Emerson Releases Wireless Monitoring Solutions and AI Platform

Emerson is a global leader in automation components and software, specifically targeting the oil and gas, water treatment, and life sciences industries. Recently, Emerson announced the release of a new wireless monitoring platform geared toward IIoT solutions, as well as AspenTech AVA, an AI software suite that offers a simple, autonomous approach to AI integration.

Emerson has kicked off its new Synchros IIoT platform with a wireless repeater and temperature monitor. Image used courtesy of Emerson

Synchros Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Platform

With the release of its Synchros wireless monitoring platform, Emerson is providing an IIoT solution that will not disrupt current infrastructure but deliver cutting-edge technology to existing large-scale industries. The Synchros product lineup is a collection of wireless asset-monitoring technology that uses the WirelessHART communication protocol to push data to servers, SCADA systems, and control systems. Currently, only a wireless repeater and a temperature monitor are in the catalog, with plans to add a pressure sensor and additional measurement devices.

The Rosemount Synchros Temperature Monitor clamps directly to piping to measure surface and ambient temperature. Image used courtesy of Emerson

Wireless and Continuous Asset Monitoring

The Rosemount Synchros Temperature Monitor is a surface-mounted sensor that clamps onto existing pipes and reports the surface temperature of the pipe as well as the ambient temperature of the area in which the sensor is installed. The monitor uses the WirelessHART communication protocol, a common protocol used in industrial process automation, to push the surface and ambient temperatures to existing servers, SCADA systems, or control systems.

The Rosemount Synchros Wireless Repeater is designed to mount to existing piping and extend existing WirelessHART networks, providing the same security and data reliability as the HART protocol.

Both the temperature sensor and repeater are designed with a rugged, robust exterior and are capable of withstanding harsh environments and hazardous areas.

A dashboard of data collected from the AspenTech Inmation OT Data Fabric. Image used courtesy of Emerson

An Industrial Platform To Accelerate AI Adoption

AspenTech AVA is Emerson's new industrial AI platform that provides industrial companies with tools and the means to adopt AI technologies. AVA lives between the IT and OT infrastructure, communicating with OT devices like edge servers, SCADA, PLCs, and historians. Data is collected on the equipment, and when anomalies are discovered, AVA will understand the process and provide AI-assisted recommendations that can be embedded directly into operations with minimal impact on the process.

A common example is a vibration sensor on a pump. When the sensor begins to read higher-than-normal values, AVA can detect the rise in vibrations as pump degradation and determine the downstream impact. AVA will then suggest reducing the pump speed slightly and display the output impact due to the reduction.

AspenTech Inmation OT Data Fabric

AI models and software platforms would be nothing without data; this is where AspenTech's Inmation OT Data Fabric software suite comes in. The platform provides large industries with a scalable data backbone and is designed to house operational data and decision-making information that works across the entire organization. A data fabric is not just a scalable database; it is AI-ready and works with an ever-expanding suite of modules and visualizations, workflow engines, applications, and private clouds.

With AspenTech AVA and the AspenTech Inmation Data Platform, Emerson is providing the industrial world with a roadmap for using AI efficiently, whether a processing plant is new or old. The principle behind AVA is to provide users with the power of AI decision-making without disrupting existing operations.