Effortless integration of AI and automation technologies.

To modernise and seamlessly integrate the industrial automation technology stack.

A new pioneering software-defined enterprise operations platform – dubbed Project Beyond – that will fundamentally change today’s approach to industrial automation has been announced by Emerson.

"Leading Automation into a New Era!"

Project Beyond will deliver the industry’s first software-defined, OT-ready digital platform that seamlessly integrates and optimises industrial operations. Leveraging innovations in software-defined control, data management, zero-trust cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI), Emerson’s new platform will help automation investments deliver value without adding complexity.

The speed of technology and industrial AI advancements, combined with increased computing power needs and the unprecedented volume and complexity of siloed data generated across industrial assets, requires a new, cost-efficient way for companies to leverage automation across the enterprise while protecting existing investments.

Emerson’s Project Beyond will tackle this challenge by creating a flexible, scalable and secure platform that connects today’s existing automation installed base with modern technologies to empower continuous, enterprise-wide visibility, optimisation and, eventually, autonomous operations. Project Beyond will also provide a consistent platform to deploy and manage new AI applications and models, along with contextualised data, to unlock unimagined flexibility, safety, sustainability and performance for essential industries such as energy, power, life sciences, chemical and mining.

“Companies are eager to modernise automation and keep pace with the promise of new technologies like AI without ripping and replacing their existing infrastructure or dealing with the pain and costs of integrating new applications and millions of fragmented data points,” said Ram Krishnan, chief operating officer at Emerson. “Project Beyond will use the power of software-defined control to introduce an entirely new, scalable, seamlessly integrated infrastructure with automated data contextualisation to turn trapped data into powerful operational efficiencies.”

Evolved from its industry-leading DeltaV™ distributed control system, AspenTech’s leading software portfolio and Boundless Automation^SM vision, Emerson’s new connected industrial technology platform will reduce the costly and complex technology integration required to move data across different operational technology (OT) systems and applications, helping customers deploy and scale new capabilities faster.

“By combining Emerson’s automation capabilities with AspenTech’s deep software expertise – from modelling and optimisation to machine learning and AI – we’re embedding artificial intelligence into our systems, turning information into insights that will help our customers along their journey toward optimised autonomous operations,” Krishnan said.

The building blocks of Project Beyond include:

• Modern Computing Environments: Project Beyond will unify the latest in on-premises edge computing with the power of the cloud to deliver unparalleled data analytics.
• Networking & Connectivity: Secure connectors, APIs and software interfaces that allow connectivity of existing OT systems, devices and legacy I/O to the platform as well as the ability to connect the platform to IT environments.
• DataOps: A powerful data fabric weaving together all OT assets, from devices to entire systems, turning contextualised data and codified knowledge into digital intelligence around operations.
• App Marketplace: A catalogue of state-of-the-art applications, curated for an organisation’s unique needs, collected in a single marketplace for easy access and deployment.
• AI Orchestration: An orchestration engine that will manage the deployment and lifecycle of AI agents enabling the future human/AI hybrid workforce.
• Zero-Trust Security Architecture: A security plane that secures every access, device, application, connection and data within the platform.

Designed as a data-centric platform, the enterprise operations platform enables a more flexible deployment of even more powerful mission-critical functionality, such as the new DeltaV IQ Controller. This software-defined controller will run on commercial, off-the-shelf servers, bringing increased scalability, flexibility, resiliency and extensibility to enterprise operations.

“Emerson has never been content to incrementally improve on current offerings, especially today with the tremendous opportunities around industrial AI,” said Krishnan. “Project Beyond is designed to make it easier and more cost-effective to access the data you need to unleash new AI applications and future-proof your industrial automation investments.”

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Control system has increased operational agility.

Features support for PROFINET S2 devices, more flexible operator training functions and robust change management for human machine interfaces.

Emerson's DeltaV™ Automation Platform is being expanded with the DeltaV version 15 Feature Pack 3 update for its distributed control system. New capabilities in Feature Pack 3 help users improve the availability of Ethernet-based field device networks through PROFINET system redundancy. Feature pack enhancements improve users’ ability to track changes and produce validation reports for version control both internally and for regulating authorities. In addition, new simulation enhancements continue to improve training options to upskill workforces more easily.*

“DeltaV version 15 Feature Pack 3 delivers new functionality that helps modern process manufacturers meet current and future industry challenges,” said Claudio Fayad, vice president of technology for Emerson’s process systems and solutions business. “The regular feature pack cadence between major DeltaV releases continues to help users more quickly realize the project savings and operational efficiencies that come with new features for their control system software.”

The latest DeltaV release is a continuation of the evolution toward a software-defined automation system integrating proven technologies to deliver increased flexibility for adapting to an increasingly complex operating environment. With DeltaV version 15 Feature Pack 3, users now have access to the infrastructure for the highly anticipated IQ controller, a fault-tolerant, modular, software-defined controller deployed in a server-based environment performant for even the most demanding process control applications.

DeltaV PK Controller now supports S2 system redundancy for increased resilience during controller switchovers. Additionally, PK Controller’s support for PROFINET S2 devices can accommodate process changes more easily, empowering production personnel to deliver quality improvements and production increases.

Feature Pack 3 also adds version control for DeltaV Live, providing modern change management and audit trail solutions most relevant for DeltaV installations in highly regulated manufacturing segments such as the life sciences industry. Users can check graphics in and out for customization, intuitively analyse who made changes to graphics and other human machine interface elements and identify why changes were made. Additionally, version control reports can be customized and easily exported for audit documentation.

