Category Archive: Edge Computing

Process Control Solutions Customized to Meet Your Industry 4.0 Needs

With the rise of Industry 4.0, establishing connections throughout factory infrastructure is vital to gaining real-time insights into operations. With PLC, thinclient, and edge computing and HMIs, you can connect your factory data to optimize production lines and increase efficiency. However, it can be challenging to find a provider that meets all of your hardware requirements.

As leaders in industrial computing technology, Daisy Data Displays helps clients from diverse backgrounds solve their biggest technical problems. Our PLC edge computing solutions are not only compatible with your existing software but also tailored to your needs. We offer fully customizable hardware designed to improve your production and achieve your most challenging goals.

HMIs for Real-Time Performance

Connecting the data from PLCs to an HMI provides an invaluable real-time look at your production equipment. By connecting your entire production line, you can stay informed on everything from bottlenecks to equipment maintenance needs to scrap levels and much more. At Daisy Data Displays, we develop custom solutions for clients whose hardware requirements are not met by their current provider.

We take a customer-centric approach to ensure you get the precise solution you need, delivered with minimal lead time. Our HMI products are available in formats greater than 15” for improved clarity and ease of use. They are developed to meet all classification environmental requirements. We also work with customer-supplied boards and offer full integration services and ongoing technical support.

Siemens

Our systems are compatible with Siemens WinCC (Windows Control Center). This HMI system offers efficient engineering tools designed to minimize plant downtime during modifications. As a high transparency system, it can help you optimize your production processes, reduce costs, and better avoid waste. Key features of WinCC include:

• Suitable for Standalone Applications: Create and manage your own monitoring systems, without being tied to SIMATIC software or hardware configurations.
• Flexible Integration: Many third-party devices are supported, enabling full customization according to your specific needs.
• Communication Protocols: WinCC accommodates multiple communication protocols, making it compatible with many hardware platforms.
• Project Management: Manage projects independently, without having to rely on SIMATIC Manager. Configure user access, create visualizations, manage alarms, and more.

Rockwell Automation

Running FactoryTalk requires a hardware system with 4 GB of memory and a 4-core processor, at minimum. OptiPanel units use the NXP i.MX8M SoM, which has a 4-core processor. FactoryTalk View is only compatible with Windows 10 or newer, while FactoryTalk Optix is also compatible with Ubuntu 22. Allen-Bradley thin clients are also small enough to integrate and meet the minimum requirements for running FactoryTalk.

Compatible systems for Rockwell Thin Client include:

• FactoryTalk
• FactoryTalk View
• FactoryTalk Optix
• Allen-Bradley

Other HMI Systems

Our solutions are also compatible with the following HMI systems:

Contact Our Experts for Industrial Automation System Integration

As global industries increasingly embrace Industry 4.0 edge computing capabilities, manufacturers need to upgrade their facilities to stay competitive. Combining the right display system with HMIs can help you overcome performance challenges and transform your manufacturing processes.

At Daisy Data Displays, we develop custom HMIs and PCs that are compatible with your existing software and supported by a nationwide team of technicians. All of our products are made within our ISO 9001:2015 certified facility and certified by nationally recognized testing lab (NRTL) facilities. To learn more about our hardware options, contact us or request a quote today.

How Edge Computing Is Shaping the Future of the Oil and Gas Industry

Oil and gas industry operations need reliable and fast interconnectivity, especially in the field. However, conventional cloud-based computing solutions can have long latency periods, unreliable connectivity, poor cybersecurity, and challenges complying with local regulations. Edge computing in oil and gas offers a better solution that meets the dynamic challenges of this industry. It bridges the gap between remote oil fields and centralized operations by processing data close to or at the “edge” of the network, reducing latency periods and strengthening cybersecurity.

Learn more about how oil and gas edge computing products can provide real-time insights, increase security and safety, and reduce costs.

Providing Real-Time Data Analysis and Predictive Maintenance

With edge computing, operators can analyze vast datasets from pipelines, oil rigs, and refineries in real time without the delay of sending the information to central servers. Oil rigs alone generate more than one terabyte of data each day, most of which traditionally goes unused due to cloud computing latency issues. Edge computing can take all of this data, analyze it on-site, and produce real-time actionable insights.

