Infosys Embraces IoT to Create Efficient Solutions

​The Internet of Things (IoT) often goes beyond higher efficiency and can transform business with improved workflow and throughput. This has definitely made most companies (big and small) notice how the transformations brought by IoT has helped in enhancing the business, streamlining the processes, analyzing the flaws, and also managing products efficiently. These benefits have further nudged businesses to take the first big step and start transforming. One of the companies leading this trend is Infosys. With its expertise in end-to-end engineering services across various industry verticals, Infosys has been focusing on IoT initiatives to improve efficiencies for its clients across their industrial value chain.

This includes seamless integrated supply chain efficiency, asset efficiency in the manufacturing shop floor, and service efficiency of products. One of the focus areas of Infosys is Industrial IoT to enhance efficiencies in the manufacturing shop floor. Its IoT service offerings include:

• Platform and solutions – Consists of ready-to-market solutions built on platforms/partner products
• Consulting – Includes business transformation using IoT, domain and technology consulting, IoT roadmap creation for its clients, organization change management, architecture definition, and vendor selection
• System integration - Involves integration and implementation, hosting and managed services and operations, and enterprise systems integration
• Solution definition - Comprises of technology requirements definition, solution component selection/development, and data definition/modeling
• Embedded hardware - Includes intelligent/smart device development/integration, instrumentation of the assets using sensors, and retrofit design

Infosys has been working on various advanced engineering analytics techniques and has provided smart solutions to the clients to improve efficiencies.  Some instances focused on the oil and gas industry are provided below.

Case Study: Real-time monitoring of production from oilfield

A global oilfield company was looking for a digital solution to better manage their oilfield. The company sought Infosys to provide an end-to-end solution that enhances data analytics using industry 4.0 principles. Infosys designed a real-time data acquisition system for the company. This was used for monitoring and calculating the oilfield's span and also the yield it provided over a period of time. Infosys provided design modeling and simulation for the modeling well, reservoir, and the surface network that helped in optimizing the production from the oil and gas wells. The solution leverages GIS for field monitoring and gathers the real-time data from various devices through sensors and provides it to petroleum and reservoir engineers. They used this data for interpretation of the life of the well by remotely monitoring various parameters. The solution also provided web as well as mobile interfaces for faster decision-making and reporting. The overall solution was cost-effective by reducing IT infrastructure and maintenance costs. The main benefits of this solution include the provision of real-time analysis of the data from the well for event identification and for better decision-making. It also enhanced productivity with changes in the oil well environment with remote monitoring and faster control.

Iron Testing System for a leading oilfield service major

Infosys provided an RFID (radio frequency identification) based Asset Tracking System for an oilfield service major. This is a handheld and desktop based solution for asset tracking, inventory management, and ensuring certification compliance. The software features include RFID and barcode enabled handheld scanners for a quick check-in and check-out of assets, creating a hassle-free inventory tracking. The solution allowed task allocation, result uploads, and monitoring of the status. It also sent automated email notifications of all the updates. This solution provided accurate reports and generated the inspection certificate for the asset. The company benefitted by achieving regulatory maintenance and compliance. It also reduced the time by 15 percent and enhanced asset utilization. With this solution, the company can track assets such as irons, valves, and other hydraulic components in three test facilities and 40 locations.

Successful IIoT implementation

Those involved in engineering at an OEM, plant or utility usually have expertise with mechanical design or process control equipment. Often, technologies for internet communications, analytics and cloud applications fall beyond their comfort zone.  Industrial IoT applications use a diverse set of skills for engineering, operating technology (OT) and information technology (IT).  Engaging with an engineering services company like Infosys fills in these gaps, reduces risk and improves project time-to-benefit.  Ralph Rio, Vice President, ARC Advisory Group commented, "To assure success, the program should be headed by an experienced business leader, and engage with an engineering services company having technology partners, proven platforms and successful case stories."

In short, IoT is definitely the route most businesses are taking to retain their competitive edge and also innovate the solutions. Innovations of this level make it clear that the future in technology is dominated by IoT.

Keywords – Infosys, Internet of Things, Oil and gas industry, ARC Advisory Group