Enhancements to the DeltaV Simulate training and development suite in Feature Pack 3 improve virtual machine controller-based simulation capabilities for easy offline development and testing, as well as for effective operator training. With new “save and restore” snapshot functionality, instructors can enhance the training experience by showing operators how different choices impact operations.

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*DeltaV version 15 Feature Pack 3 will be on display at Emerson Exchange 2025, being held May 19-22 in San Antonio, Texas USA.

@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto

Accelerating Innovation!

Early bird registration discount for user conference.

Registration for the premier annual event for users, Emerson Exchange Americas (EMREX), to be held May 19-22, 2025, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, (TX USA) is now open. Attendees are encouraged to take advantage of the early bird registration rate of $1,550.00, available up to April 14, 2025. After this date, regular registration costs $2,050.00, with single-day passes priced at $700.00.

“Emerson Exchange is much more than a technical conference; it’s a platform for collaboration, inspiration and innovation,” said Ron Martin, president, Americas at Emerson. “This year’s theme underscores our continued focus on helping organisations navigate the challenges of today’s quickly-changing automation landscape and drive meaningful transformation across critical industries.”

With the theme ‘Accelerating Innovation’, Emerson Exchange 2025 will bring together over 3,100 professionals from 300+ companies and 50+ countries to share knowledge, explore new technologies and foster valuable industry connections. The conference will feature nearly 300 sessions, offering a rich agenda that includes product roadmaps, user case studies, ‘Meet the Experts’ forums, interactive workshops, and hands-on training opportunities.

Emerson’s portfolio of solutions and services will take centre stage, including its Boundless AutomationSM vision for next-generation automation architectures. Experts will also showcase the latest advancements in industrial AI tools, asset management systems, valve and final control innovations, enterprise software, measurement instrumentation and more, with a full schedule of technical presentations and round-tables.

Speakers will cover topics relevant to a wide range of industries, including alternative energy, chemicals, life sciences, oil and gas, food and beverage, metals and mining, and pulp and paper. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with Emerson experts, learn from real-world success stories, interact with live product demos and collaborate with their peers.

The technology exhibition – a highlight of the conference – will provide an up-close look at recent innovations from Emerson’s leading brands, such as DeltaV™, Rosemount™, Fisher™ and Micro Motion™, as well as solutions from strategic third-party partners.

Registration includes access to all conference sessions, certified training (eligible for continuing education units), meals, exhibitions and social events.

Visit Emerson.com/Exchange2025 to learn more and register today.

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@Emerson_News @EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto

#EMRex Boundless exploration, engaging and evolution on the Rhine!

Next generation industrial automation architecture introduced.

We reported the opening of registration for the Emerson User Groups Conference (#EMRex) for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) in Düsseldorf in 2024 last November . This biennial event had been interrupted by the pandemic and indeed the 2020 event was cancelled a few short weeks before it was to take place. In all six years had elapsed since the last event in the Netherlands.  So at the end of February it was revived and was every bit as lively as its predecessors. In way it was returning to it's roots since the first such event in Europe was also held in Düsseldorf in 2012. 

More than 2000 delegates thronged assembly hall in the Messe Congress Centre on the morning to listen to the opening addresses. Those of a certain age will remember this as the venue for the huge Interkama Messe - 12 huge halls full to the brim with instrumentation from companies like Hartman & Braun, Taylor, Foxboro, George Kent and many others long since subsumed into larger entities like Siemens. ABB, Rockwell, Honeywell and of course Emerson itself. Indeed Interkama itself has long since been swallowed into the Hannover Messe.

EMRex through the years
• Return to Dusseldorf (2012)
• Reving up in Stuttgart (2014)
• All change at Brussells Centraal (2016)
• Connecting, communicating and creating in Netherlands. (2018)

This is a "User Group" meeting rather than a hard selling event. If there was any selling done it was concepts rather than products. The theme "Explore, Engage and Evolve", was to be explored to see how Boundless Automation™ could help "realise success and remarkable business outcomes through compelling success stories and connecting with experts over the next few days." 

The first session was opened by Emerson's President in Europe, John Nita and he introduced the speakers, Steve Miller, ICE Disciplne Lead, BP, Paolo Argenta Executive Vice President , Upstream Business Unit, Tenova. Emerson President Lal Karsanbhai addressed the challenges facing every industry, from the drive to balance sustainability and profitability to the constantly evolving economic landscape. Here is Emerson Blogger Jim Cahill's account.

Gerd Leonhard's Keynote

Embrace Technology...
Gerd Leonhard, CEO with The Futures Agency GmbH, delved into into AI and how we can leverage convergence to unleash boundless opportunities and shape our future. Challenges of climate change, artificial intelligence & synthetic biotechnology appear insurmountable but our capacity to solve them are larger than we think. Things are not as bad as they seem and he had an optimistic message. "The future is better than you think ... Embrace technology but don't become it!"

After the opening session the conference divided into the smaller groups examining various industries, applications and technologies. In all there were over three hundred different sessions. These sessions were by and large presentations of real user stories. Delagates learned from their peers. In many cases they were guided through the whole process from problem definition over solution comparison/selection to implementation.

Paperless
This conference was different from previous in that there was no paper catalogue. A special phone app was provided and using this a delegate could select the most interesting sessions and set up an individual programme. This proved invaluable and helped in organising in a way that would be probably be impossible leafing through a thick programme booklet.

