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Challenge
In process manufacturing facilities such as oil and gas refineries, pulp and paper mills, and chemical plants, shutdowns, turnarounds, and outages (STOs) can cause scheduling and budgetary overruns that cost companies millions of dollars per day.
These facilities need effective communication and collaboration between plant management and the field workforce (both plant & contractors), along with the ability to acquire real-time data from frontline workers. But the performance limitations of existing Wi-Fi or LMR networks for large coverage areas make it next to impossible to meet these needs.
Solution
The weavix™ Internet of Workers (IoW) platform provides a digital toolbelt that brings comprehensive communication, collaboration, and workforce diagnostics to the field, supported by a Nokia industrial grade private wireless network that operates in the LTE and Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS) bands. This high-performance, end-to-end solution can be turned up quickly to provide business-critical communications for plant management and the entire STO workforce. It also provides previously unobtainable diagnostic data for the frontline, giving management the ability to identify inefficiencies that consume cost and time.
An SMB survey found that 40% of the workweek is spent on managing communication inefficiencies - SIS International and Siemens 2008 Report
Benefits
The solution from weavix and Nokia gives site management and frontline workers the digital toolbelt and pervasive, reliable, and secure network connectivity they need to communicate, collaborate and provide live workforce diagnostics in real time and keep everyone safe in a fast-paced and complex environment. By taking advantage of the solution’s capabilities, companies can significantly boost the skills and efficiency of the frontline workforce, increase productivity and visibility, and reduce project delays.
STO presents big challenges
Lack of communication and visibility of the field workforce
In an STO project, a plant takes some or all of its production processes offline or out of service to perform testing, inspections, upgrades and non-routine maintenance on its equipment. An STO project is typically scheduled every few years and can last several weeks or months, depending on work to be performed. Plants often undertake capital improvements during the same period. Because production is stopped or significantly reduced, STO projects run continuously 24/7 until the work is complete.
STO projects are often the biggest operational expense for a process manufacturer, and the cost frequently exceeds the plant’s entire annual maintenance budget. An STO project manager is assigned and is responsible for keeping the project within schedule and budget.
However, plants face two key challenges in achieving this objective. The first challenge is to ensure that the entire STO project team (i.e. the contractors, field workforce and plant management) has the ability to communicate and collaborate. With a workforce of frontline plant employees and hundreds or thousands of hired contractors using tools and equipment (rented or owned) spread out across the entire facility, communication and collaboration between plant management and the field is limited to select departments (HSE, security) and crew management. It is nonexistent for the frontline worker.
The second challenge is a lack of real-time data on, and visibility of, what is actually occurring in the field. The STO manager, plant management and field operations team can’t quickly identify and resolve the inefficiencies that inevitably occur during STO projects because they don’t have digital tools to obtain the real-time field data they need to understand the situation and resolve the problem.
Private wireless CBRS network STO solution
Nokia has partnered with weavix to offer an end-to-end process manufacturing solution for STO projects. The solution is comprised of the weavix IOW platform and the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) private 4G/CBRS network.
weavix IoW platform
The weavix IoW platform is a plug-and-play solution that provides software that analyzes and models frontline data and digital tools that equip each worker to enable data acquisition and provide seamless communication and collaboration through push-to-radio, push-to-video, text messaging and live video in the field.
Three weavix IoW deployment offerings are available as part of a managed service:
- walt™ Smart Radio: This low-cost mobile radio device is built for industry and designed for the harsh environment of frontline. Featuring glove-friendly buttons and modular design, walt is the digital tool workers need for comprehensive communication. They use SIM cards that are registered to the LTE/CBRS private network, so they can be shared across shifts and securely connect only when they are on the premises.
- weavix certified device: The built-in weavix OS enables companies to stay connected with a locked-down device that offers no functionality other than the weavix platform.
- weavix mobile application. This application allows all contributors to an STO project to experience the full power of weavix from any device.
By deploying the weavix IoW platform, plant management gets better visibility and situational awareness of the STO project in the field. The platform enables them to significantly improve communication and collaboration with contractors and field workers to increase productivity and reduce delays. It also allows them to acquire the data they need to find and control budget-depleting delays and inefficiencies in real time.
In addition, weavix offers additional digital tools for STO projects. These include:
- wilma™ confined space remote and continuous monitoring assistant and LTE/CBRS extender
- wisp™ equipment and lightweight asset tracking device
Together, these components provide a complete digital toolbelt that plant management and the STO field workforce need for enhanced communication and collaboration, including voice, video, text and PTT/PTV capabilities.
The weavix software provides plant management with visibility of workforce diagnostic data through department-specific dashboards. It enables them to monitor KPIs in real time, request and dispatch resources, and generate reports on daily activity and worker time utilization.
Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) CBRS network solution
Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) is an integrated plug-and-play, as-a-service private wireless offering specifically designed for industrial applications.
The Nokia DAC kit supports a variety of radios (4G/LTE, CBRS, MulteFire and 5G) for mobile device connectivity, a locally deployed edge cloud server and the core network functionality required for low-latency applications and local breakout. It helps keep enterprise data confidential and makes network management capabilities accessible through an intuitive web GUI that runs in the cloud.
Nokia DAC supports several temporary deployment options for process manufacturing plants conducting STO projects. For example, a 4G/LTE or CBRS private wireless network can be set up on site using a cellular-on-wheels (CoW) solution which includes the Nokia DAC outdoor radio, edge compute and core network functions all in a portable, easy to install configuration. The 4G/LTE or CBRS radio tower is strategically placed on the plant premises to maximize outdoor coverage. It provides the quickest turn-up to deliver the coverage, connectivity and capacity that the field workforce will need during the STO project.
“The benefit of private LTE is the ability to prioritize devices and control bandwidth so safety professionals never have to worry about not being able to communicate. ” - Ben Burrus, CTO, weavix
Another option is to deploy a Nokia DAC 4G/LTE or CBRS network kit that can be temporarily installed with outdoor or indoor radios hung from strategically located plant structures to provide the area coverage, device connectivity and capacity required for the STO project. Nokia FlexiZone small cell radios are connected to the edge compute server, which is placed in a data center cabinet. This option provides greater flexibility and coverage and can support additional use cases beyond the STO project. Network engineering, planning and commissioning time are required to optimize network performance.
A third option is to permanently deploy a CBRS private wireless network for the plant. This requires more time to define network requirements and determine which applications and devices will connect to the network. It also requires an upfront capital investment. The advantage of a permanent network is that it is available to the plant management and workforce for all communication needs on an ongoing basis, including future STO projects.
“Private LTE delivers a solution where companies don’t have to consider the cost of data consumption. This is crucial during STO activities because there could be hundreds if not thousands of users on devices utilizing data.” - Justin Nickel, Marketing Director, weavix
Solution benefits
Access to real-time data
With the Nokia DAC private wireless network and weavix IoW solution, plant management now has connectivity to the entire field workforce and access to a richer set of real-time data during STO projects. This gives them the up-to-date situational awareness they need to monitor, manage and control operations and quickly resolve problems before they escalate.
High-capacity, scalable and flexible wireless connectivity
Nokia DAC delivers the LTE/CBRS bandwidth capacity and QoS that process manufacturing plants need to support all their voice, video and data applications with consistent and predictable performance. It has the scalability to connect thousands of walt and weavix mobile devices as well as SIM-based IIoT sensors, cameras, devices and equipment assets. Since LTE/CBRS protocols run over IP, the edge cloud server can connect to all plant operations systems and applications and deliver a richer set of data. This gives plant management and the STO project manager deeper insights and allows them to make more informed decisions.
Improved communications and collaboration
Plant management, contractors and the field workforce can now better communicate and collaborate over a reliable and secure LTE/CBRS network with affordable walt smart radios, weavix certified devices or mobile devices using the weavix mobile application. The field workforce now has a digital toolbelt that supports voice, high-bandwidth streaming video, push-to-talk and push-to-video (PTT/PTV). These capabilities enable them to coordinate their assignments and quickly resolve any issues so that they can complete their jobs on time and within budget.
The weavix platform also gives the field workforce the ability to alert their supervisors and plant management of hazardous situations or safety issues that occur in the field.
Reduced operating costs with an LTE/CBRS network
Nokia DAC supports a subscription-based deployment model that gives the plant manager a lower-cost option to gain all the benefits of a private LTE/CBRS network without a large upfront capital investment. Network operating costs are lower for a private wireless network because there are no monthly cellular data fees to pay to mobile operators.
The CBRS General Authorized Access (GAA) unlicensed spectrum is free to use. Obtaining a Priority Access License (PAL) for CBRS spectrum rather than leasing licensed spectrum from a mobile operator can be a lower-cost solution in the longer term.
Network evolution to 5G
When the plant wants to move to 5G, the Nokia DAC can be upgraded to support a 5G stand-alone network to support these new applications, devices and use cases.
Conclusion
Process manufacturers can significantly improve the productivity and efficiency of their STO projects by deploying the Nokia and weavix private LTE/CBRS network and IoW solution. This complete solution gives plant management the data and situational awareness they need to keep the project on-time and within budget.
The Nokia and weavix solution also give the field workforce a digital communications toolbelt that empowers them to collaborate with the STO project team and use real-time information to quickly address problems and make better decisions.
For more information, visit: www.weavix.com and www.nokia.com
