Global technology and software leader Emerson has launched the DeltaV™ Edge Environment, a first-of-its-kind integrated software solution. Particularly, it expands the capabilities of the evolving DeltaV automation platform to provide an operational technology (OT) sandbox for data manipulation, analysis, organization, and more.

Here, teams can deploy and execute applications to run key artificial intelligence (AI) engines and analytics close to the data source with seamless, secure connectivity to contextualized OT data across the cloud and enterprise. The DeltaV Edge Environment empowers teams to deliver operational improvements tied to productivity, sustainability, and other business objectives. 

Expands Distributed Control System

Valuable data in intelligent devices, machines, and systems helps enable enterprise-wide analytics. In addition, expands operational insight and feeds the AI engines catalyzing innovation.

However, oftentimes, OT data gets trapped beneath layers of systems and networks, adding complexity and removing meaningful context. The DeltaV Edge Environment expands the horizons of the distributed control system (DCS), creating a secure data superhighway where users can seamlessly socialize contextualized data directly with cloud and enterprise applications while also using a built-in execution sandbox—a testing environment for critical innovation tasks such as generating dashboards, running applications and training AI tools. 
“Operations and IT increasingly rely on data from the control system to optimize production and increase intelligence for OT improvements, sustainability, and other digital transformation initiatives,” said Claudio Fayad, vice president of technology for Emerson’s process systems and solutions business.

In addition, Fayad said, “The DeltaV Edge Environment is the first step in defining the control system of the future. Extending the DeltaV DCS with the capability to move data and configuration easily and securely while simultaneously empowering users to drive innovation as they safely run applications and scripts inside the DCS.”

Steers Digital Transformation

The DeltaV Edge Environment helps production teams meet their needs. Particularly, in easily and securely engaging with automation data and manipulating it into actionable information. Thus, steering toward digital transformation.

A single, encrypted, outbound-only flow of data helps authorized users ensure they have constant access to near real-time data. Thus, without risking users accessing the control system—a common risk with traditional custom-engineered solutions.

In addition, users can run applications for visualization, analytics, alarm management, digital twin simulations, and other needs. This goes with the contextualized data available on the DeltaV Edge Environment. OT teams will know the rich data they use is a precise replica, always up to date and fully reflective of the current operating condition. 

The DeltaV Edge Environment leverages open, common protocols such as OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA). Thus, providing contextualized data while standard application programming interfaces like representational state transfer architectural style (REST API) and scripting tools like Python provide the sandbox environment in which users can design and run applications.