In previous reports we've made on these types of events we have mentioned that twitter would come alive and those not able to attend could at least get a flavour from the tweets of participants. There has been a marked decrease in this aspect. While there have been tweets they are mostly by the Emerson Exchange 365 Community account rather than from individual participants. Included here are links to Emerson Blogger par Excellance, Jim Cahill.

Peter Zornio

The associated press conference was also held on the first day and Emerson's Chief Technical Officer, Peter Zornio, an irrepressible constant at all EMRex events, explained how Emerson’s Boundless Automation™ architecture breaks down barriers and data silos across the intelligent field, edge and cloud. Integrating these disparate systems with a unifying data fabric offers new insights and helps companies optimize operations across production, reliability, safety, sustainability and its workforce.

• Intelligent Field: An intelligent field will simplify access to more data from more sources and a greater diversity of applications. With smarter devices and new connection technologies like 5G and APL, customers can streamline both connectivity from anywhere in the world, and integration across the new architecture. • Edge: The new OT edge creates a modern, secure, low-latency computing environment, putting new software tools and actionable data closest to its user. This enhanced edge environment establishes a platform for IT and OT colleagues to innovate and collaborate more than ever before. • Cloud: The cloud will power complex operations and engineering capabilities on-premise and across the enterprise by providing infinite analytical computing power, enterprise collaboration, attractive lifecycle costs and on-demand support and service.

Security is very important factor in the future of OT/IT co-operation. There is a certain nervousness in utilising the cloud for sensitive processes though it is inevitable that this will happen. (The recent AGM of Cyber Ireland in November is one example of movement in this co-operation).

Another aspect worth examining was the fact that the area of automation, long considered a capital investment is fast becoming a running expense as software and architecture improves and necessitates regular updates.

Sustainability.

From Blue to Green!

The concept of sustainability is one that is gaining increasing attention. In a well presented key note on Day two, Emerson's Chief Sustainability Officer Mike Train, and CTO, Peter Zornio donned Blues Brothers' hats and shared the ways that Emerson technologies are helping manufacturers & producers drive their sustainability initiatives forward. One might say the Blues Brothers became Green!

There was a large Exhibition which featured not only Emerson products but also products form other complimentary manufacturers. This was thronged by delegates during the free times. 

Some of the Irish delegates at EMRex 2024 in Dusseldorf.

One of the great benefits of a conference such as this is the social interaction. There were lots of opportunities for discussions, comparing notes etc during the breaks between sessions. In the evening use was made of various groups to have dinner. On the Wednesday there was a group social event in the Congress Centre itself.

Your Read-out Correspondent with
Emerson's Jim Cahill

Lost & found!
In one instance this social interaction was so interesting that two delegates boarded the wrong bus and all the while chatting away. The bus stopped and everybody went into a hotel and were given a glass of wine and hung up their clothes in the cloak room and after about fifteen minutes one of the said to the other. "I don't think this is an Emerson event!" Sure enough nobody was wearing the distinctive Emerson lanyard. Nobody had noticed the interlopers. 

Luckily they managed to locate the correct party some kilometers away though it is said that they managed to finish their glasses of wine at the gate-crashed party. 

As the saying goes no names no pack drill!

In all this was a welcome return to normality in the calendar and a useful learning experience exploring, engaging and evolving automation.

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Associated press releases:
• LyondellBasell Selects Emerson to Modernize Automation Technology at Olefins Production Plants.
• Breaking down data silos, liberating data and unleashing the power of software. 
• Democratising operational data for faster digital transformation.
• Digital valve controller is a first. 

• Flow for high-temperature, high-viscosity, or abrasive liquids.

• Reducing complexity in water and wastewater applications.

See also:

• Emission-Free Gas-Powered Actuators are “Fit for 55” (5/8/2024 Emerson's Automation Experts Blog)

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@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @futuresagency @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #EmrEx #EMEA #Germany

Explore, Engage, Evolve.

Share best practices for achieving step-change operational and sustainability improvements.

Registration is now open for Emerson Exchange Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) 2024, which will take place at the Congress Center Düsseldorf (D), from February 27-29. This will be the first Emerson Exchange in Europe to be held in-person since 2018*, following the COVID-19 pandemic. With a theme of ‘Explore, Engage, Evolve’, the Emerson users’ event will highlight how industrial manufacturers exploring greenfield project developments or modernisation of existing sites can employ powerful software and advanced automation solutions to achieve step-change improvements in sustainability and operational performance.

Emerson Exchange is an industry-leading technical conference, where professionals from process, hybrid and discrete manufacturing gather to share ideas, collaborate on solutions and get expert advice on how to extract the most from their automation technology investments. Thousands of delegates from more than 50 countries are expected to attend the conference, where they can network with their peers and hear more than 150 users sharing their experiences and presenting solutions to some of their most challenging automation projects.

“Emerson Exchange EMEA 2024 provides the perfect platform to present our latest advanced automation software and technologies designed to help organisations meet their operational, decarbonisation and sustainability goals,” said John Nita, president of Emerson Europe. “Attendees will have the opportunity to explore transformative ideas and gain inspiration and insights from industry leaders to accelerate their own improvement programmes.”

A highlight of the conference will be a summit focusing on the key topic of sustainability, where executives from leading global manufacturers will hold roundtable discussions about meeting decarbonisation targets. 

