Five technology predictions for 2021

2021 will be driven by big data, supported by Cloud and AI, and where digital twin, autonomous control and M2M learning will make the once impossible possible. Understanding why these technology changes have come about and recognising what supports their roll out is critical to ensuring businesses bounce back from the global pandemic. All the technologies we consider below require effective gathering, analysing and interpreting of data and it is predominantly the Remote Telemetry Unit (RTU) that supports this function.

Our thoughts on which technologies in 2021 will continue to be in ascendancy are:

Digital twin

This involves the digital replication of a physical asset, process or system, and it is being used more frequently in the industrial, oil & gas, transport, utility and broadcast sectors. The key benefit it brings is being able to create a virtual representation of the physical world, like a simulation using 3D renderings of computer-aided design (CAD) models. Effectively, it can be used to predict different outcomes based on variable data, and these can be run as simulation scenarios until the optimum outcome is identified – all within the digital space.

Digital twin uses real time data gathered by sensors, PLC’s or RTU’s to help operators better understand their assets and process, whilst identifying opportunities to increase efficiency, safety and throughput.

Although data can be gather using all three methods it is the RTU that offers several distinct benefits, and the reasons why we think they will continue to gain ground in 2021 as part of a move to Digital Twin. The single biggest advantage of an RTU compared to a PLC or sensor is that their environmental robustness makes them the stand-out choice for demanding industrial and manufacturing applications.

That means RTU’s can be used in localities with extreme climatic temperatures and/or remote locations that are off the power grid. For instance, Kingfisher RTU’s have been selected as high availability process controllers with extensive communications capabilities for sites with temperatures ranging from -40 to +85^oC.  Their resilient and secure nature, combined with independent communications links, redundant power supplies and redundant process controllers make them extremely robust. That it itself opens up the benefits of Digital Twin to assets once thought out of reach.

Digital twin technology is also being used more frequently in manufacturing sectors because of growth in the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and data analytics. Here, digital twin simulates the physical object in real time, providing insights into performance and efficiency as well as identifying potential anomalies before it results in machine downtime.

The increased functionality of RTU is what makes digital twins possible. And as these devices become more refined and IoT gathers pace, 2021 will open up digital twin opportunities on a much wider range of assets and processes, which will provide additional benefits to companies.

Edge computing

Edge computing works by moving applications, data and services away from a traditional centralised cloud to a decentralised approach that operates at the ‘edge’ or extremities of the network. The key benefit is that process stationed in small data centres – or RTU’s on the assets themselves and able to act autonomously – means that there is minimal latency, which supports real-time monitoring and analytics as well as a journey towards artificial intelligence-enabled workloads.

It also reduces reliance on communication links to a server which can be intermittent or unreliable in remote or harsh locations. We believe that edge computing will grow next year because rising volumes of data means increasing loads on both the main server and the communications networks that connect to it. Put simply, the ability of RTU’s to act as ‘edge’ devices will reduce capacity issues at the central server.

The increased processing power of RTUs enable them to be part of these distributed networks. Here, they filter the data stream, remove data that is not informative, and where possible, respond locally to change, rather than defer to the main cloud server for every event. These actions reduce the load on the communications network and reduce latency in any responses. It also solves the problem of outages when there is no link to the main server - RTUs are autonomous and can maintain local control for extended periods without supervisory oversight.

The real opportunity with edge computing comes about as a result of growth in IoT. Sectors outside traditional manufacturing, which lead the IIoT charge, are now deploying RTU’s because of their robustness and low power requirement, on processes ranging from individual rooms within a building to traffic lights, smart cities, utility and power networks. RTU’s, which have always operated at the ‘edge’ of the network, are then able to autonomously run applications physically close to where the data is generated.

Edge computing also works particularly well where there is unreliable or restricted network bandwidth to send the data to a centralised cloud. In addition, RTU’s incorporate a range of security measures such as: Firewall SSL (Authentication & encryption), HTTP, FTPS & SFTP, SMTPS and open VPN, which means they overcome security and privacy concerns by avoiding sending data over public networks or storing it in the cloud. With the RTU, data is retained securely at a local point.

Smart assets

There has been a significant improvement in RTU processing power and memory recently, meaning that they are effectively a PC in the field. With that, they can run and store data in the most challenging of applications. This increased processing power will help further facilitate the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in 2021 by making older assets smart.

RTUs can already perform autonomous control in real time and then report to SCADA that it has everything under control. Engineers at the SCADA interface can ‘supervise’ the operations by setting new KPIs (Set Points) or updating instructions (open/close this, start/stop that, for example) for RTUs to then act upon and manage locally.

