Schneider Electric touts new software releases at customer conference

By BILLY THINNES
Technical Editor

ORLANDO, Florida -- Schneider Electric continued its 2014 Software Global Customer Conference in Orlando with an overview of new product releases from its Avantis, SimSci and Wonderware product lines.

Formerly part of Invensys but now combined with Schneider Electric, the company’s new software business unveiled a lineup of new capabilities that improve operations management for process, hybrid and infrastructure companies.

“As we have been saying, combining Avantis, Wonderware, SimSci and other Invensys software solutions with Schneider Electric’s existing software portfolio is changing the game for our customers,” said Ravi Gopinath, Ph.D., executive vice president, Schneider Electric software business. “Our combined development, delivery and service capabilities enable new systems, applications and technologies to be brought to market faster. And our customers will continue to benefit from our long history of innovation, our world-leading brands and powerful new solutions that improve efficiency, help manage risk and drive higher levels of customer value."

The company has added new and updated features to its Avantis enterprise asset management software, extending usability, knowledge management and collaboration for more comprehensive and predictive asset management. New workflow functionality provides customers with closed-loop work process management, along with escalation and system of record capture of processes, procedures and activities. A plug-in for Esri’s geographic information system allows customers to view Avantis.PRO information in a map and manage work based on physical locations. To meet the need for lower cost of ownership and deployment, Avantis.PRO software has also been qualified to operate on virtual machines hosted within the Microsoft Azure environment using the Platform-as-a-Service hosting model.

SimSci Suite 2014 software contains the most recent versions of the company’s flagship process design, simulation and optimization offering. SimSci Suite 2014 includes PRO/II 9.3 with updated sequencing and focused improvements to de-pressuring; DYNSIM 5.2 with enhanced usability and commercialization of a metals, mining and minerals model library; and ROMeo 6.2 with enhancements to the existing Information Stream functionality and integration to third-party refinery reactor models. SimSci Suite 2014 software supports the full plant lifecycle, from process design to operator training to process optimization.

Wonderware InTouch 2014 R2 human machine interface and Wonderware System Platform 2014 R2 SCADA products provide a host of functional upgrades and improvements, elevating the brand's renowned ease of use. An expanded set of symbols and wizards in the offerings’ situational awareness libraries make it easier than ever to drag and drop informational and HMI displays, helping to improve standards, reduce engineering time and improve training for operators and other users. An extensive array of new alarm features and capabilities make it easier to manage large-scale events. Major new editor improvements and new tools to convert legacy graphics deliver point-and-click simplicity so customers can preserve their investments in existing systems while benefitting from all the latest capabilities.

Wonderware MES 2014—Operations, Performance and Quality—offers a new web-based client and line performance monitoring, as well as advanced recipe and formulation management capabilities for better end-to-end product lifecycle management. Integration with Wonderware Skelta BPM workflow software enables model-driven MES, enforcing production rules and manufacturing procedures, enabling knowledge management and driving better collaboration across the workforce. For cost-effective data management and reporting, Wonderware Online brings a suite of Big Data features in a SaaS package, complemented with a variety of clients including mobile and web-based for on-demand analysis. Additionally, the explosive demand for new packaging, more SKUs, new formulas and complex recipes creates challenges for food and beverage customers. The new Recipe Manager Plus product addresses these challenges by reducing the cost complexity associated with new product introductions and improves food safety, quality and compliance-related activities.

“These new capabilities are empowering our customers to achieve new levels of value, performance and profitability, no matter where they sit,” Mr. Gopinath said. “Flexible, scalable enterprise solutions will help executive management future proof their operations and the full value chain. New and updated software and solutions will help operations personnel build best-in-class process control environments, gain time to value and accelerate ROI. New cloud and mobility offerings will help IT professionals create a safe, secure and scalable architecture. More powerful advanced applications for simulation, modeling and advanced control will help engineering pros harvest the maximum value from their investments. And more robust asset management software will help maintenance personnel improve uptime and optimize asset performance in a collaborative, real-time environment.”