Düsseldorf

Emerson’s Women’s Impact Network employee resource group will host a summit focusing on the significant impact of women in business and providing valuable insights from inspirational women at the forefront of the engineering and tech industry. 

In addition, the event will feature a range of industry forums, with experts meeting to discuss the latest trends and technological developments in the chemical, energy, food and beverage, life sciences, LNG and metals and mining industries.

“The Emerson Exchange EMEA 2024 will be one of the largest gatherings of industry leaders exchanging ideas, forming collaborations and discovering innovations that will drive our industry forward,” said Mathias Schinzel, president of Emerson Middle East and Africa. “The remarkable level of interest we've seen from the Middle East and Africa serves as a clear signal that the region is not just keen to embrace the future of manufacturing and energy, but actively shape it by fully committing to advancing sustainability and decarbonisation journeys.”

The 5000m² EXPO will be divided into zones focused on sustainability and decarbonisation, industries, technologies and expertise. Delegates will be able to hold in-depth discussions with industry experts about their specific applications and learn about Emerson’s portfolio of software solutions and its Boundless Automation™ vision for implementing a next-generation automation architecture across an enterprise, enabling significant business improvements.

The event will also feature the largest training programme ever held at an Emerson Exchange in Europe, with 600 places available on a range of certificated courses, giving delegates the chance to develop their skills as a means of enhancing their career. Further supporting talent development, the event will also include a STEM open day for university students.

Secure your place here Early Bird is available until December 31st 2023.

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* #EMREX Connecting, communicating and creating in Netherlands. (14/3/2018)

@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #EmrEx #EMEA #Germany

DCS upgrade gives enhanced flexibility and connectivity.

Update features new PK Controller functionality for advanced physical layer and consumption-based deployments

Building upon the innovative technologies and solutions in the DeltaV™ distributed control system (DCS) Emerson has just released DeltaV Version 15 Feature Pack 1. This feature pack release includes new technology and enhancements to current capabilities that not only improve control system situational awareness and performance, but also help ensure more efficient, sustainable operations.

Hybrid and process industry business drivers are continually changing as market dynamics shift product demand and costs. A modern, flexible control system is critical to help manufacturing sites and operations personnel adapt and drive productivity through seamless data connectivity and intuitive decision support applications. The latest release of the DeltaV control system continues the regular cadence between major DeltaV releases to help users more quickly realize the project savings and operational efficiencies that come with new features for their control system software.

“In an era of market volatility, increased focus on sustainability and few spare personnel, organizations are exploring automation projects that will expand their flexibility to help them stay nimble, making it easier to quickly deliver quantifiable value,” said Claudio Fayad, vice president of technology for Emerson’s process systems and solutions business. “Expanded connectivity and subscription options provide organizations the flexibility they need to design projects with very specific outcomes, measure the success quickly, and then make changes they need to rapidly bring return on investment in line with expectations.”

The DeltaV PK Controller line now includes built-in, native integration of PROFINET, further enhancing the wide variety of applications and system sizes addressed by the PK Controller line. With PROFINET capability, the PK Controller is now ready to integrate advanced physical layer (APL) devices, accelerating the adoption of high-speed devices in process environments. Additionally, the DeltaV PK Flex Controller is the newest addition to the line, adding flexible, software-defined control capacity that can scale and adjust as engineering or operational requirements change. Delivered as a subscription, the DeltaV PK Flex Controller reduces upfront cost, eliminates complexity associated with control engineering tasks and allows customers to easily adjust control capacity throughout the lifecycle of a facility.

The extensive suite of software applications that are core to the DeltaV system have also been enhanced in this feature pack, delivering more operational insights through robust analytics and intuitive operator environments. The newest version of DeltaV advanced control applications—Neural, Predict, and Predict Pro—are now available in 1-, 3-, or 5-year term-based licenses improving flexibility and reducing upfront investment supporting a quicker return on investment.

In addition, improved integration of web applications further establishes DeltaV Live as the center of a robust operational intelligence ecosystem providing a single, cohesive view of operations by securely integrating data, video streams, enterprise analytics and other decision support applications. This new capability adds to the existing set of high-performance tools in DeltaV Live to maximize situational awareness and deliver the ultimate operator experience.

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@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #EmrEx

Towards next-generation automation platform.

New solutions to deliver smarter, safer, optimised and sustainable industrial operations

The first of a series of new technology releases has been announced. This series builds upon Emerson's Boundless Automation™ vision and serve as the foundation of its next-generation, software-centric industrial automation architecture. The new technology releases will transcend a traditional control system, creating a more advanced automation platform that contextualises and democratises data for both people and the artificial intelligence (AI) engines that shape the way the world operates.

“Boundless Automation is a big vision, but also a real one grounded in exciting new technologies available today, and more coming in the next two to three years,” said Nathan Pettus, president of Emerson’s process systems and solutions business. “The solutions bringing our vision to life will have a tangible impact on projects our customers are developing right now. These innovations will break down silos of data in areas like sensing, analytics, reliability and control by creating a single ecosystem of seamlessly connected technologies that move contextualised data from the intelligent field, through the edge, and into the cloud.”

Technologies support new, boundless automation vision.
The company shared its new DeltaV™ Edge Environment at its Emerson Exchange Immerse event, at Aneheim (CA USA), convening industrial technology leaders from across the globe to collaborate on industry challenges, such as disparate software systems creating a barrier to connectivity across the value chain. Emerson’s DeltaV Edge Environment will provide more secure ways to move data from the automation platform to wherever it is needed – data lakes, data scientists, analytics applications in the cloud, enterprise resource planning systems, etc. – without losing valuable operational context.