A significant area of opportunity in 2021 is the ability of RTU’s to create smart assets, even those that are part way through their lifecycle. For example, deploying the latest RTUs with processing power on an old asset can turn it into a ‘smart’ asset, and we are expecting to see more of this next year. This helps operators to make the most of their ageing equipment and reduces lifecycle and replacement costs as well as being able to deploy them on a wider range of smaller assets.

Remote monitoring

The pandemic has changed the way that we all work. Extreme disruption in the workplace has resulted in most companies re-thinking that way in which they operate. Those that have adapted well to COVID-19 restrictions are embracing remote working, meaning they are more resilient in the face of major disruptions in the future. RTU’s have enabled this remote monitoring of assets for some time and since the lockdown we have had renewed interest from companies looking to deploy their labour resources more effectively.

RTUs open up new automation possibilities, simplifying systems engineering and enabling critical industries across the globe to remotely control and monitor their applications. For example, out TBox allows users to access networks with their mobile devices and PCs - anytime and anywhere. The RTU devices and connected assets are protected by a state-of-the-art cyber security suite with authentication, encryption, firewall, SSL/TLS, HTTPS, SMTPS, SFTP/FTPS and VPN.

As businesses look for improvements in efficiency and safety, we believe that remotely monitoring of outlying assets using RTUs will grow in importance next year. This approach allows operators to regularly verify from a laptop or other smart device that it is operating within agreed parameters, which, combined with machine learning, ensures maximum asset uptime.

The RTU monitors all asset and process critical applications such as fuel and coolant level, hours of run time, oil temperature, faults and load levels, plus others. They monitor the external environment, too, so for instance, the local temperature, which can be particularly useful in some environments, allowing engineers to take pre-emptive actions to prevent overheating or freezing.

The alternative is to send an engineer for routine inspection which, in remote or dangerous locations, can be an issue in itself. In some cases, it will require a second visit because engineers will only be able to identify faults when on site and then must source a replacement part when they return to base. Knowing this information beforehand can save valuable time for engineers by carrying out preventive maintenance.

Managing a network of hundreds of connected dispersed assets can be complex, costly and time consuming. The ability of RTU’s connect to and manage devices in a resilient and scalable way is fundamental to M2M communication.

End to end data driven processes

Data has become ever more critical to day to day business operations as well as being instrumental to leveraging digital change programs. The data challenge is complex and too much data can be just as detrimental to operations as too little data. What is accepted is that having the right data available to the right people at the right time can make the difference between achieving that operational efficiency improvement or causing more pain than benefit.

This is never more relevant than when talking about remote asset management. Accessing data from remote locations presents its own set of challenges including interrupted communications, power failure, logistical and support issues, but when the right technology solution and implementation is made in the form of RTUs, the benefits are clear.

As a powerful analysis tool, RTUs collect data from local sensors, analyse it and then respond to change. The typical algorithms in use today are process control related, just like a PLC. As more IIoT solutions are called for, a greater variety of functions are being developed, such as Kingfisher CP-35, which runs a Linux operating system, on a 1GHz processor. This is a significant level of processing power available in the field, in any environment, dedicated to analysing data from a single location. A fleet of 100 of this kind of RTU across a network is 100GHz of processing power!

We should also keep in mind that the first rule of SCADA is that communications will fail. This means that in addition to being autonomous controllers, RTUs must be data loggers. Data is valuable currency and the aim is not to lose a single bit of it.

Whilst offline, an RTU will maintain a store of data that should be sent to the central server, uploading it later once the link is restored. Latest RTUs can store hundreds of thousands and potentially millions of events. To put this into perspective, 100,000 events is about 140 days’ worth of hourly averages from 30 remote sensors.

Final word

Technology has become an intrinsic part of life and deeply embedded in how business and industry work. There are several factors that make these ‘smart’ technologies successful, including wireless connectivity, open data and, importantly, security that can be trusted. There is an elevated security threat because of the significant increase in the number of interconnected devices. In fact, the roll out of IoT technology has resulted in thousands of connected systems being embedded in all aspects of our lives.

In terms of security we see our role as making sure that RTUs are built using latest security protocol. There is also a shared responsibility between the manufacturer and users – with the former issuing timely software updates for security issues, and the latter applying these.

What all the tech trends we’ve looked at here have in common is that they are capability of transforming efficiency, saving money and improving asset performance for businesses.