, organizations are making supply chain defense a priority, but these organizations need to better monitor suppliers and work with them to remediate issues to reduce their supply chain risk.”
- Study finds 98% of surveyed enterprises say they have been negatively impacted by a cybersecurity breach in their supply chain, an increase from 2021.
- 40% of respondents rely on the third-party vendor or supplier to ensure adequate security.
- In 2021, 53% of companies said they audited or reported on supplier security more than twice per year; that number has improved to 67% in 2022. These numbers include enterprises monitoring in real time.
- Budgets from supply chain defense are increasing with 84% of respondents saying their budget has increased in the past 12 months.
- The top pain points reported are internal understanding across the enterprise that suppliers are part of their cybersecurity posture, meeting regulatory requirements, and working with suppliers to improve their security.
- In manufacturing, 64% of respondents say that supply chain cyber risk is on their radar and 44% say they have established an integrated enterprise risk management program.
by Gary Mintchell | Oct 27, 2022 | News, Organizations
For those US-based readers interested in investment in manufacturing here, this news provides a bit of good news. I’ve visited the Lexington plant discussed here. It is an impressive operation. Glad to see Schneider Electric putting some additional money there.
Schneider Electric announced it will invest about $46 million in its Lexington, KY and Lincoln, NE manufacturing plants to modernize their operations and increase circuit breaker and related electrical product output for its customers in the U.S. and Canada.
In addition, company officials said:
- Construction of its El Paso, TX manufacturing plant is progressing on schedule. The 160,000 square foot plant is projected to be operational by the end of 2022.
- Expansion of Schneider’s Tlaxcala, MX operation continues as the company seeks to meet demand for the circuit breakers and electrical panel boards produced there. The 150,000 square foot operation will employ about 600 workers and will provide the company with the capability to manufacture and ship products in-region should the need arise.
- Schneider will expand its manufacturing operation in Monterrey, MX with a 185,000 square foot manufacturing plant that will build and ship customized switchgear products used to transmit power most often in commercial buildings. The company expects to employ about 325 workers and begin shipping products before the end of 2023.
- The Lexington, KY plant is recognized by the World Economic Forum as both an Advanced Lighthouse and a Sustainability Lighthouse for its adoption and use of 4IR technologies and for achieving sustainability and productivity breakthroughs, respectively. Schneider Electric was ranked No. 2 in the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2022. It recently ranked eighth on the 2022 Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production list by Fortune magazine.
