The Record - Issue 19: Winter 2020

110 www. t e c h n o l o g y r e c o r d . c om F E ATUR E range of everyday engineering tasks in MR. They enable organisations to reduce engineering and manufacturing costs, improve product quality and support the faster development of products and processes across the enterprise. Knowing where and how best to apply this cutting-edge technology is the key to success. CraneMorley, a Microsoft Mixed Reality part- ner, specialises in providing training and design services to equip manufacturers with the tools they need to implement successful MR projects. It covers every level of expertise, including work- shops to explore the possibilities and experience delivered by HoloLens 2, training and assistance to develop pilot and proof-of-concept projects, and continued learning and support to help implement projects for maximum impact. In the fast-moving world of smart manufac- turing, successful IT/OT integration has become a prerequisite for competitive business. And as companies connect systems that previously stood alone to create new value, they also need to know that their data will be secure. “Industry 4.0 endeavours like IoT are about enabling a digital feedback loop where data can be synchro- nised between employees, operations, products and customers,” says Masson. “It’s essential that businesses integrating their OT and IT systems implement well defined standards that scale across their network to ensure data and intellec- tual property security.” Microsoft’s commitment to security, combined with the industry expertise of its partners, means that manufacturers of all sizes can integrate their systems with confidence. “Modern manufactur- ing requires secure and intelligent operations and connected supply chains to deliver more agile production, greater transparency and smarter products and services,” says Masson. “We’re making it easier for manufacturers to securely integrate IT and OT with tools such as Azure IoT Connected Factory to connect machines in the company’s own factories using OPC Unified Architecture, or Dynamics 365 Connected Field Service for connecting their customers’ machines into their business systems. For smaller manu- facturers who want a fully managed service for IoT, we’ve introduced IoT Central, which makes it easy to connect, monitor, and manage IoT assets at scale. These tools are assisting busi- nesses of all sizes in their Industry 4.0 initiatives and with Azure IoT Security Center we’re help- ing customers keep their data secure.” Manufacturing firms are successfully integrating information and operational technology to create new value. We asked selected Microsoft partners how they are leveraging the latest technologies to help companies deliver on their smart manufacturing strategies. Partner perspectives Melissa Topp Senior director of global marketing at ICONICS “Over the past few years, with the continuing emergence of Industry 4.0, many manufacturers have sought solutions that can work with multiple data systems in addition to their traditional manufacturing and legacy automation equipment. This convergence of operational technology with information technology has led manufacturers to seek solution providers with strength and experience in both areas. Microsoft has certainly demonstrated its abilities in IT/OT integration. ICONICS (https://iconics.com ), a group company of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and global developer of automation software, has had a working relationship with Microsoft since its founding and specifically designs its solutions to leverage Microsoft technologies including Microsoft Azure, Windows 10, Windows Server, Office 365, Dynamics 365, SQL Server, HoloLens and more. ICONICS combines its universal connectivity (compatibility with OPC UA, BACnet, Modbus, SNMP, and now EtherNet/ IP and ethernet-enabled Mitsubishi Electric PLCs) with its wide range of Microsoft solution integration to cover manufacturers’ OT and IT requirements for data visualisation, rapid archiving/retrieval, advanced analysis, mobilisation and cloud integration.”