Digitalization Tech Talks

In this episode we will talk about how companies of all sizes are able to take advantage of digital transformation to implement technologies that will enable them to do things faster, better, and more efficiently. We will do so by looking at a specific company that leveraged an existing, well-proven methodology to create a strong and highly relevant digital strategy – this strategy was focused on projects with high impact for the entire organization and not just one or two departments.

We are joined by Alex Pfalzgraf who is a digital transformation consultant with Siemens. He has spearheaded and been involved in numerous consulting projects focused on helping companies kickstart their digital transformation journey.

So, tune in to learn more about:

• Why companies are still struggling with digital transformation

• How to make it a success

• The importance of working with partners

Show notes:

• Video (Siemens): How to get started on your digital transformation journey  (https://bit.ly/3zq2ijV)

• Ebook (Fictiv): 2021, US State of Manufacturing Report (https://bit.ly/3RR1wnb)

• Report (Deloitte): 2020 Directors Alert (https://bit.ly/3RTQVYH)

• Article (Techrepublic): Tech Companies Win at Digital Transformation but Struggle with Leadership and Governance (https://tek.io/3PQbmnM)

Contact us:

• Alex Pfalzgraf ([email protected])

• Jonas Norinder ([email protected])

• Don Mack ([email protected])

Having good alarm management in a process automation system is critical to safe and productive process control.  Unfortunately, many current installations have significant room for improvement as current implementations often include standing alarms, chattering alarms, redundant alarms, and alarm floods that can overwhelm the operators during abnormal situations, potentially leading to production outages or worse.  It’s an alarming situation! 

In this episode, we are joined by Ethan Cook, Technical Consultant for Siemens Digital Industries who will discuss how to improve alarm management by utilizing international standards and guidelines as well as integrating digitalization.  New analytics tools can sort through the mountains of alarm data to uncover areas for improvement and assist in optimizing alarm management systems leading to a much more relaxing and safe production environment.

Show notes:   

• Video (Siemens): Process Event Analytics Overview (https://youtu.be/9PGohqpmpls)  

• Video (Siemens): Process Event Analytics Demonstration (https://youtu.be/WSaMmN8QZFw) 

• Website (Siemens): Process Event Analytics (https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/ec/en/view/109769738)  

• White Paper (Siemens): Setting a new standard in alarm management (https://assets.new.siemens.com/siemens/assets/api/uuid:234f1026-298f-49dc-8961-0c5223c38588/white-paper-alarm-management-2021-final.pdf) 

• Article (ISA): Alarm management questions that everyone asks (https://www.isa.org/intech-home/2020/march-april/features/alarm-management-questions-that-everyone-asks)

Contact us: 

• Ethan Cook ([email protected]) 

• Jonas Norinder ([email protected])  

• Don Mack ([email protected]) 

Remote monitoring is an increasingly hot topic across the process industries. This rapidly growing digital technology is providing tremendous value by making access to information more manageable and less costly.

This development is driven by cloud computing, intelligent gateways and cell phone connectivity that have become so mainstream and cost-effective that they’re now worth considering for even the smallest application – think easy access to specific measurement points, accurate tracking of inventory levels and simplified collection of compliance data. As one new user (and big fan!) of remote monitoring recently expressed, “I was able to go on vacation with the peace of mind that came from knowing my chemical tank storage levels in the plant at all times!”

In this 17th episode of Digitalization Tech Talks hosted by Jonas Norinder and Don Mack, we cover the topic of remote monitoring. Joining us in this episode is our guest, Jack Roushey, who is a Product Manager at Siemens focused on remote monitoring solutions.

Jack covers topics such as common challenges with remote monitoring, where and how companies have gained value from it, how current technologies have made the remote monitoring task so much easier than before, and much more.

Show notes:

• Reference story (Siemens): City of Decatur Implements Siemens SITRANS store IQ for Operational Transparency

• Reference story (Siemens): Be There Without Being There

• Reference story (Siemens): Chemical Storage Tank Inventory Monitoring

• Website (Siemens): store IQ remote monitoring solution

• Video (Siemens): Introduction to store IQ

Contact us:

• Jack Roushey ([email protected])

• Jonas Norinder ([email protected])

• Don Mack ([email protected])

We are surrounded by data. Vast quantities are spread over a multitude of software applications, databases, and paper files throughout the enterprise and at site. Much of it is difficult to understand, often inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, inconsistent, and/or poorly synchronized, which creates challenges that can lead to the wrong decisions being made.

In this 16th episode of the Digitalization Tech talks hosted by Jonas Norinder and Don Mack, we cover the topic of “Operations Intelligence: From Data to Decisions”.  Joining us in this episode is our guest, Steve Jacquin, who is a Solution Architect focused on Industrial Operations Intelligence with Siemens.

Steve discusses topics including the current landscape in the process industries as it pertains to data, the path to leverage operations intelligence within a digital transformation strategy, and why deploying a high-performance operations intelligence solution is now easier and faster using reusable content.

