A fully European alternative.

All-in-One Office Suite, 100% European.

Office.eu, a 100% European owned alternative to widely used productivity platforms such as Microsoft Office and Google Workspace, has officially launched today in The Hague (NL). Built on open-source technology and running entirely on European infrastructure, Office.eu enables organisations to regain control over their data and digital operations.

"We have seen more and more how essential it is to become cloud-independent and to rely on software that is built around European values,” said Maarten Roelfs, CEO of Office.eu. “For many years, Europe has relied on American software and therefore created a certain risk of dependency, but we have also given away the control over our own data. Office.eu proves that we now have a strong European alternative, with sovereignty, privacy and transparency at its core.”

The platform has been tested over recent months by early adopters across Europe. Designed as a complete office suite, Office.eu combines document editing, collaboration and secure data storage, while fully complying with European Union data protection legislation.

The launch comes at a time of growing concern about digital dependency and data sovereignty. Recent geopolitical developments have underlined the strategic importance of having secure, independent digital infrastructure within Europe.

Maarten Roelfs explains the positioning of the company: “Office.eu is 100% European owned and runs entirely on European data centres. The data and the apps stay exactly where it belongs and are safe from non-European control. The Office Suite is very intuitive and easy to use enabling a seamless switch from American software to office.eu. We also help customers to migrate very conveniently from Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. It is currently rolling out across Europe by invitation for selected clients who have requested access. Pricing is comparable to existing market alternatives and tools are available to ensure smooth data migration. Potential clients are welcome to apply. A widespread, phased European rollout is planned in 2nd quarter 2026. It's now available across Europe, with pricing comparable to existing market alternatives and tools to facilitate smooth data migration.”

"Security Delta (HSD) is proud that Office.eu is rooted in The Hague, the International City of Peace and Justice. In this city we work together and we are a leading hub for digital governance, cybersecurity and innovation. The city actively supports initiatives that strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty and contribute to a secure, open and resilient digital future.” Joris den Bruinen, General Director of Security Delta (HSD).

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• Read the full story and listen to the interview with Maarten Roelfs on Stories of Purpose The Hague.

#OfficeEU #Software

Starter pack to enhance operational efficiency.

A new production optimisation solution designed specifically for U.S. small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), addressing urgent challenges in the manufacturing sector is being unveiled by Siemens..

The U.S. industrial sector is projected to face 1.9 million unfilled jobs by 2032, according to Deloitte and equipment failures to cause up to 20% production losses. SMBs are under signicant pressure from workforce shortages, costly downtime, rising operating costs, supply chain disruptions and the complexities of adopting Industry 4.0 technologies.

"Small- and medium-sized manufacturers are the backbone of our economy and they are dealing with a different set of challenges compared to enterprise-scale manufacturers,” said Chris Stevens, president, Siemens Digital Industries, U.S. “Among these are transparency to performance, workforce readiness, technology integration, cybersecurity, and productivity.”

For SMB manufacturers navigating today's complex production landscape, the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio offers a transformative solution. Its open digital business platform provides solution-as-a-service — and includes the innovative new SMB Production Optimization Starter Pack manufacturing software, which includes the Siemens Industrial Edge Management Cloud and Industrial Edge Virtual Device. These cybersecure tools empower end users to pay for what they need and scale at their own pace.

Siemens has made this digital transformation journey accessible through a three-month free trial, followed by an affordable annual subscription. This comprehensive package includes technical support, self-paced training, and the invaluable expertise of Siemens’ robust network of trusted partners across the U.S.

Siemens’ partners, including PROLIM, are instrumental in delivering the SMB Production Optimization Starter Pack to market, providing localized support, hands-on implementation assistance, and tailored guidance to ensure a truly seamless and supported digital transformation.

"PROLIM is thrilled to join forces with Siemens to deliver agile, digital solutions tailored for SMBs facing real production and workforce challenges. Combining the capabilities from Siemens Industrial Edge and PROLIM’s deep domain knowledge makes Industry 4.0 affordable, scalable, and results-driven, helping SMBs excel and remain competitive in today’s fast-changing market,” said Prabhu Patil, founder and CEO of PROLIM.

The SMB Production Optimization Starter Pack revolutionizes traditional production monitoring by providing real-time insights and flexible dashboards and reporting, empowering manufacturers to evolve from reactive problem-solving to proactive operational excellence. This integrated, modular solution is agile, flexible and scalable, and is designed for easy implementation without specialized IT skills or complex infrastructure changes. 

 "Our approach is fundamentally different," said Bettina Rotermund, head of strategy of Siemens Xcelerator." This package specifically addresses the unique needs of SMBs, who require simpler, more targeted solutions to master their digitalization journey. This isn't just about technology, it's about making digital transformation easy, delivering results quickly, and scaling operations.”

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@Siemens @SiemensUSA @siemenssoftware #PAuto #USA  

The complete digital twin of machines and plant systems.

The foundation for efficient engineering across disciplines.

Eplan has used this opportunity, with its new Eplan Platform 2026, to completely redevelop its entire portfolio, with an even greater focus on customers and their requirements in their respective market segments. One central point is the significant reduction in complexity. The new software portfolio makes the full power of the Eplan Platform clearer and with numerous enhancements provides a comprehensive complete solution in specific application fields. Furthermore, the Eplan Platform can easily be integrated into existing IT landscapes.

EPLAN's Jan Fleming

Companies are facing enormous challenges right now in successfully configuring their businesses and making them secure for the future. Solutions provider Eplan supports its customers in shortening the time to value. Comprehensive solutions have been created for this that are customised to the tasks and workflows in individual industries and customer segments and customers can immediately use them, optimised to their full extent for basic engineering, electrical engineering and control cabinet manufacturing without having to evaluate and procure additional modules and options.