Emrex Americas 2023 - Pic: Jim Cahill

The company has also announced the release of technologies supporting the increased bandwidth and intrinsically safe connectivity of Ethernet advanced physical layer (APL). By bringing technologies to market that enable APL across a broader spectrum of protocols, Emerson is making it easier for customers to integrate a wide array of intelligent field devices into the DeltaV automation platform, expanding visibility and empowering users and systems to manage a company’s most complex problems and system interactions.

As Emerson shifts toward an increasingly software-defined platform and eliminates traditional server and storage silos, its new DeltaV PK Flex Controller allows users to leverage subscription-based services to use only the technologies they need, with the flexibility to add functionality at any time. Subscription options also enable teams to reduce capital costs and shift expenses to the operating expense budget. As a next phase, Emerson will add more than 16 services to its subscription portfolio to provide customers with more flexible business models, empowering them to drive innovation and growth with ease.

Emerson has also added new software-as-a-service, cloud-hosted solutions to bring data from the edge into the cloud, helping combine cloud data with AI tools to upskill personnel and offset experienced worker shortages. Those AI analytics tools, including AMS Optics and Aspen Mtell®, will help teams build models for predictive and prescriptive maintenance strategies that unlock the autonomous plant, while simultaneously creating a new paradigm of centralised operations where highly skilled personnel work in tandem with AI.

Empowering richer, real-time analytics.
As expanded connectivity brings more assets, devices and data into the fold, teams will need more powerful tools to help them manage and use the information coming in from many different sources. Emerson’s Ovation™ Green solutions, including asset management and supervisory control and data acquisition software, represent a powerful suite of technologies to combine a utility’s renewable energy assets into a single management tool, unifying data and setting the stage for holistic automation across the power grid. Similarly, tools like AMS Data Server unshackle reliability data, making it easier for users to get critical information out of the intelligent field and into cloud-based applications for use by cross-functional teams.

“These new technologies from Emerson are available for inclusion in capital project planning today and will help companies better prepare for the rapidly approaching future of automation, driven by a shift to more efficient, sustainable production,” Pettus said.

Emerson’s emerging automation technologies shared at Exchange Immerse should help optimise performance, sustainability, safety and production for key industries including specialty chemical, energy, life sciences, mining, power generation and more.

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@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #EmrEx

Software-focused automation conference.

Customers, experts, and automation industry leaders will come together for a three-day, process automation experience as part of the first Emerson Exchange Immerse. The conference will be held October 3-5, 2023, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, (CAL USA).

As an extension of the comprehensive Emerson Exchange events held globally, Emerson Exchange Immerse will enable users to more directly focus on process automation systems, solutions, and software including technologies from DeltaV™, Ovation™, AMS, Guardian™ and AspenTech. 

Registration is now open for Emerson customers. Early bird registration ends Aug. 31, 2023.

Emerson Exchange Immerse attendees will engage with their peers, broaden their knowledge base and gain valuable insight from industry leaders. Users will learn the latest technology advancements, implementation successes and proven project solutions being used throughout process automation. Topics will span a wide range of industries including energy, life sciences, chemical, refining, food and beverage, power generation, renewables, hydrogen, biomass, water and mining industries.

“One of the best ways our users, and even our own Emerson experts, learn about new process automation strategies and technologies is from hearing each other’s stories,” said Nathan Pettus, president of Emerson’s process systems and solutions business. “At Emerson Exchange Immerse, attendees will not only hear those stories in user presentations but will be able to dig deeper with our hands-on technology exhibits and in our many networking events.”

Emerson Exchange Immerse will feature over 200 sessions—more than half of which will be presented by users—as well as technology exhibits and educational courses. In addition, forums led by industry experts and Emerson executives will explore how advanced automation software from Emerson is helping companies make measurable progress toward operational excellence and sustainability goals.

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• Emerson will also host an Exchange user conference for customers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in Düsseldorf (D), Feb. 27-29, 2024.

@EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation @Emerson_News @HHC_Lewis #EMREX22 #PAuto #Americas

Forward progress again in Focus.

Registration is now open for the Emerson ‘Highlights from Emerson Exchange 2022’ that offers content curated from the in-person Emerson Exchange Americas conference held last October in Dallas. The virtual event is free and open to users in all industries. 

Registrants can select from 60 presentations and technical demonstrations streaming from March 7-9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Central European Time (GMT +1), in addition to special live roundtable discussions with Emerson experts scheduled each day.

‘Best of’ Emerson Exchange
Curated for Conference Highlights

Sessions cover a wide range of technologies and applications for process, hybrid and discrete automation, including advanced control software, temperature and pressure management, actuation technologies, pervasive sensing, flow control, asset performance management, ultrasonic sealing and welding, and pump health monitoring, as well as best practices for reducing emissions, meeting sustainability goals and implementing digital transformation strategies.

Each day’s programme also features live presentations on topics relevant to current trends and challenges facing manufacturers:

● Tuesday, March 7: Emerson’s ‘Boundless Automation’ Vision for Automation Technology. ● Wednesday, March 8: Customer Case Studies on Sustainability. ● Thursday, March 9: Addressing the Dual Challenge, with AspenTech.

All content is available for registered users to access on-demand after the streaming event until April 4.

