When one thinks of an edge, one’s thoughts immediately jump to the outside limit of an object, area, or surface. The terminal part - sometimes distant, sometimes sharp, sometimes perilous. The edge of a blade, the edge of a cliff, the edge of the world…
Another type of edge exists, sometimes more harsh and more remote than the edge of a blade or a cliff, or perhaps even of the world. This ‘Edge’ is the edge of a digital communications network, specifically those exposed to the harshness, and sometimes hardship, of primary and secondary industrial sectors - where raw materials are blasted, crushed, blended, shredded, milled, evaporated, centrifuged, concentrated, or extracted.
Currently industry is undergoing a digital transformation. As technologies evolve and become smarter, they tend to generate more and more data. In order for this data to be useful it needs to be collected, processed, stored, analysed and interpreted. In a world where cloud computing is becoming ever more the norm, where any semi computer literate Joe can create an AWS EC2 instance and gain instantaneous access to infinite secure computing resources, this shouldn’t be a problem, right?
However, with masses of data generated from thousands of smart sensors, instruments, devices, meters, or actuators, a new (old) problem occurs – bandwidth limitations and latency challenges. And when the communications network Edge is in primary and secondary industry environments, chances are that the geographical location is remote, the communications infrastructure is overstressed, disruptions in power and communications are highly likely, and physical latency becomes a material problem. This problem presents a new headache, but also a new innovation opportunity.
Furthermore, an ever-growing quandary in the technological world is that of a technology’s CO2 footprint, or any related possible CO2 tax. Reducing this footprint is increasingly important from a compliance perspective. And one of the largest patrons to the CO2 footprint in the modern technological world is the unnecessary upload, transfer and storage of sometimes irrelevant data – all deposited in enormous climate-controlled data centres, being the tangible capital infrastructure manifestation of what is termed the ‘Cloud’.
The solution is a shift from centralised cloud computing, to processing close to where the data is generated, on the so-called ‘Edge’, where distributed hardware performs energy efficient grunt work on site prior to uploading key insights to or bi-directionally communicating with the Cloud. This enables the ability for intelligent real-time data processing without stressing bandwidth nor being subject to what may be process existential connectivity disruptions. According to Gartner, 75% of data will be processed outside of the Cloud by 2025. Which brings forward the topic of this writing. Edge computing, and Edge processing.
By definition, localised computing, in close proximity to where data is generated, requires dedicated hardware and system level engineering which carefully balances power efficiency, ruggedisation and connectivity capabilities, with the ability to process, store and action. Executing complex, real-time analytics and data driven outputs in primary and secondary industry demands ruggedness. Ruggedness provides reliability in harsh, remote, and unpredictable operational environments. Couple this with a platform agnostic, non-propriety, modular and flexible software stack, and the Edge capability goal line is appreciably shifted.
Nanodyn envisages a synergy of centralised Cloud and federated Edge computing, to provide truly effective, system-wide optimisation. A dynamic or ‘living’ cybernetic system, where the Cloud is overseeing and bi-directionally interacting with the Edge, and where as much of the data processing heavy-lifting is performed at the coal face as is possible. To realise this vision, Nanodyn has developed a highly ruggedised industrial computer, being dust-and-water-proof, as well as capable of withstanding extreme temperature ranges of -40 to +70 degrees Celsius. Seamless integration with the cloud is realised by a built-for-purpose modern microservices-based software stack running on the Edge device, that bi-directionally communicates with Cloud infrastructure and management platforms.
This symbiosis between Cloud and Edge computing combines the ability to responsibly perform real-time, low latency and bandwidth-efficient Advanced Process Control, with the potential derived from the comprehensive and ever advancing elastic storage and elastic computing utilities of the Cloud. A collegial relationship with the ability to unlock monumental Advanced Process Control potential.
Mr. JT Myburgh, Mechanical Engineer at Nanodyn
