The ongoing debate on whether OT and IT should be integrated has never been more intense. Plant operations have a different focus and are beset with different challenges in ensuring a smooth and productive running plant compared to IT. This, on the other hand, is very much about KPIs, financial performance and profitability metrics. However, they share the same data in many cases but apply different criteria. Closing the gap between the two has many benefits, not least of which are efficiency and profitability managed in near real time.
Bridging the OT and IT gap
The modern plant now has the ability to share primary data effectively between the two methodologies. OT and IT were once disparate systems for plant management. Operation technology data and information technology data can now share the same hardware platforms, thereby eliminating wasteful duplication of effort.
The Omniflex EasyView HMI cMTx series can be deployed on factory floors, providing the necessary operational interface to the plant controllers and processes, but can at the same time use the plant network to deliver IT data to the ERP systems using SQL databases which interface into the commercial systems.
The cMTX Series HMIs serves as the data centre that integrates field data with factory management systems in a safe and stable manner, reducing the time for management reaction to changing plant conditions.
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