IN THIS ISSUE
ERP to the rescue
Aiming enterprise applications
GREAT
at the right targets
ISSUE 16 SPRING 2009
Innovation edge
INGREDIENTS
Sharpening up product development
onwindows.com
Country spotlight Chr. Hansen perfects food products with
the help of Wonderware and Microsoft
Canada’s manufacturing mix
Visit onwindows.com for news and views in manufacturing
“Today, there are a number of technologies that are helping companies lower expenses and
CeBIT highlights new ways of working: document management improve effectiveness and efficiency. Virtualisation reduces costs and lowers energy consumption
with SharePoint, role-tailoring and business intelligence in by enabling organisations to use more of the computing power that they already own.”
Dynamics NAV and AX, and smart meter technology. Page 12
Brian J Scott, Vice President, Worldwide Industry,
Microsoft Enterprise and Partner Group

foreword
SPRING 2009
T
he industry team has had a great time meeting with readers during our
Editor
recent series of Empowering Excellence workshops. These brought
Mark Webb
mark.webb@tudor-rose.co.uk
together partners, customers and industry experts to share their
Editor-in-chief
experiences and success stories and discuss how the new solutions can help IT
Adam Lawrence
and business decision makers in cutting costs, retaining and attracting
adam.lawrence@tudor-rose.co.uk
customers, and achieving competitive advantage through innovation.
Editorial team
James Dodd
Greater business agility is needed to cope with the volatility in today’s global
Jacqui Griffiths
markets where economic uncertainty requires fast and immediate reaction – see
Lindsay James
Rebecca Lambert
Brian Scott’s viewpoint in this issue. Microsoft has been working with business
Duncan Jefferies
partners and customers worldwide in developing and implementing innovative
Contributors
solutions to help manufacturing and resources enterprises meet the challenges
Anne Asensio, Dassault Systèmes
Nick Barnett, Microsoft
they face in today’s economy.
Norbert Braendli, Microsoft
Implementing technologies to help in the new economy is a theme of our
Tom Burke, OPC Foundation
Matthes Derdack, Derdack
features in this issue. Business intelligence, for example, can provide the
Michele Isernia, Microsoft
Dr Bernd Kosch, Fujitsu Siemens Computers information to adapt to tough economic times by using data already residing in
Paul Major, Program Framework
enterprise systems. Equally, collaboration and visualisation technologies can aid
Brian Scott, Microsoft
new product development, a vital ingredient for maintaining a competitive
Subscriptions
Ewan Campbell advantage.
ewan.campbell@tudor-rose.co.uk
Green IT advisor
Enjoy the spring issue.
Dr Bernd Kosch, Fujitsu Siemens Computers
Partner managers
Charles Johnson
Amandip Singh
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Worldwide General Manager,
Ben Mayer
Manufacturing & Resources Sector
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Microsoft
Marcus Miola
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Ricky Popat
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Design and production
Bruce Graham
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Reprints
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Publisher
Paul Simpson
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PUBLISHING PARTNERS
Prime is produced as a partnership between Dassault Systèmes is the world’s leading Fujitsu Siemens Computers – a Microsoft Gold
Microsoft and selected key organisations product lifecycle management (PLM) software Certified Partner – is the leading European IT
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facing manufacturing, and technology Systèmes’ solutions (CATIA, SolidWorks, DELMIA, whatever IT infrastructure fits best to their specific
solutions that can address these issues. SIMULIA, ENOVIA, and 3DVIA), 3D offers realistic needs. Fujitsu Siemens Computers is one of the
visualisation, unambiguous communication and pioneers in offering a complete range of
true collaboration. environmentally conscious products and in using
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the communication of acquired process data,
two decades, PTC has delivered leading software Management, MES, Performance Management,
alarm and event records, historical data, and
solutions to the manufacturing industry. We have EMI, and integration with asset management,
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and between production devices.
50,000 global customers. www.wonderware.com
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1

contents
SPRING 2009
24
CONTENTS SPRING 2009
Frontline Cover story 48 Consumer goods
24 All the right ingredients
06 The latest global manufacturing IT It’s time to create more seamless links
news, customer solutions and a round- Food ingredient developer Chr. between product development and
up from CeBIT Hansen is rolling out a business- the sourcing of materials
critical manufacturing execution
Viewpoint 50 Utilities
system with the help of Wonderware
16 Flexible technology for tough times and Microsoft, reports Mark Webb Home metering devices are set to
Brian Scott suggests new ways of change the relationship between
Features
exploiting computing resources customer and energy provider
28 Building new ideas
18 Change - the driver of competitive 51 High tech
Duncan Jefferies reports on the
advantage technologies that help manufacturers A recent survey has unearthed some
Paul Major advises on how develop ideas into winning products worrying inefficiencies and
businesses can control change disruption in the high-tech sector
34 Energising the enterprise
In practice
19 Convergence changes working lives Vital information from ERP systems
52 Utilities: Portland General Electric
Collaboration and communications can help managers make informed
technologies make vital information decisions, reduce inventory and Centralising power source
readily available, says Nick Barnett nurture customer-centricity management with Wonderware
technology
20 PLM and the changing nature of 40 Country spotlight
design 53 Automotive: Xtrac
Microsoft’s industry team in Canada
Anne Asensio looks at how is helping manufacturers to optimise This supplier of high-performance
34 companies have reaped the benefits performance and save money parts is benefitting from PLM
from a 3D PLM strategy
Industry forums 54 High tech: Vaisala
22 Embedded data to enterprise 42 Automotive Analysis of production information
53 intelligence Six powerful trends are driving improves product development
Turning real-time data into change in automotive manufacturing
55 Pharma: Boehringer Ingelheim
targeted intelligence can enable
44 Pharmaceutical
manufacturing companies to improve This Dutch pharmaceutical company
operations and maintenance, says With pharmacy liberalisation in is getting a rapid return from
Thomas Burke Europe on hold, are we witnessing a notification workflow software
sea change in EU decision-making?
Signing off
23 Raising the green game
46 Oil and gas 56 Data engine rooms working harder
Green thinking drives manufacturing
production improvements and can High-performance computing Bill Laing explains new features in
have immediate cost benefits in data applications enable oil and gas firms the updated version of Windows
centres, says Bernd Kosch to better manage complex demands Server 2008
28
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Published by names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may
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Managing Director: Jon Ingleton omissions. Readers should take appropriate professional advice
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full potential. The company offers a wide
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07 ISSN: 1747-1370 Issue 16
4 5
onwindows.com

frontline
MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Linked ERP and PLM for Akva IN FRONTLINE THIS ISSUE
Manufacturing companies
Akva Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Amgros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Fast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Kone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Lingsoft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Montblanc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Sole Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Tube Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Solution providers
Armedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Ascentn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Avantgarde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Aquaculture enterprise Akva has implemented Enovia PLM CDM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Cincom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Norway’s global aquaculture enterprise, Jone Gjerde said: “Enovia PLM provides Codra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Akva Group, will integrate Dassault an enterprise-wide collaboration platform Dassault Systèmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7, 8, 10
Systèmes’ Enovia solution with its existing for our global business and R&D Derdack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Microsoft AX solution. Akva designs, resource, allowing developers from all Docuware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
manufactures and services aquaculture over the world to work together within a Esmart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
systems for land and water-based fish single unified repository for IP retention, Evidanza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Fujitsu Siemens Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
farms around the world. change management, quality and release
Intercim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Implemented by Technica, Dassault processes. Newly acquired businesses will
KCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Systèmes’ Norwegian business partner, speedily accord with Akva compliance
Kumavision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Akva will deploy several Enovia products standards following the introduction of
Mamut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Companies can use a new dashboard to easily collect data on environmental performance indicators including Designer, Engineering and Enovia methodologies.
Neoxen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Program Centrals to manage business “The benefit to Akva of Enovia PLM,
Predisys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
processes including materials compliance coupled with Microsoft ERP technology
MEASURING ENVIRONMENTAL
Prodware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
and global IP management. is that it facilitates seamless unification
PTC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
These PLM functionalities in and synchronicity with common business
Siemens PLM Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8, 10, 11
conjunction with Akva’s installed standards across our expanding global
PERFORMANCE MADE EASY
Technica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
mechanical design system, SolidWorks, enterprise,” concluded Gjerde. “This Telent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
and the group’s Microsoft Dynamics AX positions Akva to capitalise on the TTL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
ERP system will operate on Microsoft increasing demand for aquaculture and Verisign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Microsoft has released the Environmental footprint and predicted this will result in Herlevsen, suggesting that organisations SQL Server. fish farms while being extremely well
Sustainability Dashboard for Microsoft real activity in the majority of companies, use the indicators to empower their staff to Akva Group chief operating officer, organised and informed.” Microsoft technologies
Dynamics AX. The new toolset, available to rather than only in a few big companies, take individual action to cut energy and Microsoft .NET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Dynamics AX 2009 customers at no often using expensive consultants, who travel costs, for example. Microsoft CRM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
additional charge, enables companies to have made sustainability part of their ‘green Herlevsen explained that companies
Predisys offers hosted analytics Microsoft Dynamics AX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6, 7, 12
collect auditable data on four of the core aura’. need to get a flexible measuring system Microsoft Dynamics CRM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10, 12
environmental performance indicators into place now to anticipate market trends. Microsoft Dynamics NAV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
identified by the Global Reporting For example, government money flowing Predisys, which develops collaborative ways to extend the lifetime of existing Microsoft Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
“This will give us a powerful
Initiative (GRI) for energy consumption into infrastructure projects may have manufacturing analytical solutions based applications while striving to cost- Microsoft Office SharePoint Server . . . . .7, 8, 10, 12
Microsoft Office Visio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
and greenhouse gas emissions, including sustainability targets attached and taxes on on Microsoft SharePoint and Office effectively introduce much needed
tool to make a positive Microsoft SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8, 12
direct on-premise fuel consumption and consumption of energy and commodities platforms, has announced version 3.9 of functionality,” said Ari Pihlajavesi, CEO of
impact on both the planet Microsoft Technology Adoption Programme . . . .12
the carbon footprint of their power usage may be imposed as other taxes are eased off its Predisys Analytical Suite. Predisys. “The focus is now on
Windows 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
and our bottom line”
with utilities and other vendors. to prevent job losses. Based on customer feedback, the latest maximising the use of the data already
Windows XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
“These are typical indicators that many “The dashboard will allow us to drill version provides a set of new features stored in existing operational systems to
companies will have to work around in the down into our energy consumption and including increased speed and provide detailed real-time visibility to
future,” said Ian Mac Hueg Herlevsen of Prodware has hired sustainability and overall environmental performance with throughput for analytical applications, process and production quality across
Dynamics partner Prodware. “Microsoft is lean manufacturing specialists to provide far greater precision,” said George Bock, new statistical tools, easier automated multiple plants or contract
developing these generic indicators and it expertise to its customers who wish to vice president of IT at Sole Technology, data integration from external data manufacturers.”
will be the role of partners to provide implement the dashboard. The company is based in California, USA. sources and improved Microsoft Office To provide manufacturers with
industry-specific ones.” Herlevsen pointed also developing an environmental “This will give us a powerful tool to integration. additional options, the solution will also
to legislation now appearing in Europe to dashboard for Dynamics NAV. “If you can make a positive impact on both the planet “In these uncertain economic times we be available on a Software-as-a-Service
oblige companies to report their carbon measure it, you can manage it,” said and our bottom line.” see manufacturers looking for innovative basis hosted by Predisys.
6 7
onwindows.com

frontline
MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Keeping the Tube running
News in brief
The London Underground is using SCADA
The High-Tech Forecasting & Planning
software from Codra. Tube Lines,
Summit takes place in San Francisco
responsible for the maintenance and
on 22-23 April. The event aims to
upgrade of part of the London
provide insight on strategic planning,
Underground system, has selected a
sales and operations planning,
Panorama E² based solution from Telent to
forecasting and supply chain
manage its processes. Telent proposed the
management. More information:
solution for its open and flexible design.
www.09.ie-grp.com/hightech/
Since 2006, over 50 underground stations
overview.htm
have deployed Panorama E², running on
Windows XP Professional and using SQL
Japanese company Fast is licensing
Server 2003. In total 74 stations will see
digital camera calibration technology
deployment by the end of 2009. Telent calls
developed by Microsoft Research. Fast
its Panorama E² based solution
aims to use the licensed technology to
Tube Lines is using Panorama E2
Management Integration and Control of
improve the precision of its various
Assets (MICA).
image-processing products and
As part of the MICA development Panorama Persist interface to create and
accelerate the development of new
process, Telent developed a tool called configure the application objects
inspection systems and other
Station Builder. It automatically generates a automatically. The process generates a disk
products.
complete MICA application based on a image including the operating system, the
database definition of a station’s equipment, Panorama runtime, and the communication
Dassault Systèmes and Intercim have
such as cameras and escalators, and its user drivers. It takes just a few clicks to create a
advanced their strategic alliance,
configuration files (station maps, display ready-to-run MICA-based station on a
demonstrating the two companies’
groups). Station Builder controls the removable hard disk ready to install on site.
commitment to bringing the real
world of manufacturing execution
systems into the virtual world of PLM.
did you know?
The partners will provide a dynamic,
real-time ability to execute
The US and China each consumed US$1.3bn of RFID products and services
production orders exactly as planned
in 2008. Use of RFID will increase five-fold in the next ten years.
by manufacturing engineers and close
the loop between engineering and
Source: IDTechEx
the shop floor.
The Process Excellence Summit and
Awards take place on 21-22 April at
Data management at the track
the Novotel Convention Centre in
London. The summit promises to
discuss innovation in processes and
Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR) ECR explored a variety of PLM
operational excellence, with speakers
has chosen PTC’s Windchill ProductPoint solutions, but didn’t see a need for the
from Ford Financial, British Gas, Virgin
solution to manage and share engineering extended functions of an enterprise tool.