Eplan’s Vice President Customer Journey Jan Fleming explains: “We have systematically aligned our product portfolio toward the tasks and workflows of our customers. The Eplan Platform 2026 provides maximum support for users in their respective application fields. This means more simplicity in engineering and at the same time valuable additional services that help our customers become even more efficient.”

All products in the Eplan Platform 2026 have been fundamentally reworked and functionally expanded and can be considered the new benchmark for electrical engineering. The launch is being accompanied by a complete new product portfolio. Previously optional extensions are now standard in some version of the software. The portfolio has been tailored to the specific requirements of certain market segments: Eplan Preplanning meets these requirements for operators and planners. Control cabinet construction is planned using Eplan Pro Panel and machine builders will find all the relevant functionality for their tasks in Eplan Electric P8.

New features include the cloud-based Eplan collaboration apps, the Eplan Data Portal, parts management eStock and eManage for data management, all of which are included in the scope of services for Eplan Electric P8, Eplan Pro Panel and Eplan Preplanning. Previously optional extensions are now included in some configuration levels. This allows users to make their processes even more efficient and consistent. This holds true for all project phases and for different industries from concept development to detail engineering and manufacturing to commissioning and operations.

Support for operators as well.
For instance, Eplan Preplanning now also covers electrical engineering requirements in the early planning phase in the form of single-line schematics in addition to the integration of preplanning data and professional creation of P&I diagrams. So aside from being able to be used by system integrators, the software can now also be used by operators and planners in basic engineering. Users benefit from preconfigured contents such as symbols, example data and forms that are specifically tailored to the tasks in machine building, control cabinet and switchgear system engineering, energy technology and building automation.

Flexible with or without the use of cloud services.
Depending on the configuration level, customers can now also collaborate internally and externally using the Eplan Cloud: cloud-based apps for device management, data management and the view of Eplan projects using the Viewer and now included. As soon as users activate their licences for the Eplan Platform 2026, the extended range of functionality is available to them. The only thing they have to do is install the new software – at no additional cost.

The new platform can also be integrated into ERP and PDM system via standardised interfaces. Digital data from the electrical engineering can also be used directly in manufacturing of control cabinets and by wiring machines and plant systems. In the area of automation technology, commercially available PLC planning and programming systems can also be directly connected via standard formats.

Accessing relevant data faster.
Another important new feature is that access from device management in Eplan now allows direct device data selection in the Data Portal. Users no longer have to “jump” from the Platform to the Portal. Just a click in Eplan Electric P8 brings them directly to device selection in the Portal and they can immediately download the required project data. This also applies to the cloud-based device management. In addition, devices can be described even more precisely with more than 400 new properties for devices.

Last but not least. the Eplan Download Center is now available to every Eplan user. At eplan.com, users can directly access software, tools, useful eLearning contents and licencing information. There they will also find information about the version currently in use as well as individual updates, which allow even larger jumps for updates to older versions with just a click.

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@EPLAN_global  @mepaxIntPR #PAuto

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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@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #AI

Delivering scalable recipe authoring and execution technologies for life sciences companies.

DeltaV™ Workflow Management, a next-generation software designed for life sciences companies in early-stage development has been introduced by Emerson. The new software continues Emerson’s expansion of capabilities of the evolving DeltaV automation platform to offer more scalable options to suit the needs of smaller life sciences innovators. For companies with limited IT infrastructure, DeltaV Workflow Management provides a cloud-based, software-as-a-service solution for simple recipe authoring, execution and electronic data capture.

In high-growth life sciences companies, such as those making advanced therapy medicinal products for hard-to-treat diseases and personalised medicines, manufacturing facilities still heavily rely on manual processes and record-keeping for bench-scale operations and recipe authoring. Many do not have robust IT departments, nor staff experienced in the complex coding necessary with traditional manufacturing execution systems.

The software removes this layer of complexity by transitioning recipe workflow data from manual records to digital ‘paper on glass’, providing a simple and scalable solution that helps accelerate the drug development process with no coding experience required. The software also generates searchable digital records that are easily organised and exported, and data that can be more easily analysed and reported. In addition, this digital shift minimises the contamination risks associated with paper records in sterile clean rooms.

“DeltaV Workflow Management enables innovation for both start-ups and established labs that demand speed and simplicity in early-stage drug development,” said Nathan Pettus, president of Emerson’s process systems and solutions business. “Recipes relying on standard, full-blown manufacturing execution systems can take years of experience and months to create and fully automate. With this new software, the timeline is reduced to days, providing companies with a head start toward commercialisation and getting new therapeutic medicines into the pipeline faster.”

Within DeltaV Workflow Management, users employ simple drag-and-drop elements to create steps for a recipe and automate workflows that meet Good Manufacturing Practice standards. Within those steps, they can add new parameters and e-signature requirements for quality control and regulatory compliance, run product recipes, authorise users for specific tasks and create digital batch records.

DeltaV Workflow Management expands and complements the user options for digital recipe development and execution already provided by Emerson’s DeltaV MES – the newest evolution of the Syncade MES. Users now have additional flexibility to match digital recipe solutions to their business needs, underscoring Emerson’s commitment to continuing enhancement of and investment in a portfolio of manufacturing execution solutions for organisations at any scale.

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@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #LifeSciences

Reliable network infrastructures for oil and gas industry.

Rugged networking devices combined with simplified management software are indispensable in strengthening the competitiveness of companies in the oil and gas industry  - Alvis Chen, Integrated Marketing Manager,  Moxa.

The oil and gas sector needs network infrastructures that satisfy the highest reliability standards to survive its challenging working conditions. In this industry, network failures can have costly repercussions, such as decreased operational efficiency, jeopardized on-site safety, and diminished organizational competitiveness.

Companies in the oil and gas industry understand that to guarantee precise process automation and real-time monitoring for operations that run around the clock, they need robust, effective, and future-proof network solutions. Two real-world examples that demonstrate network reliability to these operations are provided below.