“Our goal at Emerson is to drive innovation that makes the world healthier, safer, smarter and more sustainable,” said Peter Zornio, Emerson’s chief technology officer. “To that end, we’ll continue to deliver relevant, value-added content at events like Emerson Exchange Virtual Edition that can help a broader audience of manufacturing leaders rethink processes, identify new efficiencies and reach higher levels of performance.”

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• See also Forward Progress - 26 August 2022

@EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation @Emerson_News @HHC_Lewis #EMREX22 #PAuto #Europe

Software-driven, data-centric automation platform.

Driving faster, easier digital transformation to accelerate IT/OT convergence, enabling easy upgrades and modernization.

Emerson has released a new version of its DeltaV™ distributed control system (DCS). Version 15 of the DeltaV DCS helps plants digitally transform operations through improved production optimization and enhanced operator performance. New software designed to reduce the burden of IT support and modernization spend coupled with expanded analytics will help increase flexibility and speed to market and drive operational improvements.

Market forces and public expectation are putting more pressure than ever on manufacturers to drive improved performance and sustainability. Meeting these goals, especially in an era of personnel shortages, means making the most of available data. DeltaV version 15 expands access to critical data to provide every operator with actionable decision support. New infrastructure makes automation easier to set up and maintain while real-time analytics and an improved human machine interface (HMI) help operators improve situational awareness.

“As the Purdue Model of control system engineering continues to flatten and more manufacturers need visibility across the enterprise, the control system plays an increasingly important role in providing real-time access to highly-contextualized, democratized data,” said Claudio Fayad, vice president of technology for Emerson’s process systems and solutions business. “Version 15 continues our focus on intuitive, software-defined architectures to help operators and engineers meet the more sustainable, efficient future of process manufacturing.”

Project and operations teams rely on virtualization to reduce the hardware and energy footprint of the automation system while simultaneously increasing its availability. DeltaV now supports a hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) virtualization option that can be deployed in half the time of a traditional virtualization setup. DeltaV HCI is easy to scale and maintain and delivers improved performance. The HCI platform is easily expandable and scalable, allowing users to future-proof their investment, and is the foundation of the DeltaV evolution into a data-centric and software-defined system.

Users can increase their speed to market through the new DeltaV Spectral Process Analytical Technology (PAT). DeltaV Spectral PAT integrates two analytics solutions with the DeltaV DCS for real-time closed-loop control. This tighter control helps reduce human error and increase speed to market of quality therapies by moving plants closer to continuous manufacturing of drugs.

Enhancements to DeltaV Live, a modern HTML5-based, built for purpose HMI, empower operators with easy access to expert insights for more effective, efficient decisions that drive better performance and help personnel of any skill level. Teams can also unlock anytime, anywhere access to digital twin simulations from across the globe with the new software-as-a-service DeltaV Simulation Cloud, saving time and money with subscription options and facilitating easier collaboration among experts.

Easier, more flexible I/O integration lowers capital costs and improves modernizations. Built-in cybersecurity remains a priority, with DeltaV version 15 being ISASecure SSA Level 1 certified, providing end-to-end cybersecurity across the whole system and at all levels.

@EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation @Emerson_News @HHC_Lewis #PAuto

Forward focus...

In-person conference to bring together industry’s leading automation professionals to share insight on innovations in sustainability, safety and production performance

For the first in-person Emerson Exchange (EMREX) since 2019, Emerson will bring together customers, experts and industry leaders for a four-day conference to share the latest innovations across process, hybrid and discrete industries. The conference will be held during the week of October 24, 2022, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Centre in Grapevine, (TX USA).

Registration is now open to Emerson customers. Early bird registration ends on August 31.

Emerson Exchange 2022 offers a unique opportunity for automation professionals to engage with their peers, broaden their knowledge base and gain valuable insight on the latest market trends, technological breakthroughs, and project success stories from around the world.

Keynote presenters include Mark Bulanda, executive president of Emerson’s Automation Solutions business; Mike Train, Emerson senior vice president and chief sustainability officer; and AspenTech CEO Antonio Pietri.

A comprehensive agenda of more than 300 presentations, technology exhibits and educational courses will focus on a broad range of topics relevant to today’s energy, life sciences, chemical, refining, food and beverage, power generation, renewables, hydrogen, biomass, water and mining industries.

Roundtable sessions led by industry experts and Emerson executives will explore how advanced automation technologies are helping companies make measurable progress in energy source decarbonisation, emissions management, electrification, energy efficiency, and other areas involving environmental and economic sustainability.

This year’s event will also feature in-depth panel discussions on industrial cybersecurity techniques, digital transformation case studies, decision-making strategies, project execution roadmaps, safety and operations best practices, as well as live product demonstrations, an opening night networking event, music jam, collaboration forums and much more.

• Details of EMREX EMEA conferences through the years may be found her.

@EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation @Emerson_News @HHC_Lewis #EMREX22 #PAuto #Americas

What's cooking?

Choose the right Ingredients for truly optimized operations

This was the first time for many to attend a face to face conference of any kind. Many events have suffered because of the COVID pandemic and Emerson postponed many of their innovative Emrex Conferences on both sides of the Atlantic which we have reported on over the years. Then last year EMREX EMEA 2021 went online.

This year in Europe instead of the major EMREX function over several days in a particular European city the decided to hold a smaller event in various venues throughout the region entitled Emerson Innovation Day 2022 headlining "Optimising Performance with the Right Ingredients."