Media, BP, Pitney Bowes, Kodak,
data. ECR develops high performance However, PTC’s Windchill ProductPoint
Nortel, Tyco and Black & Decker. More
racing engines and manages engine offered the right level of data management
information:
programmes for seven NASCAR Nextel Cup capabilities, and could sit within ECR’s
www.processexcellencelondon.co.uk
and four NASCAR Nationwide teams. ECR existing SharePoint installation.
also uses PTC’s Pro/Engineer CAD tool. “I did all the installation myself, said
Siemens PLM Software has enabled
Windchill ProductPoint extends the Bolton, “and got it running in a couple
the training of more than one million
collaboration capabilities of Microsoft hours.” Engineers can now build accurate
students around the world annually
Office SharePoint Server to enable teams sub-assemblies and full engine models
on PLM software – the first to do so
to share structured product development containing the correct revisions of
according to the company. Siemens
information. components. Clear revision controls also
PLM Software offers in-kind software
Paul Bolton, senior engine design and reduce procurement and part assembly
grants to schools through its Global
analytical engineer, said: “Historically, issues. Finally, cross-functional users can
Opportunities in Product Lifecycle
NASCAR has not been an engineering now access accurate engineering data and
Management (GO PLM) initiative,
driven industry. RCR decided to make complementary documents in real time.
which it launched in 1997.
Engine R&D more analytical, which ECR plans to roll out PTC’s
resulted in lots of engineering data with ProductView for more advanced
little or no control or protocols.” visualisation capabilities later in the year.
8 onwindows.com

frontline
MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Amgros and CDM unite on pharma Montblanc enriches PLM
News in brief
Amgros is running an EU tender solution tenders to the EU. The integration of TED Montblanc, manufacturer of luxury items
TTL is to sell Siemens PLM NX
with the help of pharma expert CDM. is clearly a simplification of that part of such as writing instruments, watches,
software, focusing its efforts on
Electronic tendering meets EU regulations the tender process which concerns the jewellery and leather goods, has selected
manufacturing software solutions and
and delivers customer self-service, which communication with the EU. In short, we NX CAM, Siemens PLM Software’s
providing adaptive machining
is part of a trend towards alternative sales win more time and are able to manage computer-aided manufacturing software
solutions worldwide.
channels in the pharma industry to drive more tenders; tenders with a shorter solution, to optimise its product quality.
down costs. deadline, and also longer tenders as there The company, which has been using “NX CAM, with its
Microsoft has moved its leadership for
Amgros is a partnership owned by all are no longer the same document Siemens PLM Software’s NX digital tight linkage between
the company’s worldwide oil and gas
Danish counties that purchases medicine for restrictions.” product development solution and design and NC
industry business to Dubai, United
Danish hospital pharmacies through EU The digital signature solutions are Teamcenter digital lifecycle management programming, will further
Arab Emirates. “With the power
tender invitations. The solution aims to provided by VeriSign and TDC. In software portfolio for a number of years, enhance Montblanc’s PLM
ultimately shifting from consumer to
automate and secure the tender process for addition, KPMG has been chosen by will use NX CAM to enable the direct use implementation,” said Kai Jacobs, CAD
producer in the global energy
all stakeholders and an important part has Amgros to evaluate and approve the of digital product data for NC system administrator at Montblanc. “We
equation, the Middle East is an
Quality comes first at Montblanc
been to integrate the EU TED database. The security of the solution. (numerically controlled) program are convinced that with NX CAM we can
important location for Microsoft and
next IT project involves implementing Amgros sees its service-oriented development and the simulation of reduce programming and production
our partners,” said Albrecht Ferling,
Microsoft Dynamics CRM, also with the architecture strategy, based on Microsoft production machines. times while further increasing our high
managing director, worldwide oil and
help of CDM, to migrate many thousands technology, helping to bring down costs for Montblanc’s decision to add the standard of quality.” Paul Vogel, executive vice president,
gas industries for Microsoft.
of users to a modern platform. its stakeholders. Amgros processes 100,000 integrated manufacturing component of “Siemens PLM Software looks forward global sales and services at Siemens PLM
Amgros vice president Peter Helmbæk medicinal orders per year with 40 NX is aimed at making further use of to this opportunity to further our Software. “This results in enormous
Cincom Systems has released Cincom
said: “We are proud to be the first in employees, five of these working with digital product data throughout all successful relationship with Montblanc potential value for Montblanc, such as
Acquire Sales and Product
Denmark to be able to send electronic tenders covering 90 per cent of the orders. processes associated with the product into the production phase of the product shorter development times and better
Configurator 2.0, which enables
lifecycle. lifecycle with the NX CAM solution,” said data quality.”
manufacturers to capture and deliver
critical application, product, pricing,
did you know?
and process knowledge to the point
of sale in real time – ensuring the
Top three issues for the food industry in 2009: the economy and consumer
optimal fit between manufacturers’
demand (56 per cent), food safety (33.6 per cent), corporate responsibility
product offerings and customers’
(33.1 per cent).
needs. It integrates with Microsoft
CRM 4.0 and can help convert from
Source: CIES Top of Mind survey
Microsoft CRM Online to the on-
premise version without recoding or
losing data within the configurator.
Automated workflow helps teamwork
Armedia is collaborating with Kone,
the international engineering and
service company that specialises in
Lingsoft, a full service language company the client, to managing and assigning
elevators and escalators, in an
whose clients include global manufacturers, translator workforce and contractors, and
enterprise content management
has licensed Neoxen QX technology in finally delivering the translated documents
project. They will work together to
order to increase its project management to the client.
develop next generation content-rich
efficiency. Lingsoft provides language Navigating through thousands of
applications based on Microsoft
management tools, technologies for translation projects is boosted with Neoxen
SharePoint, as well as initiatives such
translation, and translation services. NaviLists, accessible directly through
as content strategy.
“Our goal was to increase our efficiency Windows Desktop. NaviLists gather each
in project management,” said Maria project’s content into one easy-to-use
Dassault Systèmes has announced
Leinonen, COO of Lingsoft. “We now have structure, and are automatically created
new releases of the Isight and Fiper
in use, after only ten months, a product when a translation project is created.
3.5 simulations, the first since Simulia’s
called Lingsoft Language Studio – an OEM “We’re using SharePoint in conjunction
acquisition of Engineous Software. By
version of Visual Modus. Neoxen has been with Visual Modus and I strongly feel that
using Isight and Fiper, product
very flexible and the solution has met all these kinds of collaborative solutions are
development engineers can integrate
our wishes.” now essential when teams are scattered
cross-disciplinary models and
On top of Neoxen technology and across the globe, often working on different
applications together in simulation
Microsoft SharePoint, Lingsoft and Neoxen projects at different times,” said Leinonen.
process flows, automate their
developed an automated workflow solution “Documents need to be available all the
execution across distributed compute
capable of mastering tens of thousands of time, and communications centralised.
resources, and explore the resulting
translation projects per year. The system That way it’s easy to find the topics that
design space.
manages the total lifecycle of translated have been discussed, what has been agreed,
documents, from getting documents from and where the project is headed.”
10 onwindows.com

frontline
CEBIT ROUNDUP
CeBIT highlights new way of working
News in brief
Evidanza’s BIS.Dynamics business
intelligence application for Dynamics
NAV, AX and CRM, is “really
integrated” according to
international business lead Markus
Schieder. Schieder explained that,
although Evidanza has used a data
warehouse approach, users can drill
down to original postings.
BIS.Dynamics appears as though in a
Dynamics screen and reports arrive in
an editable form with a familiar Word
ribbon menu.
More than sixty Microsoft partners showed business solutions at CeBIT
Kumavision has recently taken part in
Microsoft’s CeBIT stand was packed with knowledge of location to drive yet more
Microsoft’s Technology Adoption
innovation and packed with visitors – there efficiency, for example to locate the nearest
Programme, giving the company a
was only standing room at the big-screen maintenance engineer to fix a problem.
head start with Dynamics NAV 2009
presentations on Windows 7, virtualisation Docuware demonstrated Connect to
versions of its solutions for
and software plus services. A huge banner SharePoint that provides the company’s
engineering businesses. Marketing
summed it up: das neue arbeiten - the new archiving and workflow features via a single
manager Armin Schneider-Lenhof
way of working. sign-on to users of SharePoint. Users can
explained that the company has a
Customers queued for hands-on time also take advantage of the solution’s
balanced portfolio of customers across
with Surface, Windows 7 touch screens and archiving capabilities and search across
industries throughout Germany and is
in-car entertainment systems – inside a Fiat Docuware file cabinets. Co-president
also integrating Dynamics CRM for
500. More than 60 partners demonstrated Juergen Biffar said: “Search is often access to
technical wholesale businesses.
business solutions in mobility, business information chaos. We prevent the chaos
intelligence, application platform server and bring documents into well-organised
In the California section at CeBIT was
infrastructure, hosting, IT security, Office order.” Docuware works with documents of
Ascentn, whose Agilepoint software is
and Dynamics. every kind and groups them under customer
designed to help business people
Derdack, in the ‘communications’ hall, and project labels as required in business.
‘see’, understand, and directly adjust
announced that Boehringer Ingelheim Docuware also supports document
business processes. Based on Microsoft
France has implemented Message Master workflow. Biffar gave the example of
technologies such as Visio, SQL Server
Enterprise Alert, notification workflow that printing barcoded quality control forms for
and .NET, it provides access to business
uses Microsoft SQL Server. Matthes Derdack an assembly line and picking up project and
process design without having to go
commented that notification workflow is in customer details from the ERP system as the
through the IT department, according
its early days and he foresees using barcode is scanned.
to EMEA business development
manager Hans Hantson.
CeBIT serious about saving the planet
Avantgarde’s Christian Eitner
explained that AX 2009 is the “new
generation, 100 per cent based on
CeBIT’s Green IT hall hosted speeches from Fujitsu Siemens Computers also showed low
Microsoft”, making use of SharePoint
politicians, activists and IT experts. consumption servers, storage systems and
Server and SQL Server 2008 under the
Although ‘IT as a service’ was prominent, dynamic solutions for data centres. The
hood. Avantgarde is offering
(for example BT promoting home- company’s Green IT concept covers
customers packages to configure role-
working), energy-efficient equipment was production, provisioning and operation, up
tailored screens and to train
equally so. Fujitsu Siemens Computers’ 0- to product disposal.
customers to do it themselves.
Watt PC caught the media’s imagination, Esmart systems has used Microsoft
making national TV on the first night. technology to develop a smart meter
Also an AX specialist, KCS is using AX
While it does not use any power in off- reading and management system. Milan
2009 to keep its customers successful,
mode or hibernating, the PC remains Stefanovic explained that Mesmet one is a
specialising in solutions for die casting
administrable during a pre-configured time ‘lite’ version operating over 2,000 metres for
in metal and plastics. Meanwhile
slot and can receive software updates monitoring equipment load profiles,
Mamut is offering a combination of
outside of usual working hours. Within that perhaps in a factory, and for piloting larger
on-premise Dynamics ERP, with
time slot the PC can be automatically woken distributed systems. Mesmet XT
Software-as-a-Service add-ons.
up and is waiting for updates. Once the time implements a scalable solution for up to
slot is over, it goes back into 0-Watt standby. 500,000 users.
12 onwindows.com

viewpoint
INVESTMENT IN INNOVATION
FLEXIBLE TECHNOLOGY
FOR TOUGH TIMES
Better use of computing resources through virtualisation and information
sharing can help manufacturers weather the adverse economic climate
A
s instability continues to ripple way that companies can save money.
through the global economy, it’s Today, video conferencing and new
clear that no one is immune to the collaboration tools are making virtual
effects of tighter credit and slower meetings much more like face-to-face
consumer and business spending. interaction and are enabling people to
But while it’s impossible to predict how share and collaborate more effectively. In
long the current uncertainty will last or addition, companies are finding that
what the final impact will be on jobs and reducing computer energy usage is one
growth, I am optimistic about long-term of the most effective ways to lower costs
economic prospects, both in the USA and without hampering organisational
around the world. The trends that have capabilities.
made the last decade so dynamic for
“These technologies enable
manufacturing businesses in every corner
As vice president of worldwide
people to understand and
of the globe haven’t changed. Technology
industry for Microsoft’s
continues to improve. Productivity
Enterprise and Partner Group,
respond to changing
continues to rise. New business
Brian J Scott is responsible for
business conditions with
opportunities continue to emerge.
driving Microsoft’s global
greater insight and speed
At the same time, there’s no doubt that
industry business, cultivating
and speed than ever before. This focus on innovation. Companies that continue to
this is a time when thoughtful business trends – more powerful devices, new ways
technology partnerships and than ever before”
people is critical. Ultimately, economic pursue innovation position themselves
leaders must carefully assess how to best of connecting to each other and to
selling role-based technology
growth depends on innovation. And to better weather difficult economic
use their resources to weather the information, new ways of interacting with
We’re using many of these approaches
solutions to customers of the
innovation is built on the ability of people times. And they create the conditions for
uncertainty that lies ahead. I believe computers – are converging in ways that
here at Microsoft. For example, our
company’s worldwide
to transform new ideas into products that more rapid growth when the economic
information technology can play an will revolutionise the role that computing
internal IT department moved 25 per cent
commercial sector
deliver new value to customers. climate improves.
important role in helping companies plays in our lives at home and at work.
of its servers into a virtualised
The danger is that as the global Today, there’s no doubt that we’ve
respond to this difficult and rapidly Companies that take advantage of these
environment during 2007. The resulting
economy slows, companies will shift so entered a period where companies and
changing economic environment. trends to transform their businesses and
savings top US$10m and today, it takes
much of their focus to controlling individuals are facing a new set of economic
In the near term, for many deliver innovations to their customers will
just four people to manage the group’s
expenses that they will lose sight of the challenges. But at the same time, we’re in
manufacturing organisations the emphasis have an important competitive advantage,
3,500 servers. By implementing a unified
critical importance of investment in the midst of a period when key technology
will be on cutting costs and reducing risk. today and in the years ahead.
messaging system we’re saving US$5m
Today, there are a number of technologies each year through reduced hardware and
that are helping companies lower expenses maintenance costs.