Application 1: Reliability on the Seas—Offshore Oil Drilling.
The hostile atmosphere of offshore oil fields presents serious risks and difficulties for network devices. To successfully monitor a drilling platform remotely, the entire network infrastructure needs to be extremely reliable and available. In addition to redundant wired or wireless network systems with failover capability, the network equipment must comply with industrial standards that certify its ability to operate in an environment with varying temperatures, corrosion, and vibration.

A robust network architecture incorporating redundancy will prevent disruptions that create downtime and reduce operational effectiveness. Moreover, devices that meet rigorous DNV GL maritime certification are required to ensure reliability in the face of marine hazards while Class I Division 2 (CID2), IECEx or ATEX Zone 2 hazardous area certifications must be installed in explosive gas environments. Implementing these measures enables offshore oil-drilling operations to function effectively despite rapid temperature changes, harsh corrosive conditions, and continuous vibrations.

An example of this type of industrial device is the Moxa EDS-G4012 managed Ethernet switch. Certified for use in C1D2 environments and compliant with IEC 62443-4-2 industrial cybersecurity standards, the switches come equipped with 12 Gigabit Ethernet ports with PoE and up to four 1 Gbps or 2.5 Gbps fiber-optic ports, making EDS-G4012 switches ideal for upgrading an existing network to Gigabit speed or building a new full Gigabit backbone. Redundant Ethernet technologies such as Turbo Ring, Turbo Chain, and RSTP/STP increase the reliability and availability of the offshore network backbone.

Application 2: Monitoring the Lifeblood—Oil Pipelines.
The role of oil pipelines is to distribute crude oil from drilling rigs to oil storage tanks and then to refineries. Typically, pipelines span several thousand miles over harsh terrain and require a central SCADA system based on Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) and microwave architecture to measure, monitor, and control the status of field instruments across the entire oil flow. Multiple pumping stations, such as block valve stations and compressor stations, keep the pressure in the pipeline constant.

Pipeline operators can quickly detect, locate, and prevent or resolve leaks, damages, and breaks by deploying a rugged, extendable fiber-optic Ethernet network. Fiber networks are robust, highly available, and extremely fast. This network will include an integrated remote monitoring and surveillance service for pipeline operations to improve safety and reduce the total cost of pipeline maintenance.

Overseeing a pipeline network requires a responsive visualization tool. Moxa MXview network management software is optimized for networking device configuration, monitoring, and diagnosis in pipeline applications. It is an integrated management platform that can discover up to 2,000 Moxa networking devices and SNMP/IP devices installed on subnets. Selected network components can be managed via a web browser from local and remote sites—anytime, anywhere. Visualization is possible of redundant link status and device roles, security status of network devices, third-party device icons, network traffic loading, and power consumption of managed PoE devices.

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@Moxa_Europe @OConnellPR #Energy #PAuto #Oil_Gas

Multi-site management made easy.

Modern industrial networks use complex distributed architectures to keep up with business growth and expansion. These large infrastructures often require additional manpower to operate and maintain. They also fuel the risk of blind spots that might hamper efficiency, complicate troubleshooting, and lead to a lack of visibility that makes it difficult to keep track of network status.

Using MXview One Central Manager software from Moxa, network administrators and OT engineers can automatically consolidate the status and events of all local MXview One sites to a single centralized platform for complete visibility of the network no matter the size or location of the sites. Users leverage the information-packed dashboard, interactive map, reports, and event intelligence to monitor the status of multiple sites, helping them to quickly pinpoint issues, improve uptime, and maximize efficiency.

Key features of MXview One Central include:

• Intuitive Dashboard: Single-pane-of-glass dashboard and real-time global map view.
• Remote Access: One-click remote access to local MXview One Sites for troubleshooting.
• Centralized Management: Group-based site management to easily organize multiple sites.
• License Management: Centralized license management and allocation.
• Consolidated Reports: Auto-generated periodical reports based on groups or sites.

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@MoxaInc @OConnellPR #PAuto #Cybersecurity

MES integration certified.

The Körber Ecosystem Partner program has been joined by COPA-DATA and receives the "PAS-X MSI Plug & Produce Ready" certification for its zenon software platform.

Giuseppe Menin

"With Körber we are cooperating for several years as a member of the ISPE Pharma 4.0 working group, addressing digitalization challenges in life sciences manufacturing. We are very pleased to be part of the Körber Ecosystem Partner program and happy to provide a comprehensive solution for pharmaceutical companies with our PAS-X MSI interface in zenon," says Giuseppe Menin, Life Sciences & Process Industry Manager at COPA-DATA.

zenon is a software platform that helps pharmaceutical manufacturers automate their manufacturing facilities and manage data more effectively. COPA-DATA has developed strong functionality as well as comprehensive connectivity that makes it easy to integrate shop floor machines into higher systems, such as a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) - for greater efficiency, better control and comprehensive documentation of manufacturing processes.

The Werum PAS-X MES Suite from Körber controls, monitors and documents manufacturing processes digitally and in real time. With just a few mouse clicks, customers can seamlessly integrate Körber's best-of-breed ecosystem solutions from partner companies with PAS-X MSI Plug & Produce. This no-code integration uses standardized message-based communication between MES and shop floor equipment as outlined in the ISPE Plug & Produce Working Group's Concept Paper. The partnership between Körber and COPA-DATA makes it possible to implement out-of-the-box projects with zenon as a configurable interface to PAS-X MES.

"COPA-DATA's zenon software platform is a strong solution for the pharmaceutical industry particularly regarding the integration of filling lines into MES. In addition, the COPA-DATA team has already built up the required skill set for both, technology and business processes. We are pleased to have them join the PAS-X MSI Plug & Produce partner program," says Lars Hornung, Senior Principal Alliances & Technology Partners Software, Körber Business Area Pharma.

