COPA DATA UK LTD

You cannot build a great building on a weak foundation - and the same principle can be applied to smart factories and their security. Here, Reinhard Mayr, Head of Information Security and Research at COPA-DATA, explains why building a secure architecture in your plant is key for securing digital processes.

The phrase ‘smart factory’ was first coined in 2011 at German trade exhibition, the Hanover Messe. The term describes a highly digitalised environment in which machinery optimises and operates autonomously. Yet, despite being in our vocabulary for almost a decade, smart factories are not yet commonplace. Here, Stefan Reuther, Chief Sales Office at COPA-DATA, explains how the connected factory could be the first step of achieving digitalisation in manufacturing.

It has been five years since Ukraine experienced a first-of-its-kind cyber attack on its power grid. Infiltrating the network through weak spots, hackers caused widespread black outs in December 2015. Unfortunately, Ukraine’s power companies are not unique in their technology or vulnerability. As Reinhard Mayr, Head of Information Security and Research Operations at COPA-DATA, explains, asset management is critical for ensuring security in industrial infrastructure and production plants.

Big data has become ubiquitous with manufacturing. A planner’s dream, you would assume. Unfortunately, today’s planners are experiencing information overload. Here, Martyn Williams, Managing Director at COPA-DATA UK explains why, to capitalise on the wealth of data available, planners in manufacturing need data analysis tools that are fit for purpose.

Industrial software supplier, COPA-DATA launched a new webinar series for the energy sector, with the final session taking place on 13th October. The IEC 61850 masterclass will help engineers understand how COPA-DATA’s software platform, zenon, supports power utility automation with multi-vendor systems.

What’s the craziest law you have ever heard of? In Sweden, it’s illegal to complain about lack of sunlight during the winter months. Bizarrely, it is also illegal to be drunk inside a British pub. Some rules are made to be broken, but in pharmaceutical manufacturing, the rules aren’t lenient. Here, Giuseppe Menin Industry Manager for Pharmaceutical, COPA-DATA, explains how technology is helping pharmaceutical manufacturers comply with data integrity regulations.

Post COVID-19 predictions can paint a bleak picture for the future of manufacturing. There is no denying that this pandemic has changed the state of industry, but the impact of the crisis has not been all negative. Here, Martyn Williams, Managing Director at COPA-DATA UK examines how manufacturers can positively adapt to resuming the new normal.

Industrial software supplier, COPA-DATA, is launching a new webinar series for the energy sector. The IEC 61850 masterclass will help engineers understand how COPA-DATA’s software platform, zenon, supports power utility automation with multi-vendor systems. In these webinars, Pascal Schaub, Director and Principal Engineer of DT Partners in Australia, teaches how to comply with IEC 61850, without having to write a single line of code.

Manufacturers have long reaped the benefits of acquiring data from operational equipment, allowing machinery to communicate and improve the manufacturing process. Today, a study Gartner suggests that manufacturers are keener than ever to begin vertically integrating enterprise and IT technologies into the smart factory, with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, sensors and the cloud, with traditional operational machinery.

According to figures published by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), up to nine percent of waste in the processed food sector can be attributed to machinery performance problems. Food manufacturing is a notoriously wasteful sector. Here, Lee Sullivan, Regional Manager at COPA-DATA UK, explains how manufacturers can use digital tools to tackle the issue. 

Due to increasing market demand, maintenance and service technicians of today are constantly on the move, monitoring multiple machines and potentially, multiple facilities. Couple this with workers not allowed entry into factories, monitoring machinery performance is more important than ever before.

Britain was the birthplace of the industrial revolution, but the nation’s manufacturing future is often blighted by Brexit woes. Here, Lee Sullivan, regional sales manager at COPA-DATA UK, gives his prediction for the future of manufacturing in Britain and why. during 2020, the country must invest in technology to join the fourth industrial revolution.

Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution or the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Regardless of the phrase used to describe digitalisation in manufacturing, there’s no denying that a shift has already taken place. But, is the age of industrial buzzwords coming to a grinding halt? Stefan Reuther, Chief Sales Officer at COPA-DATA, gives his three predictions for industrial automation in 2019 — no buzzwords included. 

COPA-DATA together with five of its partners will be demonstrating how its zenon and straton software products can help achieve smart networking of production processes, while also focusing on the areas of smart cities and workflow management at SPS IPC Drives in Nuremberg from 27-29th November, on booth 590, hall 7.

Perhaps one of the few pre-digital hangovers is the handwritten paper checklist. It’s a sight seen in many industries, an employee with clipboard and pen, checking off each step with a well-known tick. Manufacturing is no exception. Here, Alan Binning, Regional Sales Manager for COPA-DATA UK examines a digital alternative to manufacturing checklists; the Smart Checklist. 

A report from Statistics MRC estimates that the global predictive analytics market will grow from $3.89bn in 2016, to $14.95bn in 2023. You could argue that this growth is a result of advancing technology. However, I believe that a larger contributor to this adoption is the growing understanding of the benefits predictive analytics can offer.

The BACnet Testing Laboratories, BTL for short, have confirmed that the automation software zenon by COPA-DATA complies with the criteria of the BACnet standard. Entry onto the international list of products requires conforming with the standard and receipt of the BTL certificate affirm the reliable communication between zenon and other systems and devices in building automation.

The engineering industry requires 265,000 new skilled entrants annually in order to meet demand by 2024, according to the State of Engineering Survey by Engineering UK. Martyn Williams, Managing Director at COPA-DATA UK, examines Britain’s engineering skills shortage and explains how automated engineering can redefine the role of the manufacturing engineer and ultimately bridge the skills gap.

  While technology such as AI, robotics and the IoT are significant in their own right, it is the combination of these technologies that will really impact Industry 4.0. However, to successfully converge these technologies, you need to invest in software. In this article, Stefan Reuther, Chief Sales Officer at COPA-DATA, explains why servitisation will improve the onboarding process of new software.

At the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2018, the ‘Readiness for the Future of Production’ report was released and it highlights Britain as one of 25 countries in a positive position to benefit from Industry 4.0. However, much of the media coverage following the release of the report has centred on the threat these technologies pose to jobs. Here, Martyn Williams, Managing Director of automation software provider, COPA-DATA UK, explains why automation could create more jobs than it replaces.