and improve effectiveness and efficiency. Of course Microsoft isn’t the only
One example is virtualisation. A company that is delivering software that
Virtualisation equals business flexibility
technology that makes it possible to run can help companies reduce expense. And
more than one operating system on a it’s not just large companies like Microsoft
single computer, virtualisation reduces that are benefiting from these Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) has improved its branch 64-bit processors to improve performance. CPC can easily
office infrastructure with server virtualisation. CPC runs an add more servers without significantly increasing hardware
costs and lowers energy consumption by technologies. Software has helped Cogan
oil pipeline system that extends between Kazakhstan and and power consumption, and e-mail service to employees
enabling organisations to use more of the Wire and Metal Products, a Canadian
Russia’s Black Sea coast. CPC is expanding rapidly and will be more reliable as well.
computing power that they already own. company with 100 employees, cut travel
needs to upgrade its IT infrastructure to support business “We must provide hot backup capability, dynamic load
Another example is unified expenses by US$400,000 by using virtual
growth. Branch locations often managed their own servers, distribution, and robust system protection from viruses and
communications technologies that bring meetings to keep its network of dealers
but space constraints and limited power supplies in remote unauthorised access while making all necessary services
voice communications, e-mail, and instant up-to-date on new products and to work
areas restricted expansion. To ease management and available to our mobile employees,” says IT manager Ilya
messaging together to replace traditional more closely with customers who buy improve scalability, CPC is deploying Microsoft Exchange Starkov. “Also, to support our company’s permanent
phone systems with integrated software directly from the company. Server 2007 on virtual servers running on Windows Server growth, we need to make our system scalable in a way
solutions that reduce hardware and These technologies enable people to 2008. The company is also taking advantage of support for that minimises costs.”
maintenance costs. understand and respond to changing
Cutting back on travel is an obvious business conditions with greater insight
16 17
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viewpoint viewpoint
PROJECT MANAGEMENT COLLABORATION
CHANGE – THE DRIVER OF CONVERGENCE CHANGES
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE WORKING LIVES
Paul Major identifies the dangers to businesses that are unable Unified collaboration and communications technologies make vital
to control change, and suggests some technology solutions information readily available to the whole workforce, says Nick Barnett
C M
hange is a constant in modern aking more money in
by a specific time. These are usually raise an order on the maintenance system,
business, and certainly in manufacturing requires the
captured in solutions based on typically part of the enterprise system.
manufacturing. How companies successful management of
manufacturing requirements’ planning The upstream oil production business is
manage change, indeed control change, people, assets, processes, information and
approaches. As compliance and cost drivers setting the pace here. Previously on each
influences whether they are successful or events. Management by collaboration is
become increasingly important, chief production platform – sometimes
not. The rate of change is increasing as is the vital and different generations of manager
information officers and chief operating hundreds of miles out to sea – a team of
scale and that puts pressure on the systems recognise how this can be achieved by
officers now require a more robust specialist engineers supported the
that an enterprise uses to control change. telephone, meeting, e-mail or Web 2.0.
approach to planning the use of resources, production crew, solving technical
An inability to control change can Unified communications improves
whether people or machinery, to maximise problems with advanced simulation
directly impact profit when product productivity by cutting out ‘telephone tag’
uptime, minimise cost and at the same time technology. As part of an initiative called
development goes awry and an end and delivering information to each person
ensure a safe working environment. ‘integrated operations’, oil and gas
product is either not produced at all or is as appropriate, for example to a mobile
This requires a more structured companies have brought those experts
produced at a loss. Managing change also phone. Microsoft Office SharePoint Server
approach to creating a maintenance back on shore. Production and technical
Paul Major, industry Nick Barnett has 18 years of
significantly affects non-financial adds individual work spaces that contain
schedule, an approach that takes the list of support teams must now work remotely as
commentator and CEO of experience in applying
performance in areas such as health and job-related information, lists of colleagues,
activities and turns them into a formal if they were side-by-side.
Program Framework, has over software to manufacturing
safety. It is now a reality that the ability to and functions to initiate workflows. A
schedule where jobs can be resourced, This is achieved in collaboration centres
20 years of experience in operation. He is part of the
create visibility over and manage change single screen shows communications and
tracked and reported on. It is this (BP calls them ‘advanced collaboration
managing performance and Microsoft Worldwide
has become critical to an organisation’s information from across the enterprise,
requirement that has led Program environments’). These contain walls of
strategic change, primarily in Manufacturing Industries team
ability to operate, as commerciality and such as production performance, financial
Framework to create its Capital Asset screens with SharePoint views, including
multinational corporations. He and manages manufacturing
compliance combine. data, order status, inventory or logistics.
Maintenance Streamliner (CAMS). This real-time plant graphics, video feeds,
has gained a unique insight operations with responsibility
For example, OSIsoft’s PI System,
solution takes the lists of maintenance whiteboard functionality and other related
into the challenges of for EMEA. Prior to joining
“An inability to control integrated with Unified Communications
activities from ERP solutions such as SAP’s business and engineering information. In
deploying change in complex Microsoft, he spent eight years
Server and SharePoint Server, pulls
PM module and combines these with the their various locations, the technical
organisations at Aspentech
change can directly impact
together data from machinery, plant and
scheduling capabilities of Microsoft’s experts and production people look at
profit when product ERP systems and makes it useful to
Project Server 2007. their walls and solve problems together.
development goes awry and managers. A production manager or
This approach especially pays dividends Applying integrated operations changes
an end product is either not when applied to the maintenance of large supervisor can have her manufacturing the working lives of engineers. Companies
“Applying integrated
cockpit (a SharePoint page) displaying
capital-intensive plant, when downtime or like having fewer people exposed to danger
produced at all or is operations changes the traditional visualisation of the plant,
overrunning shutdowns can be very and more affordable shift patterns, and it
produced at a loss” working lives of engineers. alongside the ‘presence’ of co-workers.
painful financially. CAMS provides has freed up a lot of space where it is
Having defined these colleagues and
additional insight by analysing metadata sorely needed – on the production
Companies like having fewer
Change is present in many areas of our grouped them into meaningful groups, she
associated with the machinery to be platform – and broken down what was a
people exposed to danger and
business and managing it effectively is often can communicate with them in the most
maintained in order to identify materials very siloed working environment.
more affordable shift
regarded solely as a strategic concern being appropriate manner with one click –
requirements and schedule skilled labour. Back in the factory, technical integration
relevant at budget time or for managing new It can also highlight where the same job starting an instant messaging (IM) or with plant floor equipment can come via
patterns“
product development. However, managing voice conversation by computer or phone.
requirements exist across different BizTalk Server but might also be an
change also has a significant relevance to It’s also possible to have machine-to-
operations in multiple plans – for example extension of an existing system with some
operations, and nowhere is this seen more person interaction that could initiate a
isolation of an electrical sub-system – .NET programming. Most firms have a
clearly than in executing planned and reactive allowing planners to group these jobs business process. If a pump fails, for multitude of different systems on the plant
maintenance on high value, 24/7 operational together and undertake the work in a far instance, the system automatically scans floor, especially large enterprises with
assets such as oil and gas production facilities more effective manner. the list of available technicians and raises plants across many countries. They can
or energy generation plants. an IM to the appropriate worker. It can
Whilst managing change is definitely use a SharePoint layer as a common layer
If we consider how we have historically also manage escalations if the workflow
difficult, when lives and livelihoods are to all systems so the company can connect
managed our maintenance activities, it has process initiated does not progress at the
dependent on doing it correctly, a robust its people through one user interface – the
typically been through viewing lists of required pace – alerting new people or
structured and planned approach is collaboration and communications tools
activities that are required to be undertaken imperative. escalating upward. The workflow can also under the Office umbrella.
18 19
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viewpoint
COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES
PLM AND THE CHANGING
NATURE OF DESIGN
Anne Asensio looks at how companies have
benefited from implementing a 3D PLM strategy
I
t’s a well understood fact that in today’s Virtual design makes it possible to
harshly competitive environment, imagine and innovate, to share design and
manufacturers must meet multiple targets production processes, to simulate and
in order to produce a successful product. anticipate problems and to better manage
Speed, affordability and creativity all play a resources prior to any physical production.
major role. This shared knowledge enables decision-
In order to understand the value of digital making not only at the global level, but at the
product lifecycle management (PLM) local level as well. Through implementation
technologies and the power of design in the of a PLM strategy, 3D design data integrates
21st century we must go beyond ‘faster, the entire manufacturing process – spanning
cheaper, cooler’. We must change how we production, maintenance and recycling. This
think of design and PLM. The new design allows users to virtually optimise products,
paradigm can best be described by a simple identify and eliminate malfunctions or
Anne Asensio is Dassault Systèmes’
change in preposition. A product will no production errors prior to any physical
vice president of design experience.
longer be designed by an individual ‘for’ build.
Prior to this appointment, Anne
somebody. A product will be designed ‘with’ Companies that have made the transition
held influential roles at General
somebody. Digital product development from 2D drawings to high-end visualisation
Motors and Renault, and won
knowledge, communicated in the graphical and 3D PLM strategies have reaped
several prestigious accolades for her
language of 3D, will be unlocked and shared significant benefits, resulting in products
talent and experience, including
with a variety of constituents, allowing for brought to market easily 30 per cent faster
being named one of Fortune
direct feedback on the product design. This than traditional methodologies. With this
magazine’s ‘25 Rising Stars’,
From engineers to consumers, everyone can experience a product in 3D and provide feedback
concept has far-reaching implications for the quicker time to market, companies have
Automotive News’ ‘Automotive
future of design, for the future of more time to develop innovative designs,
Woman of the Year’ and one of
Relationships become seamless so that
manufacturing and the future of society in market opportunities. This approach better universal language of 3D, helping
ultimately boosting a company’s competitive
‘Michigan’s Most Influential
engineering can automatically know via
general. captures and defines real end-user manufacturers enable continual innovation
edge and customer loyalty.
Women’ by Crain’s Detroit Business
purchasing what the additional cost or
Since the introduction of 3D CAD in the requirements, enables targeted product in product/process development, leverage
Successful enterprises today recognise
savings impact is on a design change.
1980s, we have seen incredible gains in design and improves the success rate of the intellectual assets across the entire product
digital content as their key manufacturing
Unlocking and sharing the product
product development technology. Then, product development process. lifecycle, and ensure that new product
asset, using a 3D collaborative environment
development information with additional
digital mock-up technology allowed the development is based upon current
as the natural vehicle to leverage this value.
“Manufacturers now design
constituents outside of engineering allows
creation of complete virtual product customer desire and reasonable price point.
By creating a single intellectual property
for additional collaboration and feedback
prototypes – not just a collection of parts, This is the future of design and the future
repository that shares common product data products in full detail,
closer to the point of product creation, when
but product creation in context. of PLM. Design is no longer a process of
and information across the enterprise, re-use
simulate functions, analyse
changes are the least expensive.
Manufacturers now design products in full individual creation. And PLM is no longer
of content from previous designs becomes
performance and anticipate
Even more compelling is that the latest
detail, simulate functions, analyse about optimising that process of individual
much easier. There is no need to re-invent
Web-based 3D technologies can share
performance and anticipate interactions creation in a linear design-to-manufacturing
the wheel, as the original design data exists interactions among the
knowledge and enable feedback beyond the
among the different components. This manner. It is not just about faster-cheaper
in a best practices repository. Digitalisation
different components. This
manufacturing organisation right down to
brings products to market more quickly and products.
creates the ability to store, harvest and
brings products to market
the end-user. This is far beyond traditional
at higher quality. It is about collaboration and innovation
continually build upon an existing wealth of
more quickly and at higher
PLM environments traditionally limited to
The use of 3D CAD/CAM programs for better products, a better future, and a
product-related information.
the world of the supply chain. The value of a
today has become pervasive throughout all better life.
Additionally, with 3D PLM comes the
quality”
consumer seeing a product as it is being
industries, including everything from ability to involve non-traditional players in
conceived, experiencing its operation in a
shampoo bottles to satellites, from aircraft This viewpoint was previously printed in
the product development process, expanding
virtual world, and providing direct feedback There is little to no room for product
and vehicles to cell phones. Even the Time Compression magazine.
design from the individual to the
to improve its market attractiveness is development missteps these days. The goal is
Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain was collaborative. Stakeholders can ideally share
immeasurable in an economy that demands to continue to develop technologies that
modelled perfectly in a virtual 3D world a common understanding of their product’s
faster and more effective responses to immerse the real and the virtual through the
prior to construction. business objectives.
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viewpoint viewpoint
INTEROPERABILITY GREEN IT
EMBEDDED DATA TO RAISING THE
ENTERPRISE INTELLIGENCE GREEN GAME
It’s important to turn real-time data into targeted intelligence to Green thinking drives manufacturing production improvements and
enable manufacturers to improve operations, says Thomas Burke can have immediate cost benefits in data centres, says Bernd Kosch
I G
n our global economy, with enterprises reen IT policies need to take into in the past, we are also introducing our
what are highly automated systems, to
never resting 24/7, it is even more account the environmental impact own labelling scheme to stretch ourselves.
perform the necessary maintenance, with
important today than it was yesterday of hardware products and The combined knowledge of our in-house
highly predictable data clearly showing the
for the manufacturing organisation to production processes as well as the professionals and external thought leaders
asset utilisation.
maximise the use of all of its assets to procurement and usage scenarios of has given us a production edge in the factory
The intelligence is such that you don’t
ensure the highest quality production at technology. As high-tech manufacturers that we had not foreseen when we embarked
over-maintain the device and shut it down
the lowest possible cost. we have raised our game across the on this journey. Today, our development and
unnecessarily, and at the same time don’t
The value proposition with respect to business, focusing on aligning with the production teams are continuously seeking
fail to maintain it, resulting in equipment
real-time data for manufacturing various stakeholders in the green IT product and production improvements –
breakdown.
operations, and the importance of ecosystem and using the resulting looking for every tweak that can raise the
One of the critical things that we are
multivendor devices and applications knowledge to drive appropriate activity in rating by fractions of a point.
working on at OPC Foundation is decision
interoperating together cannot be the design, development, production and The use of recycled materials continues to
support around condition based
underestimated. OPC essentially provides delivery of our products and services. challenge us as we seek to incorporate higher
operations for manufacturing (CBM).