@WerumKarriere @copadata #Koerber #PAuto #Pharma #MES

Towards a truly paperless factory.

Flexibility, traceability, and visibility to catapult growth and exceed customer expectations.

SMTNW, the leading Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider for diverse manufacturing projects, has selected the Aegis’ FactoryLogix® platform. By implementing a flexible and modular platform throughout its production facility, SMTNW aims to support its ongoing growth and commitment to delivering the highest quality products on time. FactoryLogix’s unique, native agile, and contextualized platform will provide SMTNW with capabilities to eliminate disparate systems, increase production capacity, gain factory-wide visibility, and deliver quality products faster.

FactoryLogix is a holistic and modular IIoT-based Manufacturing Operations Management platform that delivers leading-edge technology with easily configurable modules to support and execute a discrete manufacturer’s strategy towards Industry 4.0. FactoryLogix manages the entire manufacturing lifecycle: from product launch to material logistics, through manufacturing execution and quality management, to powerful analytics and real-time dashboards. This end-to-end platform is helping companies accelerate product introductions, streamline processes, improve quality and traceability, reduce costs, and gain greater visibility for competitive advantage and profitability.

SMTNW has been providing state-of-the-art electronic manufacturing services since 1996 with a solid reputation as a cornerstone of the Pacific Northwest. Its mission is to grow and embrace technology to manufacture the highest quality electronics for its customers.

"Our decision to select Aegis' FactoryLogix MES platform was based on their extensive experience developing and delivering innovative, configurable, and feature-rich MES solutions. We needed a partner with a profound understanding of our business and a platform that could adapt and scale to support our smart factory initiatives today and, in the future,” stated Dustin Green, CEO, SMTNW. "We were seeking a best-in-class platform that was complete and robust enough to provide us with the capabilities necessary to elevate productivity, quality, traceability, and visibility to a whole new level.”

They will implement a comprehensive mix of capabilities such as production process planning, adaptive scheduling, interactive work instructions, manufacturing execution and tracking, IIoT connectivity & contextualization, product and process traceability, quality management, and manufacturing intelligence.

“SMTNW has an extensive history manufacturing diverse and complex products inherently accompanied by extremely tight and changing deadlines as well as expectations for the highest level of quality. To support increasing customer expectations, changing business dynamics, and aggressive growth goals, innovative companies like SMTNW require a truly singular and feature-rich platform natively designed to adapt to any manufacturing process on-demand. FactoryLogix will provide SMTNW with an out-of-the-box industry 4.0 platform that will catapult their operations to the next level,” stated Jason Spera, CEO and Co-Founder, Aegis Software. “We are excited to work together with SMTNW to leverage cutting-edge technology to help them achieve their operational and financial goals.”

@FactoryLogix #SMTNW #PAuto #IIoT

Full version of innovative cloud software.

The free version of eManage allowed users to upload, share and manage EPLAN Platform projects in the cloud environment. EPLAN is now presenting the full version of the software, which offers considerably more added value: master data can be accessed in the cloud as can supplementary documents, and performance is increased with additional capacity. Collaboration is at the heart of the application, which networks OEMs, system integrators, machine builders and operators.

The full version of eManage has been available since the release of the new EPLAN Platform 2022 in September. The fee-based expansion stage of this innovative cloud software enables the first steps towards roundtrip-enabled engineering in automation.

Full information throughout the entire project

Claas Schreibmüller

As of yet, if a project is shared in the cloud, the schemat-ics are visible, but not all the accompanying documenta-tion. The full version of EPLAN eManage offers added value in this area. Project stakeholders are provided access to all data and documentation relevant to the project, including bills of materials as well as neutral documents in Excel. These become interchangeable with a uniform foundation of data. EPLAN Head of Engineering Solutions Claas Schreibmüller explains: “The complete overview of customer requirements and project require-ments provides more transparency for all stakeholders involved in developing a machine or plant system.” Appropriate rights management ensures that data access can be precisely regulated.

Master data available everywhere
Many people work from home these days and this is where users often bump up against system limits: while they may be able to access a project, they often cannot access the corresponding master data that is specified as a standard throughout a company for design projects. EPLAN eManage now offers the exchange of system-relevant master data that can be easily retrieved and, as necessary, taken along according to the “pack & go” principle. Project managers can thus very easily make master data centrally available. Putting it all in a nutshell, Schreibmüller says: “Wherever the user works, all relevant master data can be accessed and don’t have to be laboriously copied.”

Backward compatibility ensures access to projects
Version requirements in supplier specifications or calls for proposals often mean project partners are faced with the challenge of using several different versions of EPLAN software. With the new version of eManage, projects from the EPLAN Platform 2022 can, as an example, be saved to be backwards compatible for e.g. Version 2.9. This eliminates the need to maintain multiple versions of the EPLAN software without violating contract terms and ends up simplifying the entire workflow in the supplier environment.

More storage for optimal performance
With the free version of eManage, users so far have had access to 10 gigabytes of storage capacity in the EPLAN Cloud. With the full version, this capacity increases by an additional 10 gigabytes for each “seat” in the company, and this increased storage space is available to everyone. There is also another benefit that pays off for companies with increased performance: the additional cloud storage is an active collaboration environment and not just purely storage capacity. This also ensures optimal conditions for global collaboration across national borders. Users of EPLAN software who use the Conversion Package as part of changing over to a subscription automatically receive access to the full version of eManage.

@EPLAN_global @mepaxIntPR #PAuto #Cloud

Unify data at scale to improve profitability.

Plantweb™ Optics Data Lake, an enterprise-level data management software solution that helps manufacturers reduce data complexity so that they can fully leverage operations data across a production site or from multiple sites to improve profitability enterprise-wide has been launched by Emerson.

