PC-MAY22-PG54-55.1_Layout 1 16/05/2022 16:51 Page 54


ASSET MANAGEMENT


there always remains the question of what to do with regard to documentation. Though it may seem hard to believe, there is often a lack of appropriate processes in place when it comes to systematically documenting which components are currently installed (and where) during plant construction, commissioning, ongoing operations, and maintenance. Many automated production facilities continue to use Excel spreadsheets that are maintained, more or less, regularly. However, plant operators, let us be truly honest: who among you is able to say, with certainty, that they know the current status of their production facility? Accurate documentation is an integral part


A TARGETED RESPONSE TO INVENTO T


Automatically generated inventory, using software from AUVESY, equals greater security, improved product quality and safer production


hough digitalisation continues to progress, when it comes to automation technology,


Fig.2 Fig.5


components installed in your manufacturing facility to be automatically generated and


systematically managed? From a technical standpoint,


of the construction of manufacturing facilities. However, in more complex environments, the task of checking documentation for accuracy upon handover can be so time-consuming that it is not uncommon to turn a blind eye, for as long as the production facility continues to run smoothly. Time constraints placed upon such projects are immense, and the earlier production can be started, the faster money flows in. Furthermore, no one genuinely wishes to have to spend days checking which components are installed and where; especially if there is no centralised, up-to-date inventory list available. What may have appeared to have been the


simpler solution at first glance can easily come back to bite later. It is difficult to reliably maintain a system if you do not know which components, software versions, and/or programmes are currently installed and where; but such knowledge is important for maintaining a smoothly running operation, and for ensuring product quality, safety, and security. It is only by doing so that it is possible to know which critical security patches need to be installed, or where new firmware should be installed. But where does this leave you? Does it mean that you have no choice but to set aside several days to allow for documentation to be thoroughly checked each time a handover occurs? What if there was a way for the current status of those


54 MAY 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL


locating all devices within a network is quite feasible, but it is only one part of the solution. For this reason, AUVESY developed an additional add-on for its data management system, versiondog. The Asset Inventory Service helps identify, manage, and analyse all assets within an OT network, which in turn benefits machine and plant manufacturers, as well as operators of automated production facilities. One need look no further than the handover


of new assets, to see how a targeted analysis of the hardware configurations for project data (in addition to an active network scan) can help to automatically determine all assets in a manufacturing facility (Fig. 1). As Dr. Tim Weckerle, (Fig. 2) CEO of AUVESY,


explained: “Thanks to our add-on, it is possible to automatically generate an up-to-date inventory of all controllers, HMIs, robots, CNCs, drives, actuators, sensors, and IPCs. At just the touch of a button, plant operators receive an overview of all components currently installed in the plant, including current firmware versions and much more.” The information is clearly displayed in a list, which helps increase accuracy and simplifies the task of comparing documentation. The automation technology of a plant is


constantly evolving. Components are swapped out, software parameters are adjusted, patches are applied, and much more. Knowing the state of a plant, at the point of a handover, is therefore important, however, it is not enough to guarantee the safety of an operation (see Fig. 3). In order to ensure this, it is necessary to maintain documentation. The key is the Asset Inventory Service add-on, which seamlessly combines the advantages of versiondog and all data managed within it. In addition to automatic data backups,


operators of automated production environments also have an overview of the current status of the plant at all times, and can thus react quickly at any time in the event of a problem (e.g. replace an asset in the shortest possible time and upload current programmes and configurations). The link also allows asset data, which is managed using the data management system, to be imported/reconciled. This in turn makes it possible to dispense with active network scans during operation, and still keep the inventory of all managed assets automatically up-to-date. Plant operators, and those involved in


maintenance, also know that not all assets in a production environment are of equal importance when it comes to ensuring smooth operation. Therefore, assets are usually classified into risk levels. If a piece of equipment has a high-risk level, the maintenance engineer needs to quickly provide a solution should problems arise. Changes to equipment classified as being low risk, can be placed further down the to-do list. Risk level is also taken into consideration when calculating the risk score. Devices with a high level automatically receive a higher score than those with a lower level. This risk score is determined automatically and kept up-to- date for all recorded assets via the Asset Inventory Service. It is simply a matter of maintaining an overview. For how else can the maintenance technician assess whether a new firmware update is relevant for their system? And if so, how else would one determine just how urgently the update needs to be installed? When it comes to risk level determination,


the current CVE list (CVE = Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) is automatically compared via the Asset Inventory Service, providing, at a glance, information concerning exactly which CVEs are present in a specific


Fig.1


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