Digitalize your engineering data in 4 steps – easy to understand, easy to realize!

The communication between computers is made in data, while the one between humans in documents (and drawings). The digital transformation consist to convert frozen documents into high valuable data, because data are alive, flexible, always up-to-date and can easily generate documents. With data you can work on a digital twin, and build or modify your plant much faster. Now we agree on the importance and need of data, we can start the transformation of your plant.

?Step 1 – process analysis and central platform for your technical data

The situation today: every plant looks very different, as it was built over several generations, using several tools. The entrance step consists to get an overview of all databases, tools, processes, and interactions in your technical environment (from engineering to maintenance). A deeper analysis will identify unnecessary tools and inefficient processes. Your challenge will be to choose a global technical data platform for the future. It should be open, innovative, performant, sizable, and for all your engineering disciplines and technical data. This platform must support SSoT (Single Source of Truth), for highest data integrity.?

?Step 2 – Structure and data migration

Once the platform is installed, it is time to define a global structure for all your projects and technical departments. To ensure openness and future compatibility, your structure should be according EN81346 and EN61355 standards. The digitalization consist to migrate all existing data in the new structure, and to make them available centrally and available exactly once (no duplicates, highest data reliability). There are several level to migrate your data, according your needs, time schedule and priorities:

a.????No conversion – just to keep your documents electronically and centrally and in a structure. Older documents (often scanned into jpg or pdf formats) do not need to be converted, they are just placed in a frame with metadata, without any object orientation or intelligence.

b.????Minimal conversion – some of the documents are needed in a project (i.e. revamping or extension). In this case only an object should be created in the new structure, and linked to the existing "old" documents.

c.?????Full migration – this is the level for full digitalization needed to build a digital twin. It consists to export all documents and drawings over predefined formats (i.e. dwg, dxf, xls). All will be converted and represented as unique objects in your global structure. This process is mainly done automatically, over a mapping table.

d.????Redraw your plant – the only reason to redraw your plant is when you can no longer trust your documents (more redlining than black on your drawings, large discrepancies between engineering and maintenance, missing important documents). In this case, values and parameters of the objects are collected in the field (As-Is) and schemas are newly drawn.

Your new platform should be able to work on all 4 levels, according your priorities and detail needed to avoid endless digitalization and exploding costs. ?

Step 3 – external data and actual projects

Owner Operators (O/O) in the process industry appoint usually service providers or EPCs for new or large extensions, while small changes and maintenance are done internally.

Also it is rarely the case that O/O and their service providers work with the same engineering tools and database. Sometimes they can be forced, but only against higher costs or future dependency.

This is the requirement to your engineering platform:

-??????Able to collect data from external service providers, and read their formats

-??????Able to send data to external service providers, in a neutral format (they can read)

-??????Having data available everywhere, at any time and up-to-date for maintenance

-??????Able to perform directly small changes in all engineering disciplines (internally)

There are many solutions offered at low costs or made for other industries, but the highest data integrity is only given if your tool can fulfill all those requirements by representing your data only once and centrally (SSoT, digital twin).?

Step 4 – network with your ERP or other databases

To complete the digital transformation, technical data must be exchangeable with other databases, such as ERP (i.e. SAP, Winchill), PLM (i.e. TEAMCENTER), 3D and simulation software. To avoid duplication of parameters, data are mapped over portals to each other. The portal must know which database is the master of a specific parameter and constantly synchronize them.

There is always the question about 3D software: integrated or not? The experience shows that for O/O, the 3D is often only used for CAPEX projects: to get a detailed plant check during engineering & construction phase and give an impression to the shareholders about their investments. Afterwards (OPEX), budgets are often reduced and the 3D visualizations cannot be maintained up-to-date. Therefore it is strongly recommended to have 3D separated from the engineering database, but connected to it.?

?Main benefits of the digital transformation for the process industry

What returns can you expect from your digital transformation (estimation based on experience)?

a.????15% to 35% faster time-to-market, with agile & parallel engineering, last minute changes, modular engineering, re-use of engineering projects, automated generation of documents, central knowledge base

b.????3% to 10% lower total project costs, with reduced NCCs (Non Conformance Costs), shorter maintenance downtimes, reduced IT architecture & infrastructure, data exchange, data conversion, documentation for authorities

c.?????Increased value of your plant through flexibility and high data integrity,?to plan new products or short term modifications

What are the costs of your digital transformation?

The costs will depend on the size of your plant, tools to replace and the people involved. Typically the ROI is between 2 and 3 years and will grow with your specific customization.

?When should you start the digital transformations?

You should already consider the transformation seriously and realize it within the next few years. While visionaries and early adopters mainly focused on TDMS (Technical Documentation Management System) as intermediate step, it is for you the right time to look at a global platform for all your engineering and maintenance. Laggards will definitely lose in flexibility and miss new projects.

Don't worry if you already invested in your digital journey (i.e. in a TDMS): you will migrate much faster, and at lower costs.

Data are the future currency of your plant. Having them in a good quality increases the value of your plant and reduces its costs. You will go through the digital transformation anyway, today is a good day to start.

Jean-Marc Baumann Consultant and GAM for Process Plants at AUCOTEC AG?? [email protected]