Page 11 - TCExpression TATA Consulting Engineers Limited

Cover Story 11

Plant asset and the asset life cycle management is a
collaborative process between the supplier (OEM) and the
customer. The possibilities arising from digitised assets is the
game changer today.

For instance, digitised and connected ‘smart ‘ turbines and
boilers can bring about efficiency in operations and fool-proof
safety measures. Smart turbines and smart boilers can be
made intelligent with machine learning. Predictive analysis and
diagnostics will shift to proactive analysis and programmatic
logic by the smart assets. Some of the possibilities are –
fine-tuning of operational parameters by optimising TCE has established working
combustion of fuel according to fuel quality, optimisation of
cleaning cycles of boilers, real-time report on the life-span of relationships with IT systems
assets, the accurate prediction of asset shut down, data-backed & hardware experts, cloud
prediction of residual life of plants, decisive safety related computing experts, big data
interventions through the operations process, centralised data
analytics of all assets across the production cycle and across analytics experts, etc.
geographically dispersed plant facilities, etc.

Digitalisation reboot analyst cannot wave the analytics magic wand to provide the
critical alert that can make or break a plant’s existence. IIoT calls
Transforming to a digitalised environment and for the collaborative efforts of all such experts to bring about
implementing IIoT is a strategic move and is the only option the IIoT transformation, cost effectively.
to prevent large assets from going obsolete. If cost of
adoption of IIoT is a constraint, it must be weighed against Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE) is among the pioneering
the cost of facilities/operations processes being obsolete. consultants who bring to the table all the expertise,
Factoring the benefits of IIoT strengthens the business to handhold manufacturing facilities through the IIoT
case. The good news is that digitisation enables virtual transformation journey. TCE has established working
simulation. Before plunging into IIoT, informed and planned relationships with IT systems and hardware experts, cloud
transformation is possible using a walkthrough or simulated computing experts, big data analytics experts, etc. TCE adds to
environment. Taking a pilot approach or modularised this team, its vast experience in managing multiple partners
fitment helps manage the cost and disruption. and specialist engineering capabilities that is the backbone for
the IIoT transformation. For, IT infrastructure and big data makes
IIoT = Collaboration sense only with the strong backing of the domain expertise

in plant and process which are specific to each industry. This
In the final analysis, an IT partner cannot ‘fit’ assets with an IIoT specialisation combined with digital engineering is the value
system. A process consultant in the energy sector alone may addition that makes the IIoT transformation a modularised
not be in a position to ‘ IIoT-ise’ production facilities. A big-data process, taken one milestone at a time.