Digitalization and Industry 4.0 have arrived in the process industry — a lot more quickly and with far greater penetration than some would have believed of this generally conservative, safety-minded sector. It was precisely the process automation experts for the large chemical companies who recognized the potential opportunities at an early stage, and drove forward the required developments, particularly the necessary standardization. Siemens is amongst the pace-setters on the supplier side. In the course of this progression, the supplier of automation and electrification engineering has become a software giant able to offer its customers a digital solution for practically every challenge.

The collaboration aims to develop digital infrastructure orchestration for industrial automation systems. The move will enable Exxon Mobil to learn how digital infrastructure can be securely operated and managed in a process control system.

The ‘intrinsic safety’ type of protection covers a wide range of applications and is currently used in systems ranging from simple point-to-point wiring to digital automation for Industry 4.0. Ex i-protected solutions enable direct process data capture in hazardous areas, reduce installation work and can be tested and maintained during ongoing operation.

Working with flexible systems that evolve with the changing needs in a lab is indispensable. With the Scivario twin, Eppendorf, a key life science company, introduces its latest bioreactor control system for small- and bench-scale applications.

The working world is becoming more and more mobile in the process industry. The acceptance and the desire for more mobility in operations is there. So, it is the right time to bring mobile devices even in the hazardous areas into the field, says Nader Halmuschi, who is leading the new Business Unit Automation and Communication Systems at the explosion protection expert Bartec.

Under the terms of the agreement, Wintershall Dea will utilise Cognite’s Saas product Cognite Data Fusion to scale digitalisation solutions across its assets. The software solution will enable the oil and gas firm to gain access to data insights which will improve the maintenance and boost efficiency of their assets globally.

The first “VDMA Flagship Industry 4.0 Conference” concluded on June 13, 2018. A total of more than 200 experts, scholars and visitors gathered together to exchange and discuss the current status of the manufacturing industry development and the leading technology in Germany and China.

Earlier this year, GEA Pavan successfully handed over a seventh production line for manufacturing breakfast cereals to polish breakfast cereal producer OBST. Both companies have been working in a close partnership for 20 years.

The geospatial analytics firm Satelytics has developed a unique technology that monitors methane emissions and also detects releases or leaks. With this innovation, BP intends to achieve a 50 % reduction in methane intensity of its operations.

Coperion is expanding its proven ZSK extruder series with a new extruder size in pharmaceutical design: As a result, the company now offers the ZSK 26 twin screw extruder that fulfills all of the pharmaceutical industry’s guidelines and covers throughputs of 5-20 kg/h, depending on the application and materials to be processed.