Show notes:

• Website (Siemens): Turn your data into actionable information with XHQ (http://siemens.com/xhq)

• Video (Siemens): Don’t Drown in Data (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Curn64UIp18)

• Webinar (Siemens): Digital Transformation – Key Elements to Achieving and Sustaining Operational Excellence (https://bit.ly/3WidfN7)

 Contact us:

• Steven Jacquin ([email protected])

• Jonas Norinder ([email protected])

• Don Mack ([email protected])

In this 15th episode of the Digitalization Tech talks hosted by Jonas Norinder and Don Mack, we’ll take a deep dive into the burgeoning field of cell & gene therapy, which promises individualized therapeutics that will essentially be manufactured to the specifications of a single patient. We’ll also discuss how digitalization techniques can be applied to accelerate time to market and connect the entire value chain.

Joining us in this episode is our guest, Austin Little who is an Industry Manager for cell & gene therapy for Siemens. Austin will talk about topics ranging from an overview of the trends that drive the gene & cell therapy market along with challenges that need to be overcome in the manufacturing space, go to market strategies and much more.

Show notes:

• Website (ASGCT): American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy | ASGCT (https://bit.ly/3UXAPxA)

• Website (Siemens): Digitized production for personalized medicine (https://sie.ag/3WjI1oY)

• Video (Siemens): Individualized production in Pharma (https://youtu.be/UuOiN10m40E)   

• Video (Siemens): LivingLab - testing visionary ideas in real life (https://youtu.be/lJrHtZ3kiHo)    

• Video (Siemens): Paperless manufacturing (https://youtu.be/YG1Ll6IMZm0)     

• Website (Siemens): Siemens pharma (https://sie.ag/3USIQnz)     

Contact us:

• Austin Little ([email protected])

• Jonas Norinder ([email protected])

• Don Mack ([email protected])

A digital transformation and ultimately becoming a digital enterprise can only be accomplished with a solid foundation in place.  This foundation is the data coming from the sensors in the field. 

Joining hosts Jonas Norinder and Don Mack in this episode is Ronald Nijssen, a Technical Consultant with Siemens. Ronald covers topics including what is included under the umbrella of “digitalization to the field”, the dilemmas that end users in the process industries are facing regarding interfacing with their field devices, and some tips on how a company can get started towards ensuring their infrastructure is in place.

Show notes:

• Website (Siemens): Digitalization in Process Instrumentation (https://sie.ag/33hn1Dx)    

• Video (Siemens): Digitalization from the field level and predictive maintenance (https://youtu.be/VcIue1HtDQ8)     

• Website (PROFINET): PROFINET (https://bit.ly/3V6E9GU)      

• Video (Siemens): PROFINET in the process industry – Digitalization starts in the field level (https://youtu.be/dvaeT7GtU08)       

• Website (Ethernet-APL): Ethernet-APL (https://bit.ly/3FT5x6I)        

• Whitepaper (Ethernet-APL): Ethernet APL Engineering Guidelines (https://bit.ly/3HDG3f2)         

Contact us:

• Ronald Nijssen ([email protected])

• Jonas Norinder ([email protected])

• Don Mack ([email protected])

In this 13th episode of the Digitalization Tech talks hosted by Don Mack and Jonas Norinder, we will be talking about cybersecurity as it relates to digitalization. One of the key topics of digitalization involves collecting data and analyzing it, sometimes in an off-premise cloud setting. So, you want to make sure that this environment is safe!

Joining us in this episode is our guest, Chuck Tommey, who is one of our resident cybersecurity experts at Siemens. He will talk about cybersecurity guidelines and provide some sound advice on how the process industries can become more cybersecure and resilient.

Show notes:

• Website (ISA): New standard specifies capability for control systems (https://bit.ly/3BAixvy)

• Webinar (Siemens): Collaboration: The Essential Ingredient for Industrial Cybersecurity (https://sie.ag/3PpHIqh)

• Article (Siemens): Three Steps to Cyber Protection (https://sie.ag/3FStdIp)  

• Video (Siemens): Cybersecurity in Industrial Networks - YouTube (https://youtu.be/znl2jMDzyN8)   

• Website (Siemens): Charter of Trust website (Charter of Trust)   

Contact us:

• Chuck Tommey ([email protected])

• Don Mack ([email protected])

• Jonas Norinder ([email protected])

In this 12th episode of the Digitalization Tech Talks podcast series your hosts, Don Mack and Jonas Norinder are joined by Doug Ortiz, Siemens’ US DCS and Simulation Product Manager. We discuss Operator Training Simulators (OTS), which are becoming much more prevalent in the process industries. While they are primarily being used for operator training, they serve additional high value purposes, such as more efficient execution of Distributed Control System (DCS) projects.

Would you like to learn the basics of Operator Training Simulators, i.e., the ABCs of OTS? What are the major functions of an OTS? And how is an OTS deployed? Tune into this episode to learn the answers to these questions and more! 

Show notes:

• Video (Siemens): The SIMIT Simulation Platform – Transforms every home office workstation into a virtual facility! (https://youtu.be/zqiEpBhMavg)         

• Video (Siemens): A real-time simulation environment for virtual commissioning and operator training? (https://youtu.be/zqiEpBhMavg)

• Video (Siemens): Simulation & Modeling for higher sustainability across the lifecycle with SIMIT (https://youtu.be/rib5_H1YM3g)  

• Website (Siemens): COMOS Walkinside: Efficient immersive trainings in a virtual environment for plant operators (https://sie.ag/3FtcE4u)

Contact us:

• Doug Ortiz ([email protected])

• Don Mack ([email protected])

• Jonas Norinder ([email protected])