Thomas Burke is president and Bernd Kosch is the strategic vice
the transport mechanism, inclusive of the Our activity has particularly intensified proportions in new products – but with such
OPC is working with many vendors that
executive director of the OPC president of alliances at Fujitsu
necessary discovery and data acquisition in the area of ecosystem and alignment. emphasis embraced across the production
have demonstrated CBM-orientated
Foundation. He was one of the Siemens Computers. In 2007 he
services, for real-time information to be Our engagement with non-governmental team there are small advances made all the
decision support, condition monitoring,
founding members of OPC and his became responsible for the
exchanged between multivendor organisations (NGOs), analysts, suppliers, time. Fractional streamlining in our
operations data historian, human machine
vision of interoperability has resulted company’s green IT activities,
applications that make the lifeblood of the customers and industry consortia is at an production processes can realise many
interface, and enterprise asset
in the next generation architecture including consortia related
manufacturing operations systems. all time high. We have established good positives for the environment. Whether the
management systems, all integrated
called OPC Unified Architecture (OPC initiatives, partner cooperation on
Plug-and-play interoperability with relationships with Greenpeace and other outcome contributes to lower energy use,
together in a demonstration scenario
UA), which is the platform for environmental aspects and
applications and devices has long been the NGOs, with the Climate Savers lower water requirements or lower
depicting the convergence of operations
developing products that representation of Fujitsu Siemens
expectation in consumer electronics, and Computing Initiative and with The Green emissions, we must delight in successes. For
and maintenance functions and
interoperate in multi-platform Computers towards NGOs
OPC provides the mechanism for the same Grid. These consortia are driving the green example, in the last ten years, we have
applications.
environments and across the Internet
expectation in manufacturing systems. agenda in information technology. reduced the energy needed to produce a PC
Typical vendors participating have
The accuracy of the data being provided in by 50 per cent thanks to a series of measures.
included AspenTech, The DEI Group,
“Managing energy is important
a deterministic fashion ensures the highest Managing energy is important to us.
Emerson Process Management, Iconics,
quality operation of the manufacturing Assuming a server lifespan of four years,
Indus, OSIsoft, PdMA, Rockwell to us. Assuming a server
“Having real-time data, and execution systems (MES). you could replace all of the hardware in
Automation, and Siemens. We’re currently
lifespan of four years, you
Having real-time data, and being able to many data centres in operation today and
working on building a demonstration of
being able to analyse it to
could replace all the hardware
analyse it to provide information targeted pay for the infrastructure investment out
the OPC unified architecture and showing
provide information targeted at a group of users, is one of the most of the achieved energy savings.
how all the OPC specifications in the in many data centres in
at a group of users, is one of useful things that OPC can do. It means There are many companies who are still
Foundation portfolio provide the
operation today and pay for
the most useful things that that devices can now provide information unaware of the savings that can be made.
capability of information modelling.
the infrastructure investment
that is understandable to end-users, who Incomplete cost optimisation that occurs
OPC provides the real-time
OPC can do.”
out of the energy savings”
can make intelligent decisions about when separating IT cost from facility cost
data/information discovery and data
optimising production. often leads to a misallocation of resources
acquisition services necessary for MES-
There has also been a significantly green
An example scenario in the realm of and energy being wasted.
aware applications to truly leverage the
influence around our product and
maintenance and reliability is the Green IT is a comprehensive subject, it’s
assets and data from the devices in the
technology advances over the last 12
straightforward maintenance of valves. not just the power and greenhouse gas
control system. In the past the MES was
months, culminating in the recent
Knowing when is the right time to issues that tend to dominate general
limited to the amount of data that could
announcement of our new Green IT
perform the necessary maintenance discussion. Energy efficiency constitutes a
even be obtained because of the corporate
labelling scheme. Our Green IT label has
activities is a critical component of asset direct and clear business case that offers
firewalls and lack of interoperability. With
three levels, represented by star ratings,
maintenance and utilisation. Having immediate monetary reward. Hopefully,
the OPC UA in the information
with three stars being the highest. While
information about the respective systems this will help to drive the change that we
modelling, the reality of data/information
we will continue to put products through
at their fingertips, staff can make all need to protect the environment as we
being provided from the control system to
third party certifications, as we have done
intelligent decisions about the best time, in enjoy it today.
the MES world can now be realised.
22 onwindows.com

cover story
CHR. HANSEN
ALL
THE RIGHT
INGREDIENTS
Food ingredient developer Chr. Hansen
is rolling out a business-critical
manufacturing execution system,
carrying out virtual testing of software
components before delivering to the
production environment
C
hr. Hansen, a leading biotech and food ingredient supplier,
is using data integration as the basis for the sophisticated
systems necessary to successfully run its global business.
When customers in the food industry see opportunities for new
foodstuffs, they rely on Chr. Hansen to help them develop the
product to the correct specifications. The foodstuffs are typically
yoghurts, cheeses and other foods based on fermented cultures and
enzymes, or natural colours for food and beverages.
For every culture project, Chr. Hansen works in the laboratory to
try out different ways of producing a new culture. It then carries
out small-scale 2-350-litre trials in a pilot plant and refines the
process. Finally, it scales up the process for its production plants,
which are based around the world.
“The difficult challenge is having a local IT infrastructure but
still having the need to compare across production sites,” says Erik
Borgensgaard, international IT programme manager, who is
leading Chr. Hansen’s project to introduce a new manufacturing
execution system (MES).
Jan Bolton, manager for the IT business application area in the
company’s Global IT department, explains that the IT
infrastructure is based on a multi protocol label switching (MPLS)
network connecting all global sites. Chr. Hansen works with several
24 25
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cover story
CHR. HANSEN
“What we are trying to achieve in
different database formats but has standardised on He adds that planners at headquarters can use global Borgensgaard says that if it can’t test systems to the
Microsoft Windows Servers. Borgensgaard adds that data to decide how to allocate the production of levels necessary to prove them ready for rolling out to
Global IT is to run all our applications
the IT system is such a crucial component of the batches. The central planning tool can be informed by the production plants then Chr. Hansen sees the
on proven technology that has been
business that Chr. Hansen is basically risk averse. The this data. possibility of working with the Microsoft test centre
on the market for some time and is
company has been using a home-grown MES system Many systems suffer a bottleneck and can’t transfer in Denmark to perform the benchmarks.
based on one database but it has become difficult to production from one plant to another or more than one. Chr. Hansen has also posed Microsoft the question
sourced from companies that have
find trained engineers to maintain it. By contrast, using the Wonderware MES software of how to use Active Directory for a single sign-on
financial solidity”
“What we are trying to achieve in Global IT is to run solution, Chr. Hansen will be able to allocate production process that will identify workers, whether they are
all our applications on proven technology that has been of one recipe to five different plants if it wants. using a PC, a workstation or a handheld device. “In
on the market for some time and is sourced from The MES project began in mid-2008 and will Because Chr. Hansen has used its own MES for the manufacturing, this is not straightforward,” suggests
companies that have financial solidity,” says Bolton. “We complete in mid-2011. Chr. Hansen will use Invensys past nine years it has a well-developed set of business Bolton. “Workers often have laptops that they move
don’t want to take too many risks or be on the leading ArchestrA technology to tie together plant activities processes and rules that it can transfer to the around. They often wear gloves so a fingerprint reader
edge. We would rather be in the middle of the road.” and information. “The information requirements are Wonderware software system. The solution has been for quick secure access doesn’t seem possible. It’s an
A move to databases at the local sites is providing different for enterprise and production,” says through a design phase involving a task force that issue that Chr. Hansen and Microsoft are going to
more flexibility and standardisation on Microsoft Borgensgaard. “The enterprise can work in hours and worked on taking all of Chr. Hansen’s work processes, tackle together.”
technology. On the other hand, the move demands days but the production area needs rapid feedback.” such as planning and scheduling, batch execution,
data integration for visibility across different Chr. Hansen plans to use the Wonderware enterprise optimisation and development, into the new system.
production sites and application integration, for manufacturing intelligence (EMI) solution to provide Borgensgaard anticipates that the Wonderware
example the planning tool and laboratory information “near-real-time access to plant information”. system will not only provide the right infrastructure
“We like proven solutions from
management system. Chr. Hansen therefore carried Preactor production planning and scheduling but it will also be easier to maintain because there is a
companies that will be here tomorrow
out a proof of concept with Microsoft BizTalk Server. software is directly connected to the plantfloor and good supply of engineers with Wonderware and .NET
“Speed can be the Achilles’ heel of flexibility,” says information flowing from the machines through its experience. Lars S. Johansen, project coordinator,
and that have good support”
Lars Junker, industry solution specialist at Microsoft .NET adapter can be aggregated and displayed as agrees: “We like proven solutions from companies that
Denmark. “Chr. Hansen wanted to prove that BizTalk graphical key performance indicators in Microsoft will be here tomorrow and that have good support.”
was fast enough and also that it could handle industry Office SharePoint Server. Wonderware MES software is very configurable so
standards such as S88 and S95 (International Society “In this new scenario, Chr. Hansen’s chemists can the team fully expects to be able to capture Chr.
of Automation standards), which between them deal compare data across production sites and drill down Hansen’s processes. There is also an opportunity, says
with enterprise and process control integration.” to local data for closer inspection,” says Borgensgaard. Johansen, to configure Chr. Hansen with some of the
best practices in Wonderware. The hard work
immediately ahead for the Chr. Hansen team is to
map local information to the new global structure.
The Wonderware MES software solution supports
global and local recipe templates and introduces the
prospect of using flow production techniques. It also
manages compliance and tracking, which are both
vital in food production.
To help the rollout succeed, Chr. Hansen has
devised a three-pronged attack called CIA – culture,
IT and automation. The three prongs are: global
process and quality production; global engineering;
and global IT.
Borgensgaard says that it is vital that these areas
continue to work together well in order to meet the
rollout plan that predicts just three months of work at
each site. Managers from across the organisation are
coordinating data and processes before moving to
‘real’ systems.
He is confident that, compared to many MES
projects, this one will not require much downtime.
Bolton expands on this by explaining that Chr.
Hansen is building a test environment to carry out
virtual testing of software components before
delivering to the production environment. This
includes the use of virtual OPC drivers. Once the test
site works, this can be reproduced at each local site
and will require no recoding or automation and no
revalidation of the site. “We can emulate most of the
PLCs out there,” he adds.
Chr. Hansen welcomes Microsoft’s support and
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feature
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
BUILDING
NEW
IDEAS
Duncan Jefferies reports on the technologies that help manufacturing
companies capture ideas and develop them into winning products
N
ew product development (NPD) is a costly and them to capture ideas, filter them, communicate,
time-consuming process. It is also, however, vital collaborate and come up with a final idea which can be
for maintaining competitive advantage and developed into a new process, product, or business
ensuring the future success of an organisation. To yield model. We keeps things open.”
successful results, NPD must be approached in a So how can manufacturers identify market
structured and carefully managed way; otherwise, opportunities for new products? Klaus Kratzer, vice
manufacturers risk wasting valuable time and resources president of enterprise server products at Fujitsu
on products that are not viable for market. And with Siemens Computers, says there are many ways of
increasing pressures from shorter product lifecycles, generating good ideas. “Cooperating with universities,
consumer demand for innovative features, and the desire having a strong network with potential partner
for ‘made-to-order’ and ‘made-to-engineer’ options for companies, and close cooperation with consulting and
products such as cars and computers, the need for market research companies are all examples of what we
efficient systems is greater than ever. are doing to meet that challenge. For emerging ideas,
“Innovation management is the step zero of the new workgroups independent from daily business are set up,
product development cycle,” says Günter Rester, which gives them a strong focus.”
worldwide director of PLM solutions at Microsoft. Manufacturers must be able to quickly assess which
“Before you have a product or even a first design of one, new product concepts are worth investing in and
you’ll have been through an innovation management manage the projects and intellectual property effectively.
process to come up with the idea itself.” According to “When an idea comes in, every business case, project or
Rester, although many people see this process as part of product brief looks different,” says Paul Major, CEO of
the PLM cycle, there is a big distinction between PLM Program Framework. “That makes it difficult to
and innovation management. “Although innovation aggregate and compare them, so we put workflows in
management is defined by and related to products, that’s place to capture every idea that comes into the
just one important aspect of it. It’s also related to organisation in the same manner.”
processes, and even business models. So innovation During the concept and development testing phase,
management can mean all kinds of new ideas in all kinds proof of feasibility is explored through virtual computer
of format, not just an idea about a new product or a aided rendering and rapid prototyping. Manufacturers
product update.” can now design products in full 3D detail, simulate
Microsoft offers innovation process management. “We functions, analyse performance and anticipate
give the customer a methodology and a tool that allows interactions among the different components, reducing
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NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
the time needed to bring products to market. Dassault and workflows, providing a single point of access to
Systèmes offers a comprehensive toolset for the ideas manage, restructure and share documents, process
phase; its solutions enable users to create, share and models, tools and resources. NaviLists, directly accessible
experience products in full 3D. “Our portfolio is made of through the Windows Desktop, gather each project’s
around 200 products, with specialist packs for the shape content into one easy-to-use structure.
designer, for the system architect, and for the mechanical “The items on the NaviList can be Web sites, but they
or structural architect,” says Philippe Laufer, vice can also be links into documents or folders inside
president, Catia R&D. Catia Version 6, a PLM 2.0 SharePoint, or links to another system like ProjectWise,”
solution, was launched in May 2008. It adopts the says Esa Tervo, CEO of Neoxen Systems. “What we have
concepts of online communities and creation, found with product development is that you have to
harnessing collaborative intelligence from diverse somehow integrate or provide a single point of access to
sources to maximise intellectual assets. multiple systems. In the best-case scenario everybody
With PLM 2.0 solutions, virtual products and systems uses one system, but in real life it’s not like that. You have
behave as they would in the physical world, allowing all to provide navigation to multiple systems.”
users to have immersive, lifelike experiences in 3D. Catia People need to collaborate on product designs, often
Version 6 lets designers exchange pieces of 3D design in globally, and evaluate product portfolios to ensure the
real time and communicate via a chat window to resolve right products are brought to market. “With
any issues. This allows users to virtually optimise infrastructure platforms like SharePoint, and embedded
products and identify and eliminate malfunctions or capabilities like online presence detection, Microsoft is
production errors prior to any physical build. advancing the case for using social tools to collaborate in
NPD requires expertise in both engineering and commercial settings for economic gain,” says Jim
marketing, with cross-functional teams drawn from Heppelman, president and chief operating officer of
across the organisation. Neoxen Visual Modus is a PTC. “The Microsoft-led support of industrialised,
collaboration application for departments and business-ready social technologies is termed ‘social
distributed project teams. It supports working on a wide computing’. When these capabilities are implemented
range of project activities, from document collaboration seamlessly as part of a product development technology
to custom solutions integrated with business processes platform - as has been done by PTC - the result is ‘social
product development’. Combining these social
computing technologies into a tightly woven, easy-to-use
platform gives the team unique and productive ways to
share experiences, exchange information and manage
CRM on the move for pharmaceutical the evolution of ideas into profitable products.”