Seán Boylan

In Ireland there were two such events one in Dunboyne and the other in Cork. We attended the event closest to Dublin and the Meath venue certainly was not shy in showing its football credentials with a statue of the legendary manager Seán Boylan standing by the main entrance. The town was also familiar to the older participants as the area in which the soap "The Riordans" was filmed week after week indeed the local church was where Benjie and Maggie tied the marital knot. (I was tempted to include a picture of this idyll of Irish country living but controlled myself.)

The fact that many people were confined due to the pandemic meant that perhaps they were unaware of the great changes in automation. We were introduced with a short film on how these challenging changes were being handled by Emerson. Some of these, like remote management of processes and indeed the conducting of remote meetings was accelerated by enforced isolation. 

Digitizing became the in word as IT and OT moved into ever more closer cooperation. Another challenge hurtling us into more change the full effects of which we hardly know is being instigated by the war in Ukraine. It looks like this will hasten uptake on reducing the use of fossil fuels and the adoption of alternative energy sources.

The use of automation was key in the Life Sciences industry in developing the various vaccines combatting the pandemic. Key stratagies had to be developed using data, much cooperation focussed on personal medicine solutions and vitally to debottleneck facility during the ramp up phase towards full capacity production.

There is a danger of being flooded with data but being unable to access the right information needed to make critical decisions.The key to success here is PKM - process, knowledge, management. Sometimes these can be reversed to the detriment of the production of the final result.

In order to solve flexibility and fast track project constraints and reduce architecture pains where possible, a process valve piloting solution was developed by Emerson which has now become a standardised product for the end-user on all projects. Again resource and speed are key factors in project execution.

Another aspect was highlighted for producers. Maintenance. Sometimes this is a reactive operation. A controller fails - "go fix it!" This means delays. The argument was that predictive maintenance is best. Also the development of remote calibration has been an enhancement forced in part by work practices during the past two years.

Better visibility into key operations data is essential to improve efficiency, increase plant and personnel safety, and support predictive maintenance strategies. The use of of WirelessHART and the mesh system with smart instrumentation makes more possible the optimisation and utilisation of assets and ultimately increase production.

Of course no Emerson function would be complete with out a presentation on DeltaV. This one was no exception. Each release of the DeltaV DCS brings innovative technologies that optimise operational efficiency. Here participants learned how it’s easier to bring in spectral waveform data, support for high-density cards making PLC migrations easier, HMI improvements, and integrating Module Type Packages into DeltaV. And we were teased by news on the next release!

The event was attended by maybe more than 75 people in Dunboyne and the quality of questions from the floor was high and stimulating.

It was quite different from EMREX but attendance included many people who would not be able to travel and spend two or three days in one venue. All user conferences are very important in encouraging interaction not only with the automation manufacturer but also between different users in similar and dissimilar industries

Salad days!

Oh and the freebies! Each participant received wooden salad servers which tied in nicely with the "Choosing the Right Ingredients" theme of the conference. Also a copy of their "Innovations in Process Automation" publication- get your own copy here!

Forward Focus!
EMREX itself is coming to America next October. Emerson Exchange is back in-person October 24th-28th, 2022 in Grapevine, TX USA. The blurb says "Emerson Exchange is more than just an industry-leading technical conference. It’s a unique opportunity to learn how you can maximize assets and increase profitability with other leaders and experts from across the process automation industry." Learn more

@Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @EmersonExchange @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #Ireland

A successful event but...

The Emerson User Group EMEA ended yesterday (31st march 2021) and President Roel van Doren reported a very successful event. Over 8500 registered from in excess of 110 countries and 25000 attendances were recorded at the more than 300 presentations. It was indeed a very well organised event but perhaps the great missing element was the lack of personal interaction with fellow attendees. 

Discover! Design! Deliver!

What was missing!

So what was the message? Obviously this event could be described as the "Discover" phase. Participants then could go away and co-operating with the equipment suppliers and system builders design and then the suppliers would deliver and install. Simples (as a famous advert says!). So what did we discover?

A whole lot of learning has happened since this particular event was first planned to meet in March 2020 in the Italian city of Milan. If the CoVID-19 did anything it concentrated the minds of scientific and industrial advances not only in the production of several vaccination products in a heretofore unimaginable time frame but in wholesale advances in use of digitisation.

But there are other things happening in the background. The understanding of our interdependance with the natural world gained as well and the emphasis that Emerson are placing on sustainability. Natural resources are finite and investigations are proceeding apace to discover new generating methods for energy, reducing or even eliminating the use of hydrocarbons. We heard the aphorism "Hydrogen is the rockstar!" more than once during the three years.

We were introduced to the latest advanced automation technologies and how they address global sustainability challenges, such as ensuring reliable power distribution and meeting the demand for clean fuels, such as hydrogen. Emerging technologies are creating new industrial computing architectures that help to transform operations and drive efficiency improvements. In a word the green agenda and digitisation.

The free of charge presentations are still available on-line.

See also:

From defence to reimagining the new era! (29/3/21)

In the clouds! (30/3/2021)

Previous EMREX Events through the years (Reports over the past 10 plus years)

@Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #EMrex #Pauto #EMEA

In the clouds!

Emerson Exchange, the Emerson User Group on-line conference continued for a second day and we managed to attend one or two of the presentations!