This new advanced data management solution securely identifies, collects and contextualises disparate data, at scale, either on-premises or using cloud technology. Today, this valuable manufacturing data is often in different formats and siloed across a plant, posing significant impediments to a company’s digital transformation initiatives. By effectively unifying this data, companies can establish a sound data foundation that can be leveraged by various digital solutions.

For example, Emerson’s data lake software, which is integrated into the Plantweb Optics platform, can seamlessly work with advanced analytics applications powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence – or connect with other providers’ analytics and dashboard toolkits – to drive performance improvement and increase revenue. Because this software was designed to serve as a centralised information technology (IT) solution that draws from Emerson’s broad operational technology (OT) expertise, it reduces the need for data science specialists.

“A solid data management foundation is critical to every digital transformation programme,” said Stuart Harris, group president for digital transformation at Emerson. “Most manufacturers say they have lots of data but aren’t able to turn it into valuable business insights. Our Plantweb Optics Data Lake software enables users to collect, manage and contextualise vast amounts of OT data from diverse sources, giving users the power to maximise operational performance by implementing advanced applications on an enterprise-wide scale.”

Emerson’s Plantweb Optics Data Lake runs on various cloud-computing platforms, enabling companies to implement a wide range of use cases from analytics applications that make use of machine learning to KPIs and dashboards, digital twins and other applications for improving reliability and sustainability. Effectively bridging the gap between OT and IT domains, this software seamlessly consolidates manufacturing data from a variety of systems, protocols and data architectures – even legacy systems – across a plant and multiple facilities by moving it into the cloud and ensuring that it is ready for use.

Peter Zornio

“Many legacy systems at manufacturing sites across the world are already over a decade old, and they’re often isolated from each other, impeding teams from effectively accessing data at scale for operational improvements,” said Peter Zornio, chief technology officer of Emerson’s Automation Solutions business. “Aggregating information between systems without disrupting production is extremely complex and difficult. Emerson’s software allows users to securely manage operational data centrally, scale it easily and gain critical insight into their operations at the enterprise level.”

With applicability in process, hybrid and discrete manufacturing industries including life sciences, chemical, metals and mining, power and water, and energy industries, Plantweb Optics Data Lake is part of Emerson’s award-winning Plantweb digital ecosystem of technologies, software and services.

@EMR_Automation @Emerson_News @HHC_Lewis #PAuto 

Industrial network management software with wireless add-on.

The MXview Wireless add-on module for MOXA's MXview industrial network management software has been released. MXview streamlines network management by visualizing networks, helping non-IT staff simplify operations and improve network uptime. This software has successfully helped many customers from around the world in different industries, such as in power, intelligent transportation, and manufacturing. Today, with the rise of smart manufacturing, intelligent and reliable industrial network communication has become the cornerstone for nearly every smart application.

In response to the transformation of the industrial environment and increasing number of Wi-Fi applications, the new MXview Wireless add-on module fulfills the different requirements of both static and dynamic wireless applications in smart manufacturing. With reliable network communications as a foundation and real-time network management from a single pane of glass, business owners can focus on improving operational efficiency and achieving maximum system uptime.

Visualize Wi-Fi Networks for Optimal Operational Efficiency
Intelligent process control is a typical static wireless application in smart manufacturing where customers use Wi-Fi to establish the communication between the clients installed at production lines and the control centre.

However, an unstable wireless connection might lead to wrong decision-making due to incomplete on-site information or dropped connections, affecting optimal production processes. It’s often difficult to know the exact status of the Wi-Fi connection and fix issues immediately the moment they occur. The MXview Wireless add-on module simplifies network management by allowing users to get detailed device information and performance indicator charts for individual AP and client devices from the device dashboard.

“A major benefit of this module is that users can now view the wireless and wired network status from a single main control dashboard. This feature not only lets you quickly understand the network conditions of the factory, but also makes network management much easier.” says Lyra Li, product manager at Moxa.

Furthermore, users can monitor connectivity patterns and customize alert settings to immediately notify you of any problems. In turn, this allows engineers to perform on-site troubleshooting quickly and efficiently, ensuring maximum network availability.

Easy Troubleshooting for Maximum System Uptime
In automated material handling (AMH) systems, the Wi-Fi connections must be able to dynamically adapt to the constantly moving vehicles. An unstable wireless signal could easily disrupt the operation of these systems. However, wireless connections are invisible and affected by a lot of different factors. The MXview Wireless add-on features a dynamic topology view to let users see the status of wireless links and connection changes at a glance. Moreover, since automated vehicles constantly roam between different APs around the facility, users can overlay the network topology on top of a floor map of the facility to easily locate the vehicle by just checking the client’s wireless connection. This helps save a great deal of time when trying to identify a malfunctioning client device. “The roaming playback function lets users review a client’s roaming history of the past 30 days to repeat an incident. Users can leverage this function to find and address the root cause more efficiently, instead of having to consolidate and examine individual device logs.” says Lyra. Exclusively developed by Moxa, these two functions are specially designed to fulfill the growing requirements of automated factories, smart logistics, and other intelligent applications. 

This video says more about their wireless AMH solutions

Leveraging our experience in wired network management with MXview, the newly released MXview Wireless add-on module was created to get the most out of your Wi-Fi applications. To encourage everyone to experience the power of this industrial network management software, Moxa is also launching a special promotion program. From now until December 31, 2021, users can fully enjoy the MXview Wireless add-on for free for one year by simply activating the MXview Wireless add-on module for MXview.

@MoxaInc @OConnell_PR #PAuto #wireless

IIoT manufacturing platform selected.

Mercury Systems has selected Aegis’ FactoryLogix® platform across 16 Factory Locations. By implementing a holistic Manufacturing 4.0 platform, Mercury will rapidly achieve a digital transformation that supports global standardization and offers extensive yet effortless configurability to support unique requirements at the local level. FactoryLogix’s unparalleled, adaptable, and contextualized platform will provide Mercury with distinct capabilities and system performance levels to accelerate innovation, increase production efficiency and capacity, reduce costs, elevate quality, and amplify customer satisfaction.