“The ability to search for and quickly access
information within an organisation is important, but to
The Aberdeen Group has revealed a series of
be really useful systems have to be intelligent enough to
manufacturing Industry Sector Insight reports based on
link information in a contextual way,” says Tim Matsell,
the findings of benchmark research. The Lean Product
director of solutions delivery at Ascari. “For example, if
Development Benchmark Report identifies best practices
someone is doing an experiment to improve a product
to eliminate waste and non-value added tasks.
Spanning the aerospace and defence; automotive;
consumer packaged goods; high tech and electronics;
customer solution
and machinery industries, the research identifies strategic
initiatives and challenges specific to each. It details how
manufacturers can implement lean product development
Humax, Korea
strategies in order to streamline repetitive and redundant
processes, shave development time and reduce costs.
Humax is the third largest set-top box
Commenting on the reports, Leif Pedersen, vice
manufacturer in the world, and also makes
president of industry marketing at Siemens PLM
digital TVs. As a result of rapid growth, the
Software says: “In today’s economy, it is imperative
company needed to optimise collaborative
for all companies to have a focused lean product
product development among its global
development strategy to increase product efficiency
subsidiaries. Humax chose PTC’s Windchill PLM
and stay ahead of competition, with a greater
solution for content and process management,
emphasis on the bottom line. Now more than ever,
deployed on Microsoft SQL Server. With 700
manufacturers across all industries need to adopt
Windchill users, Humax has been able to
best-in-class lean product development practices in
achieve an integrated data management
order to get their products to market quickly to
environment that enables it to reuse product
capture market share, while keeping costs down in
data and improve product quality.
order to price competitively.”
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NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
or process, and working at a particular process step, if solution with the integrations to support a multitude of legacy systems while retaining headroom to allow for detail within each of those phases. But if that becomes
another person in the organisation is searching for connections (for example, to manage engineering data future growth.” PTC’s Windchill PLM solution aims to too complex the information doesn’t get used. We help
information on improving processes or is finding regardless of source), but also to support the requisite address this need. It plugs into an existing corporate build a standard project approach, so every time you do a
problems that may be attributed to that step, the system levels of openness needed for connectivity to current infrastructure with a multitude of pre-built integrations, new project, all the standard tasks are already set up.”
needs to draw their attention to the process yet it has a robust set of integration tools for achieving For Kratzer, product data management tools play a
improvement work already being undertaken. The enterprise interoperability. vital role in today’s development processes, allowing
customer solution
challenge is for software systems to make intelligent When it comes to integrating PLM software with project managers to easily incorporate real data into their
decisions about linking information in a contextual way, engineering tools and enterprise applications, Geoff specifications. “We develop our products on a global
not relying on people manually tagging information Haines, managing director at Desktop Engineering, basis,” he says. “Easy access to information and automatic
Schuler, Germany
with keywords.” recommends a staged approach: “It’s a case of not doing transformation to other related IT systems is mandatory
A flexible set of enterprise applications and NPD everything at once. If you make monumental changes in for a successful development.”
Germany’s Schuler develops transfer and servo
processes is essential when developing innovative your IT structure, that’s when things can go wrong.”
presses for the automotive industry. It uses
products that may differ significantly from the initial “Manufacturers need to think holistically about their
Catia V5 to develop 3D digital models of new
conception. “When a company starts out, having product development processes,” says Heppleman.
presses and V5 DMU (digital mockup) for rapid
developed some new technology, the key driver is “Adopting PLM tools is but one piece of a larger equation
testing and validation. Enovia VPLM enables
obviously to commercialise and improve it,” Matsell that also involves technology-independent activities such
the standardisation of processes for sharing
continues. “At that point, you don’t want restrictive as reengineering existing processes, implementing proper
product data, creating and modifying designs,
systems in place. But unless there’s some sort of training programmes, and driving user adoption.”
and managing work-in-process information.
framework for building applications, you can end up PLM software is essential for bringing projects
Schuler uses Catia V5 and Abaqus analysis
with a lot of stand-alone applications which can’t be in on schedule and providing predictable
applications, part of Dassault Systèmes’ Simulia
linked together effectively. SharePoint allows companies product development cycles. “With PLM, you
solution, for stress tests, improving product
to be very creative and flexible about what functionality need a sense of what your key decision gates are,”
performance, and reducing the number of
they develop, but still provides a framework which can says Major. “If I’ve got 16 key gates from
physical prototypes.
expose that functionality to new systems and processes as prototype conformation onwards, depending on
the company grows.” the depth or complexity of the product I’m
According to Heppleman: “The key is to have a scalable developing, I can drill down to different levels of

feature
ENTERPRISE PERFORMANCE
ENERGISING
THE ENTERPRISE
Acting like electricity, the information flowing through ERP
systems can power inventory reduction and customer-centric
action. Mark Webb reports
H
arnessing the information that resides in an possible to choose where to cut inventory without
enterprise resource planning (ERP) system risking loss of business. Rather than cutting ten per cent
provides opportunities to optimise resources, across the board, it may be better to cut seven per cent
focus on customer service and to break into the cost here and 14 per cent there.”
base. Adding operational business intelligence (BI) and Analysts are suggesting that companies focus on
collaboration tools targets the workforce’s energy where customer service, especially for their most profitable
it’s needed most. customers, and that they use customer relationship
Colin Masson, worldwide director of CRM, ERP and management (CRM) solutions to achieve this.
supply chain solution management at Microsoft, says: Montgomery says concentrating on customers works
“You need to scrutinise the business and be able to turn in two ways: keeping the ones you want and weeding
on a dime. On the cost side, you want to look at every out the ones you don’t, who aren’t contributing to the
aspect of spending. On the sales side, you are looking bottom line. He urges companies to use an engagement-
for opportunities, if you can identify a new segment in centric model so that customer data resides in one place
“In the current economy, manufacturers need the market.” He suggests that BI across the business, and can be referred to and re-used. His recent research
more data more quickly, and to be more agile including at operational level, can provide the shows that bids for business can be inaccurate by up to
information to adapt to tough economic times. BI needs 40 per cent. “This is poor even when things are going
and adaptable. They need to anticipate
raw data and can get it from the ERP system. well, but when times are tough and you can’t afford to
opportunities and beat those who don’t have the “The answers are in the ERP system,” agrees Nigel make mistakes, it’s not using resources effectively,”
information to the profitable business” Montgomery, research director at AMR. “But it’s not Montgomery concludes.
easy enough to get at the data so bids for business too In the current climate, big consolidated ERP rollouts
often rely on guesswork. If you have full information are probably out of the question so Masson argues for a
Colin Masson, Worldwide Director for CRM,
ERP and Supply Chain Solution Management, Microsoft about which customers are making most money, it’s two-tier approach: a backbone for company-wide
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ENTERPRISE PERFORMANCE
services but a more modest and flexible business merchant trading. Kettler explains: “When choosing
platform. “You still need to see your financial position ERP, it’s important how it aligns with processes as well
across the business and to reduce costs by sharing as the functionality in the package.”
services,” he says. “But what about capabilities in the One of the limitations of Dynamics has been
warehouse and on the manufacturing operations side?” scalability. “We have large companies which have grown
His conclusion is that enterprises need a business larger and we are always saying to Microsoft to improve
platform that can be deployed rapidly and at lower cost, scalability so that we can use the same system when we
and collect data and give visibility of costs and grow,” he says, adding that he thinks that Microsoft has
inventory at a particular site. “It’s going to be more succeeded in doing this with the combination of AX
productive for a leaner workforce that will need all the and SQL Server.
help it can get. In that case you need ERP more than CRH has approached the scalability issue in different
ever,” says Masson. ways. A US company on NAV 2.5 grew from 300 to
There’s very little cost barrier to using ERP. For 1,200 people and moved to a new solution. However,
example, ADA Technology Services offers a range of CRH in Switzerland has worked with a partner to
hosted ‘pay monthly’ options – based on Microsoft optimise its solution using the NAV development
Dynamics NAV – for UK businesses wishing to invest in environment to support 500 concurrent users with the
ERP without upfront capital expenditure on either ability to scale up to 1,000 and maybe higher.
infrastructure or software. Michael McNamara, CEO of Flextronics, introduced
Rob Kettler, director of IT services at CRH in Europe, the topic of supply chain at Microsoft’s recent high-tech
says: “I want ERP to provide quality management and manufacturing summit, stating that supply chain is
compliance, including with Sarbanes Oxley. In the more important than ever because companies really
current economic climate, we will make fewer have to balance their supply chain costs and their service
investments and we are looking to employ synergies, levels. “The current economy has implications for
educate staff to use more functionality and to generally supply chain costs and the service level to be expected
improve the quality of ERP in the business.” CRH is a from suppliers,” adds Masson. “To keep on top of this,
global building materials company, the biggest manufacturers need data more quickly and need to be
multinational in Ireland, with a turnover in excess of more agile and adaptable. They need to anticipate
US$21bn. Its regional businesses supply the opportunities and beat those who don’t have the
construction trade through wholesalers and it has some information to the profitable business.”
retail outlets. In Benelux, for example, it is the biggest “Get operational BI so you understand what’s
DIY supplier. happening in the factories, what your inventory levels
Having grown through acquisitions, CRH has a are in the supply chains, as well as your cost to serve
variety of ERP systems in different businesses, without customers,” says Masson. “You need raw data for BI to
any great integration so far. CRH doesn’t have a CIO so work on so you need ERP that can provide data from all
IT strategy is discussed amongst colleagues around the
world. The company uses both Microsoft Dynamics AX
customer solution
and NAV, usually AX for manufacturing and NAV for
customer solution GEA P-Division, Denmark
The process engineering division of GEA
Petróleos Mexicanos, Mexico Group specialises in engineering process
plants for food, chemical, and
Petróleos Mexicanos (PeMex) and its pharmaceutical industries worldwide. GEA P-
subsidiaries rely on efficient Division needed an effective information
communication across 300 locations in strategy. Its IT solution had to be able to
Mexico to run business smoothly. PeMex improve the complex project management
GIT, the company’s corporate processes of often huge, global projects.
communications division, deployed Initially the Microsoft Dynamics AX platform
Microsoft Office Live Meeting, taking was designed for 250 users in Denmark,
advantage of its flexibility to quickly and soon followed by a European rollout by
easily set up conference rooms in multiple Microsoft Partner Qurius for over 2,500
offices. PeMex GIT expects to increase users. Extended with additional industry
employee productivity significantly, and specific functionalities, the solution has
reduce several costs within the first 12 helped increase efficiency, cut costs, reduce
months of deployment. risks, and strengthen its market position.
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ENTERPRISE PERFORMANCE
customer solution
Lance, USA
This manufacturer of snack foods is using a
new mobile solution powered by Windows
Mobile and Apacheta’s RouteACE software to
help the company’s 1,400 direct-to-store
delivery sales people improve customer
service, run their routes more efficiently, track
and manage inventory, and access reports on
demand. Its sales team members serve
approximately 65,000 stores across 25 states.
Sales members manage their own inventory
and handle all tasks, from taking customer
orders to making deliveries. RouteACE direct
store delivery software integrates by using
Microsoft’s .NET Compact Framework.
manufacturing sites and all your warehouses.”
Manufacturers’ business challenges in the supply
chain include integration with production. ERP handles
the orders and creates demand that goes into the SharePoint is ideal for this,” says Matsell. “We also see
manufacturing execution system (MES). “If a manager smaller clients, often a commercial spin-off from
doesn’t have both ERP and MES on the desktop or university research or similar. It’s mainly R&D,
doesn’t want to log into two systems, he can use manufacturing in small quantities, collecting data and
SharePoint to bridge the two and have a simple feeding it back into the line process to improve the
SharePoint site with Web parts that supply the relevant R&D. They either manufacture themselves (Plastic
information – at work or at home,” says Tim Matsell, Logic in Dresden for example) or prove the R&D and
director of solutions delivery at Ascari. then license to big manufacturers.”
“Predisys’ very good analysis tools are available in An IT infrastructure that fosters a collaborative work
Web parts so, as system integrators, we can drag and environment defeats one of ERP’s inherent weaknesses.
drop them into a SharePoint site,” explains Matsell. “It “ERP software can address process issues around
builds things much more quickly and users can tailor logistics and physical goods, but is limited by being
their desktops to show the information they need. Users transaction-based and historical, not an environment
like the ability to manage by exception, and to have the for forward-thinking innovation,” says John Squire,VP
system intelligently sift the information and summarise marketing of Dassault Systèmes Enovia.
it in a graphical form.” “To harness the collective intellectual property of the
SharePoint also plays an important role in the organisation and collaborate on common problems,
management of intellectual property. “Larger companies need a collaborative infrastructure and a
organisations want to get information in one place and product lifecycle management (PLM) system that
understands the context, complexities and interactive
nature of the product development process.”
customer solution Once a collaborative innovation environment is
established, teams can easily check project metrics
(budget, schedule, capacity) against plan, identify
Aeroc International, Ukraine blocking issues and reconvene the team or subset of the
team needed to address the blockers. Often outside
This major producer of aerocrete has expertise is required and if the environment is agile and
added Innoware’s HR and payroll flexible, new ad-hoc members are easily added to
management module to its Microsoft address specific issues.
