Big Data Industrial Computer

Concepts like the Internet of Things and Big Data are integral to what GE refers to as the Industrial Internet. Over the past year, GE has been doing a lot of positioning in this area with respect to its software packages, operator interfaces and alliances with companies such as PTC. Just a few weeks ago, GE Intelligent Platforms announced the availability of an integrated software package that combines PTC’s Windchill and GE’s Proficy for Manufacturing Discrete. According to the two companies, the combined software packages “provides a PLM-MES connection that can manage a closed loop of product information between engineering, manufacturing and production.”

Following shortly after the announcement of that combined software package, GE Intelligent Platforms released its Proficy Historian IPC (industrial PC) that reportedly uses the “Industrial Internet to connect machines and turn masses of raw data into actionable information.”  In essence, the Proficy Historian IPC integrates PACSystems RXi XP (GE Intelligent Platforms’ most recent high-performance IPC release) and Proficy Historian 5.5.

This release marks the beginning of what GE calls a “new high-performance breed of combined hardware and software” products to be released by the company. According to GE Intelligent Platforms, this IPC, which can be installed in harsh manufacturing environments, enables numerous data collection tags managed by Proficy Historian’s patented compression algorithms. These algorithms, according to GE, allow for greater volumes of data to be stored on this IPC’s hard drive than competitive data historians, without impacting the data’s integrity.

Proficy Historian IPC reportedly has capacity for 100 to 5000 data collection points. GE notes that data collection needs exceeding 5000 points can be met by implementing multiple Proficy Historian IPCs connected via a wide area network (WAN) in a distributed data historian configuration, or by forwarding to a central historian.

Three facets of Proficy Historian IPC that GE Intelligent Platforms is focusing on to explain this product’s positioning as an easy first step toward the Industrial Internet include:
• Simple implementation—the RXi XP is preinstalled with Microsoft Windows 7 operating system, Proficy Historian software, and all necessary drivers. Setup involves only powering the IPC and configuring the data collection points. More tags can be added by plugging in the USB dongle supplied with the tag quantity order and rebooting to enable the tag licenses.
• Design—The IPC’s small, ruggedized design allows Proficy Historian IPC to be installed with the machine controls to save space and reduce wiring complexity. The industrial grade components and fan-less operation reportedly minimize maintenance needs.
• Lifecycle management—the use of COM Express technology means that, rather than replacing the entire IPC and wiring when the computing power becomes obsolete, the user can exchange the COM Express module for a higher-powered replacement, leaving the rest of the IPC and wiring intact.