What you see is that the OT network is increasingly being combined with the world of IoT. If implemented properly, this offers a range of new possibilities, according to ICT Group.
With IoT, you bring in modern internet technology as a water board or asset manager of, for example, a bridge or a tunnel, says Leon Huijsdens of ICT Group. "In many cases, it is a welcome addition to classic and robust OT techniques such as PLCs. Data generated by all kinds of sensors goes straight into the cloud where you can then unleash all kinds of intelligence." His colleague Eric van der Laan illustrates this with an example: "IoT is extremely suitable for setting up measurement networks with a time component linked to them, i.e. how does the water level develop over a period of time, what is the electrical conductivity of the water, etc. You can then run an analysis that serves as a basis for possible measures."
From reactive to preventive
With IoT, you are mostly involved in supporting processes, not so much the primary process. For example, you measure the status of an asset or artwork over a certain period of time. "If the connection breaks, you only have a gap in the data, but the primary process continues," says Eric. "And because you measure status, you can add all kinds of intelligence to it. With sensor technology on a pump or pumping station, you can use the measured vibrations to analyse whether there may be problems with the pump. This allows you to move from reactive to preventive maintenance in your primary process. IoT has been used in road construction for some time. The loops in the road measure the traffic intensity and when it increases sharply, the matrix signs light up. That is also IoT, which we at ICT Group are working on." Leon: "The flexibility and speed of action that IoT offers means that you can anticipate things very quickly. You're not going to be able to do that with OT." Chris Bosse of ICT Group adds: "With IoT, you can detect things remotely. That saves time and hands, because you can organize work much more efficiently."
Energy Optimization
With a view to the future, it is important that an asset or work of art is as sustainable as possible in its operation. Eric: "If there is little green electricity available, the electricity is expensive or the connection is under pressure, you can decide to pump out the rain cisterns at a later date, for example, provided that the KNMI does not predict rain." Leon: "If you do indeed know all the facts, you can use IoT to build very nice algorithms for them. And we are taking it a step further by combining IoT with AI to develop and apply these complex algorithms. A person can consider three to five factors among themselves. With AI, you can consider an unlimited number of factors and determine the optimum and then determine the setpoints for the OT equipment per quarter of an hour, half an hour or any other time frame."
When asked whether the integration of IoT in the OT domain entails risks, Chris answers resolutely: "We are aware of the vulnerabilities, but offer the best and most secure solutions in return. Inevitably, the two worlds will come together. That is why it is important that you arrange it properly from the start. We understand the entire chain, both the OT and IoT domains, and have built our own platform, ConNXT, for exchanging data and reading sensors. We now have many hundreds of thousands of assets running to the full satisfaction of our customers, including water boards and managers of bridges and locks, among other things."