Dynamics NAV end-to-end ERP system, to “Collaboration around new products – collaborative
cover two aerocrete production plants and innovation – is one area where most companies have
the head office in Kiev. Financial and tax not yet realised potential gains,” adds Squires. “Every
accounting, logistics, sales and production dollar invested reduces costs – both the cost of bringing
management have been automated, products to market and direct materials cost – and it
according to CFO Tetyana Karpenko. increases revenue because the products created are more
successful, introduced faster and better positioned to
capture market share.”
38 onwindows.com

country focus
CANADA
Recent Canadian installs
Mountains of support in a rocky economy Hydro-Québec and Dassault Systèmes
Integrated electrical company Hydro-Québec has
performed a refurbishing feasibility study on its Manic-3
Microsoft professionals and partners are working with Canadian manufacturers to help them optimise generating station in a 3D virtual environment using PLM
solutions from Dassault Systèmes. In this way, it could
performance and save money in a tough economic climate. Here are some of the latest developments outline all the necessary project steps, foresee eventual
problems and optimise each refurbishing phase before
embarking on the renovation. The study took six weeks
to accomplish, from the laser scanning and digitising
W
ith the effects of the economic repository and SQL Server 2005 Reporting
for extranet to enable collaboration with planning (ERP) solution, due to research
turbine farm next door to its nuclear power phase to simulation with Delmia.
crisis being felt the world over, Services for validation and site-level
suppliers and partners. that showed AX offers more advanced
station in Ontario. “Microsoft is a key
manufacturers are looking for reporting. The company also deployed SQL
Leduc gives Bombardier Recreational technology and a lower total cost of
technology that is used right down into MDS Sciex and eTimeMachine
MDS Sciex got a start in drug testing during the Seoul
ways to optimise performance while cutting Server 2005 Integration Services to automate
Products (BRP) as an example. The maker ownership than leading Tier 1 ERP
small subsidiaries, which use Microsoft
Olympic Games in 1988. The company uses Microsoft
costs. Canada is no exception, and the extraction of data from its source systems.
of Ski-Doo snowmobiles and other power solutions. “Microsoft Dynamics AX is much
Project,” he says.
Project on the desktop and eTimeMachine for
Microsoft is focused on supporting the The Canadian team says it is working
sport vehicles has recently invested in easier to configure than traditional ERP
“I have always been a firm believer that in
enterprise reporting. It has also written some of its own
country’s manufacturers through these more and more with partners in the
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 to solutions, which makes it relatively fast,
order to effectively sell solutions to our
reporting tools.
challenging times. manufacturing space, like Siemens and
deliver its dealer extranet, implemented inexpensive and less risky to adapt to RCM’s
customers, we need to understand the trends
“My number one focus is that we address OSIsoft (which is headquartered in
with the help of consultancy firm CGI, business requirements,” says Neil Hallam,
and challenges of the customer’s industry, Sony and RedPrairie
our clients’ business problems and help them Montreal), as well as with system integrators
whose staff worked on the .NET elements RCM’s chief information officer.
their specific business, strategy, imperatives Sony of Canada has upgraded to a new version of
navigate in this turbulent economy as a such as Systemgroup, Cactus, Idea Group
of the solution, ensuring that it fits in with RCM implemented Lean Enterprise for
and initiatives. Then we are better enabled to RedPrairie’s warehouse management system (WMS) in its
strategic partner,” says Alex Lima, Canada and Accenture.
BRP’s architecture while providing value to Microsoft Dynamics AX, with the help of
map our software solutions to solve our Whitby, Ontario and Coquitlam, British Columbia
and Latin America manufacturing lead in “An important ingredient is to ensure we
the dealer network. The solution also Deloitte and eBECS, for a new lean
customers’ business challenges or desires,” distribution centres, enabling voice picking technology
for cluster picking.
Microsoft’s worldwide industry team for highlight how Microsoft has assisted other
delivers security features and search. manufacturing approach in its Ottawa and
says Umrah. “However, how we articulate
manufacturing. “We have a team of companies in their vertical to solve their
Like other manufacturers, BRP has cut Winnipeg plants. It also added Junction
the solutions to solve their business problems
Alberta Transportation and Bentley
professionals dedicated to managing the business problems,” says Umrah. “The
back its labour force and reduced production Solutions’ multi-channel retail solution for
is extremely critical. The solutions need to be
Canada’s Alberta Transportation Ministry has selected
business development process.” whole objective of the Canadian
volume to battle the current economic AX to manage its business across sales
communicated in a language that our
Bentley Systems’ InRoads V8i as its standard road design
Those professionals are Eric Leduc, who Manufacturing & Resources (MR) team is
climate. However, the company prides itself channels.
customers live and breathe, that is, in their
software. The solution integrates with Microsoft
manages Eastern Canada; Mark Schewe, who to work with the Worldwide MR Industry
on having migrated its ERP systems (SAP) Meanwhile PLM solutions from Dassault
business context.”
SharePoint and is expected to enhance the ministry’s in-
takes charge of Western Canada; and Rodney team, industry partners and associations
from UNIX to Windows/SQL Server last Systèmes have automated RCM’s quoting
Barrick Gold, the world’s largest gold house technical capabilities by providing engineering
Umrah, who handles Central Canada. and the local account teams to achieve this
spring and therefore decreasing the total cost and product development business
mining company, is using Microsoft teams with advanced design software.
“As elsewhere, Microsoft in Canada is with our clients in Canada.”
of ownership of IT. processes and streamlined engineering.
technologies such as SQL Server to great
dedicated to helping customers cut costs in Royal Canadian Mint (RCM), the Crown
Automotive may be feeling the pinch, but Enovia SmarTeam – Workflow, based on
effect, most recently in the area of reporting AdFast and Fullscope
the current economy,” says Leduc. He points corporation responsible for the minting and
Canada’s resources-based industries appear Microsoft SQL Server, streamlines and
and business intelligence. Barrick generates Montreal-based AdFast, a provider of assembly
manufacturing processes, has selected Microsoft
to virtualisation as a way to make the most of distribution of Canada’s circulation coins,
to be providing some balance. Canadian standardises the interaction of the 18
approximately 500 terabytes of data per
Dynamics AX 2009 to provide an integrated enterprise
existing processing resources, and unified made the decision to switch to an
Microsoft Certified Partner eTimeMachine people and six departments involved in
month from its various global mining sites
resource planning (ERP) solution across its global business
communications to cut telephony costs and information architecture based upon
works to add visibility and auditability to putting together a foreign currency quote.
and needed a way to improve data collection
units. Fullscope, a Gold Certified Microsoft Business
improve collaboration. solutions including Windows Server, SQL
Microsoft Project-based activities. The Automated workflow and reminder notices
and streamline reporting.
Solutions Partner and 2008 Microsoft Partner of the Year
“SharePoint is a future business platform,” Server, Microsoft BizTalk Server and
company’s Fred Radnoti is optimistic about make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
Working with Microsoft Gold Certified
for Microsoft Dynamics AX, is helping AdFast to deploy
says Lima, and Leduc agrees, citing some Microsoft Office SharePoint Server in order
investment by Canadian utility companies RCM engineers use Catia V5 for
Partner Systemgroup, Barrick has developed its new ERP system to adapt to changing customer,
recent conversations with customers around to take advantage of cutting-edge
that are focused on improving efficiency and parametric modelling to generate, modify
an integrated Operational Reporting System supplier and global market demands in an accurate and
SharePoint as a foundational component to applications, a higher level of integration and
upgrading ageing infrastructure. He believes and validate concepts in a fraction of the
Validation Repository (ORS-VR) timely fashion, to provide outstanding customer service
build on. Umrah adds that companies see a friendlier user interface.
that energy has moved to the top of many time it took with 2D drawings. This has
infrastructure consisting of a Microsoft .NET and to better manage customer relationships.
real business results when deploying RCM also decided to implement a
agendas. For example, Bruce Power is greatly reduced the time it takes to create
Framework 2.0 Web-based interface that uses
SharePoint for document management and Microsoft Dynamics AX enterprise resource
building what will be Canada’s biggest wind packaging for coins for collectors.
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 as a data
From left to right: Alex Lima is Canada and
Latin America manufacturing lead; Mark
Schewe manages Western Canada; Eric
Leduc manages Eastern Canada; Rodney
Umrah manages Central Canada; Alicia
Samuels manages key industry partners.
Team member not pictured is Sarah Finney,
who manages marketing for manufacturing
and Resources Industries
40 41
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forum
AUTOMOTIVE
The automotive company of the future, today “Car IT continues to be an area of focus for most automotive customers as it
offers relatively low cost ways to add innovation, capability, and differentiation”
Norbert Braendli, managing director of Microsoft’s worldwide automotive and industrial equipment group,
outlines six powerful business trends driving the transformation of the automotive manufacturing industry
T
he combined impacts of rising four years but automakers’ product manufacturers and suppliers are create their own as a means to reach out to workforce, from Gen-Xers to Millennials, for example.
energy and commodity prices, portfolios are insufficient to meet becoming more specialised and consumers directly. Automakers must use who grew up in the new digital world. Role- And car IT continues to be an area of
environmental issues, aggregate demand for engines with low fragmented, requiring more nimble digital marketing to influence consumers based productivity capabilities that are focus for most automotive customers as it
unprecedented worldwide demand and CO2/emissions rates. Zero emission collaboration and coordination. Adding to and to actively observe and serve familiar and easy to use will be critical in offers relatively low cost ways to add
innovation, capability, and differentiation
technology convergence are requiring vehicles are mature for volume markets the complexity, high-tech manufacturers, consumer demands. attracting, retaining and driving the
to vehicle platforms and is viewed as
automakers, suppliers and marketers to but R&D partnerships are critical to the software suppliers and service providers Automakers must also drive recurring productivity of this next-generation and
almost essential for some new variants, for
leverage technology as never before, successful development of power and fuel are entering the automakers’ partner revenue streams and deliver more complete increasingly global workforce.
example pure electric cars.
adopting new production techniques, new cell technologies. networks worldwide. Automakers must consumer experiences. An excellent example
Commitment to technology Microsoft has a strong portfolio of
classes of powertrain, new business Ultimately, city cars will be shared in provide processes and architectures that of this is Microsoft’s Ford Sync initiative to
As a leading technology vendor and trusted solutions that can be rapidly deployed to
models and new driver and passenger metro areas and integrated with urban allow them to be in sync with the short connect automobiles with a variety of
help automakers innovate to address the
capabilities. transportation systems. They will be product lifecycles of the high-tech mobile and media devices. advisor to the automotive industry,
challenges of today’s uncertain markets.
Six powerful business trends are driving picked up/dropped off at any corner, industry. Additionally, there will be increased Microsoft remains committed to helping
Additionally, although readjustments in
the transformation of the automotive much the way Zipcars are today. To compete and take advantage of this business opportunities for leisure customers meet the unprecedented
infrastructure might be required,
manufacturing industry. By addressing Telematics will also be a critical factor changing landscape, automotive motorsport, such as weekend track use, as challenges of these turbulent times.
automotive companies need to continue to
these trends successfully, manufacturers in the sustainability equation for routings manufacturers need global scale, but also leisure motoring on public roads becomes The automotive industry is intrinsically
invest in their IT infrastructure to
can better respond to global challenges to reduce traffic congestion and control need to execute locally. Driving more difficult. capital intensive – it is wired into the DNA
that you must spend money to save money. maintain efficient operations. This will
such as today’s market uncertainty. driver behaviour. profitability and decisions closer to the
Trend 5: Complex regulations
end consumers becomes even more This still applies even during the current cause them to focus on getting more value
Trend 1: Sustainability Trend 2: Emerging economies important – what Microsoft terms for money and on flexibility.
Increased regulation for road vehicles – to crisis. There may be a temporary cessation
High oil and gas prices, urban air The US continues to be the world’s largest ‘profitable proximity’. Microsoft’s Software+Services initiative
combat congestion, to reduce of spending in some areas, but the primary
is emerging at the right time to offer
pollution, traffic jams and extensive and most important automotive market environmental impact and to reduce the impact is that the threshold for ROI goes
Trend 3: Digital convergence automakers more flexibility in terms of
media coverage of the global warming by far, but the Japanese auto giants and cost of policing through technology – will up, and the payback period down.
how they deploy and manage IT.
debate increase the environmental issues others are looking to Brazil, Russia, India Automakers must support the emerging change the face of road car driving, Times of decaying new car sales are
While technology is not a cure-all for the
awareness of automotive customers. and China (BRIC) as the most important ‘digital lifestyle’ of automotive customers augmenting the existing trend towards typically a good time for automakers to
current crisis, Microsoft and its partners
Drastic emission regulation for vehicles emerging economies to propel growth. by connecting vehicle systems to cloud ‘green’ and the growing ‘lifestyle’ focus. consider creative ways in which they can
continue to help automotive companies
will get traction in most markets within Automotive original equipment services supporting these new user Environmental regulations also have a stimulate sales, or extract more value
lifestyles. with the IT solutions they need to realise
substantial impact on global automotive through greater participation in other
Fiat Group’s Fiat 500 model contains new features built on the Microsoft Auto platform Dealers can get an edge by providing the benefits of velocity, flexibility,
supply chain/logistics networks. The parts of the automotive value chain.
remote vehicle management and online interoperability and productivity at a lower
environmental impact on supply Declining sales drives a greater need for
consumer services. They will become total cost of ownership.
chain/logistics will enforce globalisation of vehicle servicing to extend operating life,
global players with local partners for warehouse networks.
Dealers can use Microsoft solutions to provide new customer services
servicing. Location-based service will
Trend 6: Changing demographics
become increasingly important, as people
are connected with their car to download The GenY mindset is radically different
and upload data. Remote diagnostics and from that of prior generations, and this
over-the-air updates will maximise vehicle fact will force vehicle platform change.
uptime and minimise inconvenience. As a GenY consumers have a strong interest in
result, warranty actions are reduced in personalisation and preference for lifestyle
scope or avoided and new capabilities can support capabilities over more traditional
be bought and delivered online. automotive differentiators such as
Finally, in the aftermarket, software performance or styling.
based flexible bus architectures enable an The workforce is ageing. More than 30
expanded aftermarket role and more per cent of the population in most markets
dealer-fitted options/upgrades. will be elderly by 2050. It will consequently
be critical for manufacturers to capture
Trend 4: New business models knowledge and manage that knowledge
Consumer communities that drive and efficiently within the enterprise.
influence perceptions and demands are Automotive manufacturers must also
ever more significant. Automakers can embrace business transformation to attract
leverage these communities as well as and retain the new demographic to the
42 43
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forum
PHARMACEUTICAL
The right prescription?