Peter Zornio addresses the EMREX EMEA'21 from deep within the Emerson Control Centre somewhere deep in the heart of in Texas! 

Perhaps a disadvantage in these on-line conferences is distractions. It is so easy in these days of working from home to walk away or miss a talk because of something else happening that "must" be seen to. Physical presence at these conferences perhaps ensures a more concentrated application to the business in hand. The other thing missing is of course the professional relationships continued, fostered and established at such gatherings facilitating the exchanging of experiences and ideas. This COVID-19 has a lot to answer for!

Bader Al-Attar, Deputy CEO Planning Finance at Kuwait Oil Company discussed “The need for improved digitization in the Oil Gas Business.” Major oil & gas entities are impacted severely not only by pandemic and currency crises but also now by the effect of sustainability policies and need to reduce carbon emissions. Digitisation is an important, indeed essential, help in confronting these challenges.

What should go and what should stay!

Peter Zornio, Chief Technology Officer at Emerson talked about “Cloud, cloud, cloud – but for Plant Operations?” and focussed on the developments in usage of the Cloud which sometimes appears, particularly in the IT world as the answer to a maiden's prayer. It does have many benefits of course like universal access, little or no capital investment etc.

But we should be careful. While these maybe useful in the IT world it is not as completely useful in the OT world. Certainly there are useful aspects of cloud technology like analysis and historian. It is important however to maintain "hands on" on the core control of a process and be careful in deciding what should stay and what should go into the cloud! NAMUR recognises that most customers want (need) base operations to function without the cloud.

These and other of the sessions are available on the website for delegates to see at a later date on the site - it's free!

• Here are our impressions from Day 1: From defence to reimagining the new era! (29/3/2021)

• Impressions from Emerson User Group Conferences through the years.

@Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @KocOfficial @HHC_Lewis #EMrex #Pauto #EMEA 

From defence to reimagining the new era!

We have managed to attend each Emerson User Group meeting in Europe since the first one in Duesseldorf in 2012. They were held every two years since then in various European citys and managed to overcome problems some not so difficult and one major threat at the Brussels which went ahead some weeks after the terrible bombings in that city in Spring 2016. We were therefore looking forward to the 2020 event in the great city of Milan in March. And then came COVID-19 and many thought it would perhaps be brought forward to a later date and then it was decided to hold it in 2021. But the pandemic works to its own timetable!

Thus it was decided to hold this years event on-line. We've counted around 500 different presentations, demonstrations, and applications over the three days of this event. 

Of course Emerson User Group meetings were started prior to 2012 in the Americas and those of us on this side of the Atlantic attended in ever improving internet access or through following activity on twitter using the hash tag #EMREX like here from the 2009 EMRex (Held in Houston TX USA). Of course internet access and the transmission and organising of events on-line have improved in the meantime and of course with the events of the past 15 months the general use of applications facilitating inter communicating over the internet has blossemed not only in the industrial sphere but also in domestic intercommunication. This was highlighted in the remarks of Jos Berkin of Nouryon, at the opening of the conference when he observed that the adoption of phone for general uses took over 20 years but that the impact of the world pandemic forced swift adaptation of digital technology. "The technology was already there but general adoption was hastened by events."

"We are entering into a new era!" this was the challenge described by Roel van Doren (right), a Veteran of these conferences as European President of Emerson for the past eight years. He is now Group President Global Sales with Emerson, for the company. When the Pandemic made its unwelcome presence felt Emerson like all industry adopted a defensive mode. The conditions were unprecedented and required great concentration on the pert of all operatives. He felt that this had been largely successful and they were now "reimagining the new era - "the Next Normal!"

Many of the issues in this particular conference would address this new normal. It included a new invigorated emphasis on energy and sustainability. In a move that underlines their commitment to sustainability, Mike Train, who has served as company president since 2018 and a member of Emerson’s Office of the Chief Executive (OCE) since 2016, is to step down as president to take on this new and important role for Emerson - Chief Sustainability Officer. During the next period we are going to witness a change from hydrocarbon to the new energy. "Hydrogen is the rockstar of the new energy world!" he declared*.

Richard Mortimer VP Engineering for BP's Global Project Organisation spoke on how this large corporation is addressing global warming through technology and examining how to reduce substantially the effect of the petroleum industry on the environment both in production and usage.

"How to shoot yourself in the foot!"

Safety Layers

Thomas Wegner, (Industrial Control System Cyber-Security Lead, Yara) delivered a presentation with this provocative title. Cybersecurity around Industrial Control Systems must be approached in a practical and pragmatic way. His entertaining and well delivered talk shared real-life tips that either can easily be turned into quick-wins or that will enable avoidance of common pitfalls, including the currently rampant ransomware threats causing you extensive production outages or even HESQ incidents. IoT although an invaluable tool can also a great danger to a processing facility. The talk was billed accurately as follows, "The Food for thought at a low buzzword-density, no fancy IT geek speak, but real-life experience sharing. Not academic thoughts or death-by-PowerPoint, but tips with value to your daily operation. Caution: May contain traces of expressive language." One of the comments he made struck this correspondant. Doctors when visiting patieant always was their hands before moving on to the next patient. Sales and maintenance personnel could learn from this. "Wash you laptop before you visit the next client!"

The event continues until Wednesday.

EMREX EMEA down the years!

* See also: Towards 0% carbon emissions in Europe. (22/3/2021)

@Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @yara @Nouryon @bp_plc @HHC_Lewis #EMrex #Pauto #EMEA