Two years ago, SBM Offshore, a worldwide operator of 14 large floating production vessels (FPSOs), began thinking about new ways of deploying digital technology to improve how it works with its partners and service providers. There was a lot at stake for the Monaco-based group whose fleet of vessels process over a million barrels of oil per day. One area for immediate improvement was the water treatment and injection facilities critical for deepwater production, a process in which, as the industry saying goes, “water in equals oil out.” Working with its partner Veolia to improve water treatment and injection, SBM concluded that both parties needed more accurate, real-time oversight of the highly complex and expensive process where problems can result in costly downtime with hefty contractual penalties. Veolia and SBM, who are both well-established users of the PI System, used the PI System as a solution to create a rich flow of data, and move from reactive to predictive analytics for managing water treatment.

At its plant in Bassens, France, Michelin manufactures the high-tech synthetic elastomers for its tires. In the past, Michelin’s engineers struggled to track equipment in real time, which is critical for reducing off-spec production and resource waste. With the PI System, Michelin was able to develop easy-to-use tools for plant operators to track complex processes and keep them within optimal parameters. Efficiency improvements driven by the PI System saved the company €4 million in less than a year, and enabled the plant to recover from a 2,000-ton disruption in material production within six months.

The French National Railway Corporation — the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français, or SNCF — is a state-owned company that operates France’s world class railway system. SNCF Réseau oversees the management and maintenance of 30,000 kilometers of railway line with 15,000 trains running daily. In 2014, SNCF began a partnership with OSIsoft and now uses the PI System to provide digital tools for workers in the field, enable machine learning, and catch equipment failures before they occur.

In 2015, Sandvik Coromant embarked on a proof-of-concept pilot project to track and optimize machine performance using OSIsoft’s PI System. There was just one catch. The project group asked for ten weeks to deliver proof of value — upper management gave them just four. Today, it's unrolling the PI System in 20 different sites to connect over 800 machines.

“When you talk about grid reliability that’s really what you’re trying to do… empower your operators to, as quickly as they can, comprehend the action that they have to take in the operation of the facilities to ensure that the lights stay on.” -Dayna Aronson, Enterprise Solution Architect, Peak Reliability ...