Endress + Hauser partners with Aucotec to facilitate Industry 4.0-compatible networking
In collaboration with Endress+Hauser, Aucotec AG has created an online link from the engineering department to the current device information of the measuring technology manufacturer. It gives users of the Engineering Base (EB) software system direct access to data throughout the service life of the measuring devices concerned, including such items as instruction manuals, certificates, and details of maintenance and calibration procedures.
Endress + Hauser supplies this information via its W@M Life Cycle Management Portal, which houses the details of some 24 million devices. Thanks to the online portal, EB users can access any specific device, whether in a list or in graphic format, and can for example compare whether the calibration of a sensor matches its originally ordered default settings, or whether there is logistical or application-related background information on the sensor in question. Users can also add information about their assets via the portal, for example entering parameter settings and transferring them to a replacement device, or order a suitable replacement, among other features.
A single plant system may contain tens of thousands of measuring devices. Direct access does away with any need for duplicate data records, while making audits significantly easier to carry out, thanks to the online availability of all the certificates concerned, thereby also making bulky paper files and laborious searches a thing of the past. This shortens engineering schedules, accelerates procurement processes and increases operating times.
An online link from the engineering department to manufacturer data is going to be up and running as early as next year at a large international plant operator from southern Germany. This involves giving each individual sensor its own “instance” and corresponding own page on the online portal, even if it shares a catalogue number with various other units.
source:automation
