Siemens (News - Alert) has announced plans to build an open cloud platform for analyzing large datasets in industrial settings, which is where the machine to machine (M2M) phenomenon and Internet of Things are first making their presence felt.
The move is meant to provide data analytics around things like smart grids, automated lighting programs in cities, and for more industrial environments like automatic sensors being used in factories. Predictive maintenance, and automated asset and energy management are all critical pieces for realizing the full potential of M2M and IoT in terms of efficiency and cost-savings, but the sheer amount of data that the hundreds and thousands of embedded sensors can generate makes these difficult to achieve. Enter analytics, to tackle the Big Data problem.
The new cloud platform will leverage the SAP (News - Alert) HANA Cloud Platform. Based on SAP's in-memory technology, HANA is an open platform that enables customers and developers to develop, extend and operate apps in the cloud. An example would be online monitoring of machine tools, industrial robots or industrial machinery, such as compressors and pumps located anywhere in the world.
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can also create their own applications with Siemens’ platform; For example, data can be analyzed to optimize operation of the OEM's machinery fleets.
This development further extends the Big Data services Siemens unveiled in 2014, by adding a cloud dimension. Plant Data Services allow machinery and systems data in manufacturing plants to be continuously recorded, preprocessed and analyzed. The Asset Analytics services enable companies to increase the availability of machines, production lines or entire systems through continuous online monitoring. Intelligent pattern recognition or simulation is used to identify potential problems well in advance to enable corrective measures before unplanned downtimes occur. Meanwhile, the company’s Energy Analytics energy data management services support plant operators by providing the transparency of usage data and revealing hidden energy savings potential.
The open cloud platform for industry is in a pilot phase and will be gradually rolled out to further customer groups over the course of this year.