Pharmacy liberalisation in Europe is on hold. Is this a portent of things
to come, asks Daniel Lucht, senior european analyst at Verdict Research
W
hile the EU’s decision at the end
of 2008 to halt the process of
pharmacy liberalisation is
clearly based on the merit of the specific
case (Doc Morris – the leading European
online pharmacy – trading as a bricks and
mortar discounter under a franchise model
in Germany) we could be witnessing a sea
of change in terms of EU decision making.
Arguably we are slowly moving away from
favouring ‘excessive deregulation’ towards a
slower and more considered approach –
with all the costs and benefits this brings
for EU consumers and patients.
Yves Bot, advocate general at the
European Court of Justice, has released a
non-binding statement supporting
German and Italian laws restricting retail-
ers from owning pharmacies in both coun-
tries. According to Bot, the laws are valid if
the objective is to ensure an adequate sup-
ply of medicinal products to the public.
While this is not the final say in the matter,
the European court usually follows its
advisers’ guidance. This also sets back lib-
eralisation in Austria, France and Spain.
Another factor in the decision is the fact considerably higher than in grocery where broader change in the political climate. In
that the European Union has no overrid- the typical margin lingers around the 3.0 the wake of the sub prime crisis and the
ing power over national health policy. per cent mark. In the meantime many credit crunch, ‘excessive deregulation’ of
For years it seemed likely that liberalisa- non-pharmacists (such as Schlecker, the financial services sector has come
tion of the German pharmacy market was Rossmann and DM) have started operat- under heavy criticism.
to go ahead to allow for increased compe- ing Internet mail order services with the The EU will remain committed to its
tition. EU legislation looked to change pharmacy located in the Netherlands and core principles, one of which is the guar-
Germany’s restrictive ownership model, prescription drugs sent directly to con- antee of free trade among its borders.
under which every owner had to be a sumers in Germany. That said, the online However, we could be witnessing a change
licensed pharmacist and was allowed to channel accounts for only a marginal pro- of paradigm towards a much more consid-
run and own a maximum of four pharma- portion of sales at the moment. ered and slower approach to deregulation
cies. Retailers, private equity players and While countries with a relatively liberal in future.
pharma wholesale companies were closely trading environment, such as the UK and Meanwhile the outlook for the
monitoring the situation and many the Netherlands, (where Doc Morris is European pharmacy/drug store sector is
expected drug store chains such as from) show that the basic supply of the rosy, as the EU is suffering from a rapidly
Schlecker and Rossmann to be in a prime population with medicines can be guaran- ageing population profile. This increasing-
position if liberalisation was to get the go teed by a different system than the one in ly ageing demographic will need more
ahead to work existing footfall harder and use in Germany, Spain and Italy, the status medical attention and care in future, and
increase their sales. Grocers also showed quo regarding pharmacies in these coun- so these players will grow whether they can
their interest in the market and considered tries looks likely to remain unchanged for add pharmacy services to their offer and
moving into the lucrative sector. The the moment. proposition or – as it looks increasingly
German pharmacy market is worth What has come as a big surprise to likely for now – not.
around €35bn and margins are attractive many market observers and companies in
at between 5.0 per cent and 12.0 per cent, the sector might hang together with a More information: www.verdict.co.uk
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forum
OIL AND GAS
HPC is the way forward for oil and gas
High-performance computing applications enable the oil and gas industry to better manage its
complex business demands, thus improving business results, explains Microsoft’s Michele Isernia
T
he industry is making more use of To support the needs of all of these enables a broader set of applications to
high-performance computing (HPC) professionals, Microsoft delivers a much embrace parallelism and take full
than ever before, saving time and easier way to deploy, manage and use HPC advantage of the performance gains that
money by reducing the trial and error. But inside all disciplines across the oil and gas are available through adoption of multi-
access to HPC is limited or not available to industry. Microsoft refers to this new way of core processors and compute clusters.
the vast majority of the people. The main doing HPC as high productivity computing.
barriers are: complex application At the core of Microsoft’s HPC is More information:
development, complex deployment and Windows HPC Server 2008. As it is a www.microsoft.com/oilandgas
management; limited integration with the Microsoft product, it integrates with all the
rest of the applications used every day Microsoft products and technologies, for
across the industry; and it’s not easy for example: Active Directory for single sign on,
Applications on HPC
employees in all disciplines to use. Microsoft System Center for application-
A survey, undertaken by the Oil & Gas level monitoring and rapid provisioning,
Journal Online Research Center for and SQL Server Reporting Services for Some examples of oil and gas industry applications
Microsoft, showed a direct correlation capacity planning and auditing. running on Windows HPC include:
between HPC availability and engineers’ End users can improve their • Schlumberger Eclipse, the leading and industry
and geoscientists’ abilities to effectively productivity and collaboration with the reference reservoir simulator, now seamlessly
complete their roles in finding, producing, rest of the team by working inside a integrated into Petrel, the leading reservoir
processing and delivering oil and gas and SharePoint portal where all the HPC modelling solution
petroleum products. resources, the various file systems and • Computer Modelling Group’s Stars application,
Geoscientists use HPC to make better applications are seamlessly integrated to for complex process simulation. Also Imex, one
decisions regarding prospect generation, provide a grid computing environment of the leading black oil simulators
lower the probability of dry holes and that can be automated with advanced • Altair Engineering’s RADIOSS, a highly
speed up the time to first oil. In addition, workflow tools. Such an environment can parallelised nonlinear solver to simulate complex
many other disciplines such as also be securely and remotely accessed by structural, mechanical and fluid-structure
engineering, trading, production joint venture partners and mobile workers. dynamics.
engineers, economists and refineries Major investment in HPC and parallel
management use HPC to reduce programming by Microsoft, in terms of
uncertainty in their business. code libraries and support for developers,
Microsoft has based its oil and gas industry business leadership in Dubai, near to producers
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forum
CONSUMER GOODS
Stitching together the supply chain
Visibility in global apparel sourcing is one of product lifecycle management’s sweet spots,
says Tamara Saucier, director of industry solutions at Dassault Systèmes Enovia
A
“PLM can now play a significant role in creating integrated
s a US$550 billion global business,
the apparel industry has witnessed sourcing processes that incorporate all of the key elements
remarkable change in the last five
of the supply chain including planning, product
years. Globalisation, greater brand
development, production allocation and authorisations”
recognition and the development of new
market opportunities have all generated a
number of challenges including intense apparel companies can realise a number of sourcing to retailing for the global
competition, pricing pressures and clear benefits including enhanced time to footwear and apparel industry. The part-
increased season/line complexity. These market, improved supply chain perform- nership positions the two companies as
challenges are also complicated by the fact ance, and ultimately, superior quality. the first vendors to connect the entire
that the apparel supply chain is growing Dassault Systèmes’ Enovia and Wing- supply chain by linking front and back
longer, more geographically diverse and, Tai’s Zymmetry Group are partnering to end design and development processes
ultimately, more complex. address the entire scope of the product from planning to sourcing, pre-produc-
To achieve real competitive advantage, delivery cycle from initial design through tion and production.
apparel brands, retailers and suppliers have
to differentiate themselves by creating
more seamless links between product
development and the actual sourcing of
the products.
This approach helps to create a symbiotic
relationship between trend-setting creative
and practical production. However, before
this can happen a number of traditional
barriers need to be addressed. In the past a
lack of communication often led to unnec-
essary and costly reworking – for example,
sample tests being repeated because people
were unaware of previous tests or were
unable to easily access earlier results.
Facing such a complex set of issues,
especially in light of today’s economic cli-
mate, it is imperative that apparel compa-
nies evaluate and select technology part-
ners and solutions that can help them
strengthen innovation, implement best
business practices and manage the flow of
information in order to emerge from this
economic downturn with a competitive
advantage.
Enter product lifecycle management
(PLM). PLM solutions are proving to be
important tools for building stronger link-
ages between the traditionally separate
steps of the apparel process. PLM can now
play a significant role in creating integrat-
ed sourcing processes that incorporate all
of the key elements of the supply chain
including planning, product development,
production allocation and authorisations.
By enabling greater collaboration,
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UTILITIES HIGH TECH
Power to the people Supply chain difficulties identified
A recent survey into manufacturing in the high-tech
Home metering devices are set to change consumer behaviour,
sector has unearthed some worrying inefficiencies and disruption
and perhaps revolutionise the customer’s relationship with his or her energy provider
F T
or most people, the amount of energy each device. If consumers could easily Sparzähler enables Yello Strom to he Infosys/Microsoft High-Tech increase by 2010, with 40 per cent of productivity, based on the average salary of
that each electrical appliance in a visualise the amount of energy used by improve account statement interaction for Manufacturing Supply Chain Survey respondents saying they expect their a manufacturing manager (US$105,581)
household uses is a mystery. From the each device, then they would be more likely customers. Rather than waiting for the bill 2009, conducted by KRC Research supply chains to be more complex. according to IndustryWeek.
television to the coffee maker to the to change their behaviour to reduce the to arrive, customers can track energy among high-tech manufacturing firms in Half of those surveyed reported the data According to the survey, some potential
computer to the refrigerator, each device amount of energy consumed in the consumption throughout the billing cycle, Germany, Japan and the United States, is not updated in real time (or near real reasons for this lack of visibility and need to
consumes electricity and represents an household. which encourages regular engagement with found half of business decision-makers, time), and more than a third reported that manipulate the data include the following:
opportunity to reduce household power The product of collaboration between energy usage and leads to better consumer such as chief information officers or vice 50 per cent of their data or more is not • Lack of good industry standards
consumption. German-based energy provider Yello Strom awareness. presidents of operations, reported automatically captured from suppliers, (19 per cent)
The Yello Strom Sparzähler (savings and Microsoft Deutschland GmbH (a “The Sparzähler transforms energy increasing complexity in their supply partners and customers. • Inflexible enterprise resource planning
meter) is designed to change the way subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation), the consumers into household energy chains. In addition, 65 per cent reported Nearly a third of those surveyed system (17 per cent)
consumers use electricity. Made of a Sparzähler enables the user to understand managers. With a clear understanding of experiencing a supply chain disruption, reported their supply chain professionals • Too many vendors or suppliers with
communications module integrated with exactly how much energy is used or saved where their energy consumption goes, and said it took hours or longer from the spend 25 per cent of their time finding and different systems (15 per cent)
an electrical meter, the Sparzähler not only each time they turn on or off a device. customers can make immediate time of the disruption to when supply reworking supply chain data to get it to the • Not enough collaboration tools
measures electrical usage, it also provides “With Sparzähler, household power adjustments in their energy usage,” says chain systems reported the incident. required level of granularity and format. (9 per cent).
consumers with actionable intelligence on consumption is no longer obscure and Berthold-van der Molen. “Small For a high-tech manufacturer with 50
“Nearly a third of those
the real-time power consumption of mysterious. For the first time, consumers adjustments in how appliances are used employees focused on managing the supply More information:
household devices. can view real-time data on the power used could result in up to ten per cent savings in chain, this percentage of time per worker www.microsoft.com/industry/manufacturing
surveyed reported their
With the development of Sparzähler, during a particular time frame directly on energy use without any reduction in equates to US$1.3m annually in lost /hightech/summit/default.mspx
supply chain professionals
Yello Strom redefines the level of service their personal computer,” says Andreas personal comfort.”
spend 25 per cent of their
that utility providers can give their Berthold-van der Molen, senior account This is especially true of ‘always on
customers. In addition to reliable sources manager for Microsoft Deutschland. appliances’ (sometimes called ‘vampire time finding and reworking
of energy and accurate, on-time account “For example, a consumer might want to appliances’), devices such as televisions,
supply chain data to get it to
statements, Yello Strom will soon deliver its understand how big an impact turning off satellite receivers, and amplifiers that often
the required level of
customers a new service that provides a coffee machine would have versus setting consume surprising amounts of electricity
granularity and format”
consumers with the information they need it to standby,” says Berthold-van der even when they’re not considered to be
to help reduce power consumption, lower Molen. “With Sparzähler, they will operating.
energy costs, and minimise their impact on instantly see the reduction in electrical In the United States, the average home According to the survey, 29 per cent of
the environment. usage, expressed in kilowatts, as well as the has about 20 always-on appliances – a high-tech manufacturers produce more
One challenge with household energy subsequent savings in energy cost, number similar to European homes. These than 50 per cent of their manufacturing
conservation is that it is hard for expressed in dollars or euros, the moment quiet energy consumers cumulatively cost output through third parties or contract
consumers to understand the impact of they switch off the machine.” their owners millions of dollars or euros manufacturers. This trend has been
per year in energy costs. The problem is increasing over the past two to three years,
that it is hard for people to understand according to a majority of respondents. In
how devices they are not using can still addition, during this timeframe, those
have such a significant impact on their surveyed reported increased growth in the
energy consumption. With the Sparzähler, following areas:
consumers can see the “always on” effect • Number of products or stock-keeping
for themselves. units managed (66 per cent)
The meter communicates directly with • Number of demand geographies
the utility provider over a TCP/IP network. managed (63 per cent)
Every 15 minutes, the Yello meter sends • Number of suppliers managed (62 per
consumption information to Yello Strom cent)
servers. This information is available to the • Number of production locations
consumers via a personalised portal on the managed (59 per cent)
Yello Strom Web site, where they can view • Number of demand channels managed
energy usage trends and data that is (59 per cent).
updated every 15 minutes.
