Industrial Transformation Blog

AWS recently launched a new set of services called “AWS for Industrial” designed to make it easier for industrial customers to innovate, automate, and scale industrial workloads on AWS through purpose-built services, solutions, and the widest ecosystem of partners. AWS for Industrial features new and existing services and solutions built specifically for developers, engineers, and operators at industrial companies. AWS for Industrial claims to simplify the process for customers to build or deploy innovative Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), analytics, and edge solutions to achieve step-change improvements in operational efficiency, quality, and agility.

Every year, LNS Research puts forth predictions around the key trends in the Industrial Transformation (IX) topics where we focus our research. In the case of Asset Performance Management (APM 4.0), our 2020 forecast focused on Digital Twins, closing the APM 4.0 loop, the consolidation in the advanced analytics market, the battle for the OT Ecosystem, and the evolution of the OPA market.

Every year, LNS Research puts forth predictions around the key trends in the Industrial Transformation (IX) topics where we focus our research. In the case of Asset Performance Management (APM) 4.0, our 2020 forecast focused on Digital Twins, closing the APM 4.0 loop, the consolidation in the advanced analytics market, the battle for the OT Ecosystem, and the evolution of the OPA market. How did we do? Let’s do our self-evaluation to compare.

LNS has long focused on Operational Excellence (OE) as part of our Digital Transformation (DX) Framework, now Industrial Transformation (IX). In 2013 and 2014, we talked about Operational Excellence as a journey and stated that people, processes, and technology are the underpinnings of Operational Excellence initiatives.

AspenTech recently announced the general availability of the aspenONE® V12 software release, which embeds Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the portfolio and uses the Cloud to deliver enterprise-wide analytics and insights. The v12 release continues to support AspenTech's strategy of embedding AI and Machine Learning (ML) inside their products such that end-users can take advantage of these powerful tools without having to rely on data scientists or layer on external third-party analytics solutions.

GE Digital recently announced a series of products and service enhancements across their Digital Plant Software Applications portfolio. In addition, they released enhancements and new functionality in their Operations Performance Management (OPM) suite for power generation and announced their Remote Operations solution for Power Generation. All of these announcements culminated in a well-attended 2020 Virtual User Conference in October 2020.

AspenTech recently announced the new release of Aspen Unified™ to deliver what they call, “the next generation of production optimization solutions that will transform business processes for the world’s refineries. The Aspen Unified solution brings planning and scheduling together in one environment to connect and automate isolated processes, maximize the yield of high-value products, push closer to limits, and drive improved margins.” The Aspen Unified™ solution includes Aspen Unified PIMS™, with Multisite option Aspen Unified Scheduling™, Aspen Unified GDOT Builder™, and Aspen GDOT™.

AVEVA, the industrial software company, announced on August 25, 2020, its intention to acquire OSIsoft from Dr. J. Patrick Kennedy and OSIsoft investors, including SoftBank, for $5 billion. The acquisition is expected to close in late 2020 or early 2021. AVEVA is to finance the deal through $4.4 billion of cash plus $600 million of stock, making Dr. Kennedy AVEVA’s largest private shareholder with 4.4% of the company. Dr. Kennedy will remain connected to AVEVA through a Chairman Emeritus role. AVEVA will raise the capital through $3.5 billion of rights issues plus $900 million of cash on their balance sheet. The deal represents a multiple of roughly 10X OSIsoft’s 1H-2020 annualized revenues, a multiplier similar to AspenTech’s, one of AVEVA’s major competitors.

LNS has been writing about Edge Computing now for a few years. We noted that the powerful wave of moving data to the Cloud for analysis and action overshadowed the Edge, but in the last two years, the trend has been to swing back to a hybrid architecture with both Edge and Cloud in the mix. In our new eBook, “Edge Computing in the New OT Ecosystem,” we talk in detail about the various roles, applications, and state of adoption of Edge Computing devices in what we call the New OT Ecosystem. We explain that there are basically four Edge forms or types and five primary roles or applications for Edge:

It’s been a number of months since we blogged about the progress of APM 4.0. Since then, we have published our new eBook, APM 4.0 Shifts Into Second Gear, which details the trends and LNS Research insights into asset performance management. But it is a fair question to ask, what has been the effect of the COVID-19-induced recession and oil price war on APM? Has interest wained, investment slowed down, and adoption stalled? Or are things still moving full speed ahead? Who’s doing what, and why?