Capgemini - Experts & Thought Leaders

At the Hannover Messe on April 23, 2024, founding members ABB (including B&R), Capgemini, Microsoft, Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric (including AVEVA), and Siemens announced collaboration on a new initiative to deliver interoperability for Industrial IoT ecosystems. Hosted by the Linux Foundation and open to further interested parties, the Margo initiative draws its name from the Latin word for 'edge' and will define mechanisms for interoperability between applications, devices and orchestration software at the edge of industrial ecosystems. Digital transition Margo aims to deliver on its interoperability promise through a modern and agile open-source approach In particular, Margo will make it easy to run and combine applications from any ecosystem member on top of the hardware and runtime system of any other member.  Margo aims to deliver on its interoperability promise through a modern and agile open-source approach, which will bring industrial companies increased flexibility, simplicity, and scalability as they undergo digital transition in complex, multi-vendor environments. digital ecosystems “Mastering efficiency, flexibility and quality faster than competitors is key to success in today’s industrial world,” said Bernhard Eschermann, CTO, ABB Process Automation. “Digitalization can help deliver on these benefits, but digital ecosystems require a robust, secure and interoperable framework at the edge, connecting operations and information technologies. For ABB, a long-standing advocate of open automation systems, driving a forward-thinking collaborative initiative like Margo is key to achieving this goal.” Interoperability is key to digital transformation at scale "The more sources you get data from, the better the decisions you can make," explained Florian Schneeberger, CTO of ABB's Machine Automation division (B&R). "Yet, while the benefits of digitalization increase with scale, so do the challenges of navigating heterogeneous industrial ecosystems. That's why interoperability is so crucial to unlocking the full potential of digitalization. It empowers organizations to adopt and scale Industrial IoT solutions at full speed without large teams of IT specialists." ABB’s commitment In March 2024, ABB became a member of the Linux Foundation. This will enable the company to further enhance efforts in promoting open community collaboration, helping unlock innovation and enable better products and experiences for customers. This further strengthens ABB’s commitment to open standard-based systems. In a live panel discussion at the Hannover Messe, representatives from the six founding members met to present their vision for edge interoperability in the Industrial IoT and appeal to like-minded industry peers to join the community and contribute to building a meaningful and effective standard. 

At MWC Barcelona 2023, Schneider Electric, Capgemini and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announced their collaboration on a first-of-its-kind 5G-enabled automated hoisting solution. The three companies have joined efforts on design and installation of the solution at Schneider Electric’s hoisting lab in Grenoble, France. 5G Private Network solution Replacing wired connections with wireless and unifying existing wireless connections from Schneider Electric’s industrial automation system, the 5G Private Network solution demonstrates how it can simplify and optimize digital technology deployment at scale across industrial sites — from steel plants to ports. These crane applications are designed to operate in challenging industrial environments From avionics and automotive to steel manufacturing and shipping, hoisting applications play a critical role in supply chain and manufacturing operations, where heavy materials and goods are transported over what can be hundreds of meters. These crane applications are designed to operate in challenging industrial environments, for example, under extreme temperatures and over large distances. Digital transformation “Digital transformation is helping Schneider Electric customers generate step-change advancements in productivity, efficiency, and sustainability, but not one company can do it alone,” said Marc Lafont, Vice President, Innovation and Upstream Marketing, Schneider Electric. “Schneider Electric has always been a proponent of collaboration and the innovation that comes with it.” Marc Lafont adds, “This breakthrough end-to-end 5G private network hoisting solution is a perfect example of the power of working together as we pilot it at end user sites this year. In addition, in the short-term, we will validate more industrial 5G use cases in various discrete manufacturing, hybrid automation, and process automation applications. In the mid-term, we will experiment with deeper integration of 5G technology inside our automation equipment.” Wireless, automated hoisting Automated hoisting systems increase productivity, safety, and operational performance but require fast reaction times, high precision and reliability, 24/7 availability, and both manual and autonomous capabilities. Furthermore, several systems need to coexist on the same network with video cameras for monitoring and remote operation, and PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) for various control functions, including automation, remote control, and safety functions. 5G features native low latency characteristics 5G’s native low latency characteristics allow the system to replace fiber cables in remote-control operations 5G’s native low latency characteristics allow the system to replace fiber cables in remote-control operations, addressing the need to simplify network complexity, reduce wires, and provide long-term reliable connectivity. “This collaboration with Schneider Electric demonstrates Capgemini’s unique ability to partner with clients to take advantage of technologies to innovate and create new use cases for their industry. The 5G end-to-end solution customized for Schneider Electric’s hoisting system is a good example of the added value of 5G for industrial communication and really illustrates its potential to transform an industry segment,” said Fotis Karonis, Group Leader of 5G and Edge Computing at Capgemini. Advanced connectivity, 5G, and Edge computing technologies Fotis Karonis adds, “Advanced connectivity, 5G, and Edge computing technologies are strong enablers and accelerators for this move towards a digital economy and innovative use cases. They allow industrial clients to redesign systems and processes and make them more efficient, agile, and intelligent.” “The opportunity to utilize 5G to propel enterprise connectivity forward is tremendous, thus we are investing in this emerging ecosystem by providing practical innovations for 5G Private Networks,” said Enrico Salvatori, Senior Vice President, Qualcomm Europe, Inc. and President, Qualcomm Europe/MEA. Enrico Salvatori adds, “Our latest technologies are accelerating the numerous benefits modern 5G Private Networks offer to partners like Schneider Electric and Capgemini. By enabling a pre-integrated solution with multi-vendor choice along with Open RAN automation and management technology to streamline deployment, management, and customizability of private networks, we’re helping reduce complexities and accelerate time to market globally.” Schneider Electric, Capgemini and Qualcomm partnership Capgemini has worked closely with Schneider Electric to design an optimized end-to-end 5G solution Capgemini has worked closely with Schneider Electric to design an optimized end-to-end 5G solution and identify business outcomes on Schneider Electric’s industrial use case. It has also provided the systems integration support based on Qualcomm Technologies latest innovations and assisted Schneider Electric to integrate the 5G network with their use cases, to characterize and optimize the system. Schneider Electric’s expertise in industrial automation combined with Qualcomm Technologies’ heritage in wireless technologies, compute and AI innovations, plus Capgemini’s hands-on experience of network deployment and systems integration intersect to improve performance while eliminating complexities, resulting in faster time to market and improved KPIs for automated hoisting customers. The 5G private network hoisting solution: Replaces wired and other wireless connections for several critical PLC control flows and time sensitive video flows powering numerous use cases. Operates in 3.8GHz radio frequency band, with an enterprise-grade Athonet core network and Airspan Small Cells using the Qualcomm® FSM™100 5G RAN Platform, significantly improving connectivity performance and enabling new use cases. Private 5G automated hoisting system Beyond its core industrial functions, the Private 5G automated hoisting system can now be leveraged to deliver additional digital use cases, such as augmented operators enabled by XR (eXtended Reality) and wearable devices.