Despite the global economic downturn,
More information: high-tech manufacturing professionals
www.microsoft.com/environment nonetheless predict these numbers will
50 onwindows.com

in practice
in practice
UTILITIES: PORTLAND GENERAL ELECTRIC AUTOMOTIVE: XTRAC
Switching on supply When the going gets tough
Transmission technology supplier Xtrac meets its motorsport customers’
Portland General Electric meets electricity demand by managing a grid supplied by a wide
demands for speed and performance by using product lifecycle management
variety of conventional and alternative power sources, all controlled by Wonderware technology
P A
ortland General Electric (PGE) has to PGE at any time when wholesale power common motorsport saying is: “A gearbox may
implemented a demand-response programme becomes too expensive. not win a race but it can very easily lose one.”
using Wonderware industrial automation and “When the Western power grid is short on Given the high stakes of the racing industry,
information software. The comprehensive automated power, we’ve seen the cost per megawatt teams look for the lightest, strongest and most efficient
system enables PGE to effectively manage peak skyrocket by up to 1,200 per cent,” says Mark transmission systems. Xtrac, a leading supplier of
electrical usage periods without causing a flicker in Osborn, PGE distributed resources manager. transmission technologies, designs and manufactures
the homes and workplaces of Oregon. “But thanks to our dispatchable standby small quantities of high-specification, high-quality and
PGE’s demand-response programme provides generation programme operated by high-value components. The company supports the
electrical grid capacity by linking customer-owned Wonderware software, PGE has been able to world’s top manufacturers and motorsport teams in the
generators as part of a ‘virtual power plant’ for its achieve significant savings over market prices.” toughest racing categories including Formula One,
dispatchable standby generation programme. With To engineer and design the GenOnSys system, World Rally, Le Mans, World Touring Car and Indy Car.
this system, PGE can simultaneously shave peak PGE selected Factory IQ as its system integrator Thirty per cent of its business is with Formula One and
loads off the grid by using the available aggregated and software developer because it needed a the company has a small but growing division in the
generation from customers’ emergency stand-by company that was experienced in SCADA and United States.
generators as part of their reserve capacity system. enterprise systems. At Xtrac’s purpose-built factory, skilled machine
During peak periods when wholesale power is Using Wonderware System Platform 3.0 and operators work around the clock with unique materials.
expensive, PGE’s environmental management system InTouch 10.0, GenOnSys is able to provide Complex components are machined directly from CAD
(EMS) control centre uses this reserve generator distributed real-time monitoring, live video data. “We do actually make things. Everything is done in
capacity by turning on these assets with a single start cameras and an alarm system based on the the UK,” says CAE manager Nick Moloney. “Our
push button. To do this PGE has integrated IEEE-61850-420-7 object standard for all the business is all about quality and delivery and we invest
GenOnSys, its distributed standby generator system, sites. This allows easy integration with the ION to gain even shorter time scales; one of the company’s
Xtrac designs and manufactures from a
with its EMS control centre by using the Wonderware enterprise metering system, SQL databases and latest purchases is a £1.0m plus (US$1.38m) bevel
concept, and also makes to order for some
System Platform. Ethernet OPC servers. grinding machine.”
customers who have their own design engineers.
GenOnSys manages 45 megawatts at 21 customer Because of the open architecture built by Xtrac has been using Siemens PLM Software’s NX
“We specialise in the critical torque path
sites with 32 generators that are spread over a large Factory IQ, PGE now uses a scalable and digital product development system and the
components, and we also provide consultancy
geographical area. When all these sites are intelligent monitoring. Teamcenter digital lifecycle management solution since
services,” Moloney adds.
dispatched, they are aggregated as a single distributed “The Wonderware solution is working great,” 2000. “NX and Teamcenter are absolutely vital,” says
It can take up to 12 weeks for the design and
virtual power plant that provides more load capacity Osborn says. “To my knowledge there are no Moloney. “They are well-established tools for our 50
manufacture of a gearbox component. Xtrac
other utilities in the world that have the ability engineers and for the factory machinists. They allow us
begins designing for Formula One customers a
to start 40 megawatts of paralleled power to reduce the design process time, and any reduction we
year in advance, delivering parts months ahead of
generation with a single mouse click.” can gain there gives us greater visibility down on the
a new season. Production quantities are low. At
shopfloor.”
the end of a season some components may be
“We have some extremely good engineers who can
carried over while others will be completely
look at the CAD model in Ansys and see where
redesigned.
something might fail,” Moloney adds. “We do as much
design analysis as we can before physical testing.” In the
Portland General Electric past, Xtrac would build a prototype and deliberately
www.portlandgeneral.com break it. Now designers break parts in a virtual world
Xtrac
because they have a visual idea of where the high
Industry: Electricity supply www.xtrac.com
stresses are and can then make changes if necessary. He
Country: USA
explains: “This process is becoming more important as
Solution: Monitoring and control of distributed power generation Industry: Automotive
customers are asking for even better performance and it
to provide reliable uninterrupted power Country: UK
is only possible with the CAD model because testing
Partner: Wonderware Solution: New product development and value chain synchronisation
time is reduced.”
Technology: Wonderware System Platform, InTouch HMI, Partner: Siemens PLM
Engineering change management also takes place at
Wonderware Historian, ActiveFactory, Trending, Analysis and Technology: Siemens PLM NX, Teamcenter, Microsoft IT
an accelerated pace. “We introduce a part and changes
Reporting Software, Microsoft .NET infrastructure
can happen very quickly because it immediately goes in
a test car and is driven to failure,” Moloney says.
52 53
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in practice in practice
HIGH TECH: VAISALA PHARMACEUTICAL: BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM
Information for better operations Rapid notification for a rapid return
Analysis of manufacturing quality data provides Vaisala’s This Dutch pharmaceutical company is getting an
engineers with valuable information to better support decision making immediate return on investment from notification workflow software
V B
aisala manufactures electronic measurement Predisys has based its manufacturing oehringer Ingelheim is a leading Dutch The company plans to enhance its alerting
systems and equipment for meteorology, intelligence software solutions on the Microsoft pharmaceutical company with over 300 processes by implementing HP Openview. In
environmental sciences, traffic safety and SharePoint and Office platforms. This provides employees and a global presence. Like many order to get the maximum value from this
industry. One of the company’s latest innovations is a for fast and easy analysis of the collected companies, it relies on a consistent and reliable IT investment, it will be integrated with message
revolutionary solution that will significantly improve manufacturing data and ensures that the service so that business users from different master Enterprise Alert to automatically manage
lightning detection worldwide. Through the use of a information can be accessed not just by company departments such as sales, finance and accounting can the notification workflow.
Vaisala-patented location algorithm, the Total Lightning employees, but also through the whole supply function effectively. To achieve this, the company has “By giving us the ability to rectify problems
Processor improves lightning detection location chain if needed. The 2007 Office system offers integrated Derdack’s message master Enterprise Alert before it affects our business users we have
accuracy by a factor of two – improving the precision improved tools for modelling the production into its IT infrastructure. lowered our business risks and message master
range from 500 metres to 250 metres or less. processes and for information retrieval. “Basing A key objective for the company’s IT department is Enterprise Alert more than paid for itself after
This improvement benefits many businesses and our product on the Web-centric Microsoft to provide an efficient service to its business users so the first two faults were fixed. Dealing more
operations vulnerable to lightning – including aviation, SharePoint platform was crucial for success from any application that relies on the company’s servers effectively with these alerts has saved us over
power utilities, forestry, insurance, meteorology, our point of view,” says Ari Pihlajavesi of Predisys. and networks is constantly available. Maintaining US$0.5m in lost company-wide staff
chemical processing plants and oil and gas. Vaisala owns Development of high-quality and competitive maximum system uptime is vital and when faults do productivity. I do not have a single criticism of
and operates the US National Lightning Detection products, however, demands seamless occur, it is critical that they are immediately rectified. message master Enterprise Alert and would
Network and customers worldwide rely on Vaisala’s communication, cross-functional co-operation, Although the existing systems were capable of highly recommend it to other companies who
expertise in lightning data and information systems. and precisely refined information. “We have identifying that something had interrupted the normal need notification workflow,” says Zwarts.
The company is using Predisys Analytical Suite for developed a solution that automatically collects server operation, there was no method of notifying
statistical monitoring of its manufacturing quality. The relevant production data, applies advanced this to the IT department. There was therefore a delay
data it collects is analysed to support operations statistical process control algorithms, and offers between problem awareness and resolution. The
development and decision-making. The Predisys flexible analytical tools for improving business impact was more severe if it occurred over the
solution reduces Vaisala’s quality control costs and makes operations and decision making,” explains weekend and affected the servers, as the support team
its product development organisation more effective. Pihlajavesi. “Additionally, our solution effectively would typically start work on restoring the servers on
“The Predisys Analytical Suite offers excellent bridges the product development and Monday morning. This could lead to systems or
online visibility to the production information, as manufacturing gap.” services being unavailable during key business hours.
well as operational tools for analysing and using the “We are talking about a vertically specialised IT network engineer Jasper Zwarts says: “We looked
information,” says Ari Räsänen, project manager at system that supports statistical control, analysis of at a number of alternatives but it soon became clear
Vaisala. product development and manufacturing that message master Enterprise Alert was a robust
After extensive testing, Vaisala decided to invest in the processes, and facilitates real-time facts-based product and well suited to our requirements. It is a
Predisys solution and viewed Predisys’ use of Microsoft decision making,” he adds. mature package with a reputation of being easy to use
technology as an added value. “The advanced Microsoft “The new system was taken into use in the and deploy. Working with its intuitive Windows
SharePoint platform certainly increased our interest in autumn of 2006, and our quality control costs interface makes ongoing maintenance a simple
the Predisys software,” says Jussi Kallunki, director of IT. have been significantly reduced as a result,” process.”
Kallunki concludes. message master Enterprise Alert can be
implemented in a short period of time and Boehringer
Ingelheim was able to quickly go live on the software.
message master Enterprise Alert is now interfaced with
an internal system that monitors the status of the
Vaisala Boehringer Ingelheim
servers and the uninterruptible power supply. If an
www.vaisala.com www.boehringer-ingelheim.com
event occurs, an alert is sent via SMS to a member of
the on-call support team.
Industry: High-tech manufacturing Industry: Pharmaceutical
Support engineers have 60 seconds in which to
Country: Finland Country: Netherlands
acknowledge via SMS that they have received the alert
Solution: Manufacturing intelligence Solution: Notification workflow software
and are responding to it. If message master Enterprise
Country: Predisys Partner: Derdack
Alert does not receive this confirmation or message
Technology: Predisys Analytical Suite, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server Technology: Microsoft Windows Server, .NET
delivery fails, it automatically follows a predetermined
workflow to escalate the alert to the next person in the
chain in order to secure delivery of the alert.
54 55
onwindows.com

interview
BILL LAING
Data engine rooms working harder
Bill Laing, corporate vice president of the Windows Server and Solutions Division, explains
how Windows Server 2008 R2 can help enterprises save money on energy and data use
the Server Core installation option. So we now offer the ability
to run Windows PowerShell on Server Core with full support
“We are continuing to engage for ASP.NET and PHP.
with key hardware, software
Are there any advantages to deploying Windows 7 with
and service partners to create a Windows Server 2008 R2?
solid set of offerings around Definitely. Because Windows Server 2008 R2 is being developed
in tandem with the Windows 7 code, it has several features that
Windows Server 2008 R2” are designed to work better with computers running Windows 7.
For example, we have a new technology called Branch Cache.
Any time a document is retrieved by a client in a company’s
branch office, Branch Cache keeps a copy in the branch, so if
another client in the same office wants to retrieve that document,
it can be served up locally instead of across the WAN.
The result is a significant reduction in bandwidth use
W
between corporate offices and branch sites, and a huge
hat are the most notable new features in
potential cost saving because most organisations pay for
Windows Server 2008 R2?
bandwidth by the byte. It also gives branch offices a degree of
We’re building on our state-of-the-art
autonomy in case the link to headquarters is severed.
virtualisation technology with a newer version of Hyper-V, as
Remote Desktop Services (RDS), formerly Terminal
well as some new features that customers have been asking us
Services, is another example. We expanded RDS in Windows
for, such as Live Migration. This feature, which is included at
Server 2008 R2 so you can run the desktop or applications in
no additional charge, lets you move a running workload from
the data centre while your users can be anywhere.
one machine to another in milliseconds, with no loss of
Another feature, DirectAccess, allows remote users to
performance from the user’s point of view.
On the management front, Windows Server 2008 R2 will securely connect to their work environment as if they were
be a foundation for data centre automation. We are also on the corporate LAN. IT administrators can fully manage
making improvements to help customers reduce and better remote PCs securely, as if they were on-premise, without
manage their data centre power consumption. Windows using a VPN.
Server 2008 R2 can automatically turn processor cores on
and off based on system workload, or reduce power Why did you produce only a 64-bit version of R2?
consumption by adjusting processor speed. Today, 64-bit processors have become the industry standard for
Another area of innovation is the ability to more easily systems ranging from the most scalable servers to desktop PCs.
administer and support Web applications on a streamlined Like Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008,
Web platform. We’ve integrated Internet Information Windows Server 2008 R2 will provide parity for 32-bit
Services 7.0 manager extensions to make it simpler to applications with something called Windows on Windows, or
administer local and remote Web servers, and added support WOW. Essentially what we do is emulate the 32-bit, x86
for ASP.NET and PHP to the Server Core. architecture in a seamless way.
Finally, we continue to invest in scalability and we’ve built R2 also supports more than 64 processors, so customers
in support for up to 256 logical processors, which will allow can take advantage of advancements in hardware. Coupled
customers to more fully exploit today’s powerful CPUs, with SQL Server 2008, this enables an optimum use of
deploying only the features they choose and scaling those hardware to parallelise tasks and boost performance.
solutions to meet their organisation’s needs.
What’s next for Windows Server products?
Did any other features in R2 result from customer We recently released Windows Server 2008 SP2 to Technology
suggestions? Adoption Programme customers for evaluation. We’re
We know the economy is top of mind for every business right encouraging developers to try out the pre-beta Windows Server
now, which has put more pressure on IT budgets. With 2008 R2 code, known as Milestone 3. Our Windows Small
Windows Server 2008 R2, we really focused on this issue. For Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server
example, giving customers more control over power 2008 are all-in-one solutions that address key small and midsize
consumption was an area we heard feedback on. Another customer pain points by making enterprise-class IT accessible,
suggestion was to incorporate Windows PowerShell support on affordable and less complex.
56 onwindows.com