Furthermore, sensors powered by edge computing can monitor equipment 24/7 and identify irregularities before they cause equipment failure. This capability minimizes unexpected downtime, saving facilities up to $25 million a day.

Edge computing also improves worker safety by detecting potential risks and automating the appropriate response. For example, it can trigger automated valves to isolate pipeline leaks. Ultimately, any oil and gas facility can take advantage of the continuous learning capabilities of edge computing to improve resource tracking and predictive maintenance.

Improving Cost Efficiency and Infrastructure Optimization

Investing in edge computing in oil and gas also improves cost efficiency. Processing data locally reduces bandwidth needs so you can rely less on expensive cloud computing infrastructure. By enabling remote diagnostics, edge computing also reduces physical site visits for maintenance tasks.

Edge computing doesn’t require a complete overhaul of existing infrastructure; rather, you can use legacy equipment while scaling with new, modular edge devices. To meet evolving operational needs, you can integrate new edge sensors and algorithms that streamline your existing system. Furthermore, by keeping sensitive data within geographical boundaries, edge computing systems help you comply with local data security and privacy regulations.

Enhancing Security and Environmental Responsibility

Oil and gas operations need to maintain robust physical security as well as cybersecurity. Through edge computing, your facilities and sites can protect data by:

• Shortening the route data travels, thereby reducing exposure
• Layering communication streams between edge nodes and centralized infrastructure

Edge computing can also reduce your operation’s environmental impact by monitoring in real time for spills or leaks and using predictive analysis to optimize resource utilization and minimize emissions. Edge computing has industry-wide implications for the oil and gas industry, aligning with sustainability goals and protecting critical energy infrastructure.

Edge vs. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing centralizes information processing and storage in designated data centers. Cloud storage allows organizations to access their data from anywhere at any time without the need to have on-site physical infrastructure. Data centralization offers more flexibility and easy scalability for growing businesses. Cloud computing is also cost-effective since it doesn’t require a significant initial investment in physical hardware. However, cloud computing has limitations that edge computing is designed to address, with solutions that are especially crucial in the oil and gas industry.

Edge computing processes site data on local devices on the edge of a network, keeping the data decentralized and reducing reliance on faraway data centers. Although edge computing does require more investment in physical equipment, oil and gas operations can benefit greatly from the real-time data processing capabilities in these key ways:

• Less Bandwidth is Required: Edge computing reduces the amount of data sent to the cloud, saving bandwidth and keeping the data safer from cyber threats.
• High Speed: By processing data near where it is generated, edge computing dramatically reduces latency and improves responsiveness in time-sensitive oil and gas operations.
• Better Reliability: Your sites can continue to function smoothly even in remote areas with less stable Internet access.

How Daisy Data Displays Supports Edge Computing for Oil and Gas Companies

Daisy Data Displays offers embedded PCs and large-format touchscreen HMIs that feed information to a local server rack. These local servers process and analyze large volumes of data close to where it is collected, reducing latency and improving efficiency. Our systems give oil and gas facility managers real-time insights so they can respond quickly to changes or potential problems.

Our PCs and touchscreen HMIs are built to withstand the rigors of oil and gas environments, such as UV exposure, temperature extremes, hose-directed water spray, saltwater, vibration, flammable gases, and chemicals. They are also customizable to fit the unique edge computing and operational needs of various facilities.

Learn More About Edge Computing in Oil and Gas

Oil and gas businesses gather and use immense amounts of data for everything from remote oil fields to processing centers to pipelines. To remain competitive amid uncertain global demand for oil and natural gas, companies industry-wide should adopt new technologies like edge computing. Local data processing in the oil and gas industry can increase productivity and reduce long-term costs while addressing growing cybersecurity risks, sustainability regulations, and data protection requirements.

At Daisy Data Displays, we specialize in creating ruggedized HMIs, PCs, and displays that support edge computing for oil and gas companies. We have more than 40 years of industry experience designing and manufacturing industrial computers and accessories for the toughest operating environments.

Download our free eBook to learn more about our oil and gas product offerings. Contact us or request a quote to discuss your unique requirements.