FactoryLogix is a holistic and modular IIoT-based Manufacturing Operations Management platform that delivers leading-edge technology with easily configurable modules to support and execute a discrete manufacturer’s strategy towards Industry 4.0. FactoryLogix manages the entire manufacturing lifecycle: from product launch to material logistics, through manufacturing execution and quality management, to powerful analytics and real-time dashboards. This end-to-end platform is helping companies accelerate product introductions, streamline processes, improve quality and traceability, reduce costs, and gain greater visibility for competitive advantage and profitability.

“We are a fast-growing company, both organically and inorganically. Our current commercial MES solution could no longer support our increasing requirements for optimal system performance, enhanced user experience and adoption, and cross-enterprise analytics to support this accelerated growth. It was clear that we needed a robust yet agile manufacturing platform that would support our extreme requirements and easily scale to integrate new companies acquired,” stated Imtiaz Iqbal, Vice President of Enterprise Systems, Mercury Systems. “We conducted an extensive evaluation process that included a mix of many commercial MES and ERP solutions to find one that could meet our Manufacturing 4.0 digital transformation objectives. We eventually narrowed it down to Aegis’ FactoryLogix platform and a leading ERP provider. After an even more extensive performance benchmarking evaluation process, the team chose FactoryLogix because of its native flexibility, modern architecture, performance, and well-designed user interface as the ideal platform to meet our short and long-term requirements and objectives. Aegis’ proven experience and expertise in the aerospace & defense industry, their comprehensive and easily configurable solution platform, and their partnering and collaborative approach were a few of the reasons we selected Aegis.”

Mercury will implement a comprehensive mix of FactoryLogix’s capabilities such as production preparation and management, process workflow designer, interactive work instructions, manufacturing execution and tracking, IIoT connectivity & contextualization, quality management and traceability, MRO (maintenance, repair, and operation), and enterprise reporting.

“Mercury is a great example of a fast-growing, innovative manufacturer that recognizes the criticality of standardizing on the right manufacturing operations platform. A platform that will provide the adaptability, scalability, and complete visibility required to drive their ongoing differentiation, innovation, and growth. With FactoryLogix as their Manufacturing 4.0 platform, Mercury has a forward-looking, best practice framework that is ideal for their unique aerospace & defense requirements,” stated Jason Spera, CEO, and Co-Founder of Aegis Software. “We are thrilled to support Mercury on their exciting digital transformation journey as they catapult their manufacturing operations to the next level to achieve optimal outcomes and continued success.”

@FactoryLogix @MRCY #PAuto 

Enabling detailed remote quality audits.

Anglia Components customers have access to the free Anglia Sigma service, an industry first, which allows them to carry out detailed vendor ratings and audits remotely. This service is exceptionally valuable to customers who have to conduct mandatory inspections and evaluations as part of their ISO quality process but are constrained from carrying them out due to COVID-19 restrictions.

 

Anglia Sigma is a powerful tool that provides customers with a detailed overview of their business with Anglia and is completely free to use. The service is provided as a comprehensive, free dashboard driven directly by Anglia’s business system, which provides all the data customers require to assess Anglia’s performance over the last twelve months. This includes analysis of forward, current, and historical orders and enquiries, as well as key vendor rating features including Anglia’s on-time delivery performance. Anglia Sigma is available to all customers who are registered on Anglia Live and can be accessed by logging into their account.

 

Claire Stevenson, Quality & Compliance Manager of Anglia commenting, “Social distancing measures and travel restrictions have made it impossible for customers to visit Anglia to conduct vendor assessments, reviews and audits – even though these are a necessary part of their QMS and ISO quality procedures. Anglia Sigma provides an excellent alternative, offering complete transparency in the customers’ trading relationship with us, including all the information that they need to conduct a detailed remote audit. We believe we are still the only electronics distributor to offer this level of information free of charge to all our customers in an instantly accessible, online portal.”

 

Anglia Sigma includes all transactions, regardless of whether they were placed by phone, email, fax, EDI, API or through Anglia Live. Customers can see exactly how Anglia has performed over the last twelve months, with information like the number of converted lines and their value, a breakdown of enquiries, billings over the last twelve months by month and last five years by year, and a breakdown of purchase orders by product type. Critically, the dashboard also shows Anglia’s delivery performance, listing a breakdown of shipments dispatched on time and delivered on time.

@angliaLive @NeeshamPR #PAuto 

Reliable reservoir opportunity identification.

Streamlined opportunity analysis maximises return on capital investments, shortens decision cycles and lowers risks

Emerson has launched SpeedWise® Reservoir Opportunity, a fully automated, cloud-native reservoir analytics solution developed in collaboration with Quantum Reservoir Impact (QRI). The software is unique in how it applies advanced algorithms, data mining and workflow automation to cut the amount of work required to identify field development opportunities from months to weeks. The comprehensive solution helps oil and gas companies achieve greater return on investment by shortening decision-making cycles and delivering better risk management.

“In today’s turbulent marketplace, our goal is to give customers meaningful analytics to maximise efficiency, optimise reservoir management, and promote digital transformation across the exploration and production landscape,” said Steve Santy, president for exploration and production software at Emerson. “By combining the power of analytics with deep oilfield expertise, SpeedWise Reservoir Opportunity provides oil and gas operators with the knowledge needed to better identify opportunity criteria and develop more reliable field development planning.”

The SpeedWise Reservoir Opportunity solution features automated geo-engineering workflows for identifying and ranking recompletion, vertical sweet spots and horizontal wells. By analysing historical field performance and benchmarking against analogue assets, the flexible framework intelligently picks the optimal parameters for the identification process, tailored to address the unique geological and engineering challenges posed by each field.

