Robots & Drones, the arm of Digitalization
/"From legacy physical assets to the forefront.”
As far as we go today, we are still engaging in many manual and routine activities as part of our daily tasks.
Today’s routine inspections and maintenance activities have some common challenges:
Safety Risk due to working at height in exposed structures, hazardous areas, or harsh environments, all requiring extra protection and work processes.
Labour Shortage due to the aging population and technical skills gap.
Human Limitations to perform the tasks in terms of speed, accuracy, consistency, etc.
[2.3 million workers around the world succumb to work-related accidents or diseases every year. The Importance of Safety Culture — Yokogawa Digital Solutions]
Workers perform manual and repetitive activities with no time to innovate.
Discover how Yokogawa & Robot solutions can help achieve this stage.
Robots, the Arm of Digitalization in Petrochemical, Oil, and Gas Industries
The integration of robotics technology represents a seismic shift in the operational dynamics of the petrochemical, oil, and gas industries. Digitalization is at the heart of this transformation, with companies like Yokogawa leading the changes in driving to Unchanged and Unattended plants.
Embracing the Robotics Revolution
Enhancing Operational Autonomy
When combined with digital solutions, robotics can help your company achieve full operational autonomy. Drones and ground robots can perform hazardous or repetitive tasks (often called the 4D - dull, dirty, dangerous, and demanding jobs), ensuring safety for operators and increasing efficiency.
Robot and drone technology can help solve the three common challenges. Correctly deployed robots and drones with autonomous inspection technologies have the capabilities to:
Reduce safety risks by quickly, easily, and safely reaching heights and dangerous areas
Solve labour shortage by allowing the emerging workforce to use technology to do tasks more efficiently with better repeatability.
Beyond human limits, robots and drones can be equipped with sensors and specifically designed payloads to meet operational objectives.
Digital Twins: The Blueprint of Innovation
Yokogawa's expertise in building detailed 3D Digital Twins to mirror physical assets, processes, or systems allows for accurate simulations and insights. These virtual models can predict outcomes, identify improvements, and train staff, all in a risk-free environment. Digital Twin | Yokogawa Electric Corporation
Yokogawa Asset Management and Integrity solution with Robotics enables real-time and intelligent risk prioritization to maximize asset performance and minimize human safety risk with dynamic maintenance planning and scheduling, work procedure optimization, and emergency response with drones & robots.
[Asset Management and Integrity | Yokogawa Electric Corporation]
Virtual Reality [Virtual Reality | Yokogawa SE Asia]
Worker visualizing on a Digital Twin data captured by Robot, Drones and other sensors.
Mixed reality, robots, and drones are revolutionizing the creation of digital twins by enhancing their accuracy and detail. Mixed reality merges real and virtual elements, facilitating better understanding and faster decision-making. Robots provide precise data from hard-to-reach areas, updating digital models in real-time. Drones offer aerial data, ideal for monitoring large spaces and infrastructure. Together, these technologies create dynamic, up-to-date digital models, enhancing simulations, preventing issues, and improving planning and projects.
3D and immersive technology are becoming popular because they let users, far away from the asset, easily understand what is happening. Reusing developed 3D models saves on the cost of making them and helps understand equipment status remotely, increasing the need to integrate with existing systems.
Robots and drones, with adequate sensors for specific inspections, can go to places where fixed devices can't, gathering important, up-to-the-minute data from various places. This improves digital models, making them more complete and up-to-date. Robots speed up the digitalization process, leading to more effective and flexible operations.
Data Capture and Utilization
Robots equipped with sensors capture critical data. Yokogawa's solutions ensure the data is available to the suitable viewer, providing actionable insights for better decision-making. This continuous flow of information is crucial for predictive maintenance and real-time adjustments.
Yokogawa's Role in Your Digital Transformation
Custom Robot Solutions
With a broad domain knowledge and more than 100 years of industry expertise in automation solutions, we are now on the frontline with Robot Solutions to overcome challenges that were previously impossible. From automated inspection and maintenance, these solutions are designed to integrate seamlessly with existing operations.
Discover more about what we can achieve together on [Robot and Drone | Yokogawa Electric Corporation]
Cybersecurity and Data Integrity
In an era where data is king, Yokogawa prioritizes cybersecurity, ensuring the integrity and safety of all captured and transmitted data.
Cybersecurity and data integrity are vital in deploying robotic solutions, to ensure these technologies operate safely and effectively.
Cybersecurity protects against unauthorized access and cyber threats, maintaining the safety of robots, drones, and their communications.
Data integrity ensures the accuracy and reliability of the data these devices collect and utilize, which is crucial for their precise functioning and decision-making.
Prioritizing these aspects is essential for protecting sensitive information, complying with regulations, and ensuring the long-term reliability of robotic systems in an era where data misuse and cyber threats can have significant repercussions.
Explore more [The Necessity of Converged IT/OT SOC in Strengthening Cybersecurity]
Unattended - Remote monitoring and remote site support functions quick wins
Shifting to industrial autonomy means using advanced tech like IoT, AI, and cloud computing to make operations smarter and more secure. This includes remotely monitoring and supporting sites to quickly solve problems, which is a key advantage. Yokogawa's approach isn't just about making tasks automatic; it's about creating a self-running operational system that supports sustainable and efficient goals, such as reducing energy use and emissions. By automating more, companies can manage multiple sites remotely with fewer people, saving time and resources. Using digital twins means less need for physical site visits, making maintenance and inspections more efficient. This strategy aims for smarter manufacturing and achieving business goals alongside sustainability.
Through extensive use of automation, facilities can be operated remotely in real-time. This can introduce economies of scale where a smaller operating crew can oversee multiple physically distinct assets (e.g., a central control room overseeing multiple facilities or an onshore crew controlling and operating an offshore facility).The use of digital twins (extensive use of 3D models, laser scans, photogrammetry, and the like) will dramatically reduce the need for mobilization and site visits in preparation of inspection, maintenance, and turnaround work.
Explore more on [Digital Transformation | Yokogawa Electric Corporation]
Implementing robotics technology is not easy and creates new challenges for customers. They need a trusted partner to handle the implementation process and ensure the reliability, availability, and sustainability of the robot and drone operations.
Robot and Drone | Yokogawa Electric Corporation
Author: Nil Postius Echeverri
Development of Business Strategy and Digital Transformation adoption with Robot and Drone Solutions by creating cross-delivery based on customers' objectives and stakeholders' engagement.