“SpeedWise Reservoir Opportunity is digital transformation at its best, allowing asset teams to become hyper-efficient in managing reservoirs. Oil and gas professionals can now identify field development opportunities with 10 times the speed and accuracy compared to present industry norms. Using AI, advanced analytics and automation of complex workflows to deliver capital savings – that is a game changer,” said Dr Nansen Saleri, chairman and CEO of QRI.

Using SpeedWise Reservoir Opportunity, reservoir teams can break down multi-disciplinary silos to help mitigate missing and incomplete data for more confident development planning. The software provides a secure cloud-based environment, resulting in much more efficient teamwork, where reservoir teams can collaboratively visualise and analyse ranked opportunities. Once ranked, results can be accessed through an interactive visualisation dashboard for collaborative analysis and validation.

SpeedWise Reservoir Opportunity is licensed as a software as a service solution, accessed online via subscription. Emerson is the exclusive global distributor for this application.

 @EMR_Automation @NansenSaleri #Pauto 

MES partnership agreed.

Enlight Technology Co., Ltd. has partnered with Aegis to resell FactoryLogix® software in Taiwan, extending Enlight’s solution portfolio from its focus on design and PLM to manufacturing operations in both the factory office and the factory floor.

Dennis Su, General Manager of Enlight Technology Co. Ltd. stated, "We are very excited to include Aegis’ solution as part of our offering to our customers in Taiwan, with the leading-edge Industry 4.0 intelligent factory solutions they require to achieve higher productivity, quality, and faster time to value. With the PCBA design, DFM, and analysis solutions we presently offer, FactoryLogix serves as a natural complement to rapidly transform ECAD/CAD data into superior data preparation, intelligent documentation, and configurable build processes in the Digital Manufacturing Engineering (DME) solution module. Additionally, FactoryLogix MES further enables our customers to manage their manufacturing operations on a single platform and serves as an essential system alongside their ERP and PLM platforms.”   

Bob Miklosey, Managing Director Asia, of Aegis Software stated, “Aegis is fortunate to be working with Enlight, whose experienced team can introduce our powerful, best-in-class solution to manufacturers of all types throughout Taiwan. We look forward to making their customers’ factory operations more agile, responsive, smarter, and connected to humans and machines equally.” 

@FactoryLogix #ENLIGHT #Pauto #MES #Taiwan

Pharma software consulting & advisory services.

Körber’s Pharma Business Area has established a new Principal Consulting & Client Advisory unit. Pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers benefit from new, value-adding services by Werum Solutions on their digital transformation journey.

LtoR: Zinaid Dzinovic, Director of Principal Consulting & Client Advisory Software (center), supported by Torsten Isenberg, Vice President Global Business Consulting Software (left), and Jens Woehlbier, CEO Software, Körber Pharma Business Area.

Torsten Isenberg, Vice President Global Business Consulting Software, Körber Pharma Business says  “In discussions with our customers, we often find that the organizations are only insufficiently prepared for the digital transformation. We want to ensure an understanding for the disruptive potential of digitization. Together with our customers we develop and implement the right strategy for the successful journey to their digital pharma 4.0 factory of the future.”

Many pharma and biotech companies today have either not digitized their production processes or only to a certain extent. If production data is available electronically at all, it is hardly contextualised, so that it can only be used insufficiently to increase production performance, quality or compliance. In most cases, it is challenging to setup upfront clear, reliable and executable digital production IT strategies, where all necessary aspects in terms of people, processes, data and technology are carefully considered, planned and put into a context to drive production IT compliance and excellence.

The new Principal Consulting & Client Advisory services help drug manufacturers to develop and implement holistic digital manufacturing IT strategies utilising the broad portfolio of Werum Solutions, that is tailor-made to the customer’s circumstances and business targets. Customers will be advised and supported throughout the entire digitisation lifecycle, from the very beginning of the digital strategic analysis and definition process to project/program execution up to optimization potentials in operations. The new unit is headed by Zinaid Dzinovic, who worked for several years at a major pharma and biotech manufacturer in Switzerland in various positions.

“Turning pains into gains: with our new Consulting & Advisory services we address our customers’ key pain points in business, quality, compliance and operational excellence,” he says. “The new services are complementing our existing Werum Solutions consulting portfolio and help our customers in the strategic process towards fully digitizing their pharma operations.”

@Werum #Koerber #PAuto #Pharma

Cloud support for process manufacturers.

Seeq Corporation now provides expanded support for Microsoft Cloud services.

“We’re expanding our support for the Microsoft Cloud to better serve the digital transformation needs of our process manufacturing customers,” says Megan Buntain, Director of Cloud Partnerships at Seeq. “Seeq’s success is a credit to our team’s investments in integration with Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, and other Microsoft cloud offerings.”

Seeq support for Azure-based services includes
• Azure Data Explorer is a fast, fully managed data analytics service for near real-time analysis of large volumes of data from IoT devices and industrial assets. Seeq integration enables process engineers to query Azure Data Explorer to support a full range of Seeq analytics types and features: predictive, descriptive, diagnostic, collaboration, etc.

• Azure Time Series Insights enables faster decision-making with IoT and industrial data as the preferred storage service for Azure IoT Hub. Seeq users will be able to leverage Azure Time Series Insights as a data source for near real-time data insights and interactive analytics to accelerate data-based decision making within their organization.

• Microsoft Power Automate boosts productivity by enabling users to automate manual tasks in a low-code/no-code service for time-saving workflows. Seeq integration will enable Seeq analytics and insights to be the starting point for these secure workflows to share insights and actions across organizations.

Seeq has been available as a SaaS application in the Azure Marketplace since 2018 with support for many Azure cloud services including Synapse, Azure Data Lake, and Azure Notebooks for machine learning integration, in addition to on premise support for Windows Server, Active Directory, and SQL Server. Seeq is now adding connectivity to Azure Data Explorer, the latest release of Time Series Insights, and Power Automate. Power Automate is Microsoft’s low code/no code service for defining custom workflows, enabling Seeq users to automate processes based on their insights and events.

Seeq’s comprehensive set of applications for analyzing and sharing insights on process manufacturing data include Workbench for easy to use advanced analytics, Organizer for publishing reports and dashboards, and Data Lab for accessing Python libraries. Seeq applications empower engineers and subject matter experts to rapidly investigate, collaborate, and distribute insights to improve operations and business outcomes.

Seeq enables engineers and scientists in process manufacturing organizations to rapidly analyze, predict, collaborate, and share insights to improve production outcomes. Customers include companies in the oil and gas, pharmaceutical, chemical, energy, mining, food and beverage, and other process industries. Specific examples of Seeq usage include diagnostic analytics for well completions and intervention campaigns, predictive analytics on equipment failure, and sustainability and optimization efforts for energy and carbon reduction initiatives.

“Seeq’s focus on driving advanced analytics innovation in process manufacturing organizations makes it an ideal addition to the Azure ecosystem,” says Julia White, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Azure. “As Microsoft enables digital transformation initiatives in process manufacturing and IIoT customers, we are excited for the insights Seeq will deliver.”

All of the browser-based Seeq applications—Organizer, Workbench, and Data Lab—connect to a shared Seeq server to enable collaboration, provide access to connected data sources, and enable administrative control. For example, graphics created in Data Lab may be viewed in Organizer Topics, data modeled in Workbench may be accessed by Data Lab users, and Data Lab algorithm results are available for use in the other Seeq applications.

"Seeq continues to release compelling analytics solutions for customers in process manufacturing and Industry 4.0 engagements," comments Janice Abel, Principal Analyst at ARC Advisory Group. "The need for the faster and better insights provided by Seeq is a consistent requirement for customers investing in IIoT and Smart Manufacturing."

• In addition to Microsoft Azure support, Seeq partners with many process automation vendors to support on premise deployments by connecting to systems sold by OSIsoft, Siemens, GE, ABB, Honeywell, Inductive Automation, AVEVA, AspenTech, Schneider Electric, and others.

@SeeqCorporation @AzureMktPlace #PAuto 

Open communication standard in pharma recognised.

OPEN-SCS and Werum IT Solutions successfully staged the “OPEN-SCS plug fest” at Werum’s headquarters in Lüneburg (D).  The OPEN-SCS working group is partnered with the OPC Foundation to develop an open source standard covering the complete business transaction for the data exchange in pharma packaging serialization.

OPEN-SCS honored with Pharma 4.0 Award

During the plug fest the interfaces between the ISA levels 2-3 and 3-4 and the different vendors have been tested. Besides Werum (manufacturing IT including serialization solutions) the companies ACG (end-to-end pharmaceutical solutions), ADVANCO (packaging/distribution serialization and track and trace level 3 and 4), and WIPOTEC (serialization provider of level 2 systems) took part in the interoperability tests. Complex data containing, for instance, serialization mass data, were exchanged and the compliance with the OPC UA standard checked.

“The results are very satisfactory,” says Costantino Pipero, leading the event on behalf the OPC Foundation. “We fully achieved our goals, testing the interfaces, interoperability, and compliance adherence. The specification is viable, that means no changes are needed. For OPEN SCS this is the basis to now start and speed up implementation.”

In recognition of its efforts to develop an open communication standard, the OPEN-SCS working group was honored with the Pharma 4.0 Award by the Pharma MES / Pharma TRACKTS! conference. The award will further boost OPEN-SCS to realize its vision: to reduce the total cost of ownership for packaging serialization in the pharma and biotech industry.

 #PAuto #Pharma @Werum @OPCFoundation

Biobank management.

The Matrix Gemini Biobank Management System from Autoscribe Informatics now offers even greater versatility with the inclusion of environmental monitoring and equipment calibration and maintenance monitoring capabilities. Matrix Gemini Biobanking provides a highly configurable environment for all aspects of biobank, biorepository and clinical trials management. It provides an ideal and proven solution for managing bio-samples (such as blood, tissue, DNA etc.) to assist with compliance to regulatory requirements.

With Biobanks typically storing samples in multiple freezers and refrigerators it is extremely important to ensure that this equipment is not only operating within specification, but also that it is being properly maintained and serviced according to the manufacturers’ recommendations. The Instrument Calibration and Maintenance System (ICMS) component of Matrix Gemini allows the status of each item of equipment to be tracked automatically as to whether it is available or unavailable and identifies events such as the maintenance period being exceeded etc. An automatic change of status occurs when calibration or maintenance is overdue and when it is performed. In this way the use of freezers and refrigerators can be prevented if they are not in service, out of maintenance, or out of calibration and samples can be moved if necessary. Automatic reminders of scheduled events are provided.

The addition of the environmental monitoring module allows for rooms and storage vessels to be monitored for temperature and other environmental conditions such as sterility and contamination. It can also be used for temperature mapping within freezers and refrigerators for the identification of hot or cold spots, which can be displayed graphically.

Complete location recording from room to freezer, shelf, container and container position is made easy with Matrix Gemini’s container view allowing graphical representation of the different container types. A full audit trail of all changes is provided, together with storage location auditing and reconciliation with chain of custody reporting. Samples can be tracked when they are removed for research and are closely monitored to ensure that they are disposed of correctly.

Using the built-in graphical configuration tools, Matrix Gemini Biobanking solutions can be adapted quickly and easily to represent exact user requirements in terms of workflows, screen designs, menu designs, terminology, report designs and much more.

 #Pharma @AutoscribeLtd @DenisBulgin