Digital technology manufactures a new future at Baker hughes plants

The future of smart manufacturing

Oil and gas play a monumental role in the basic functions of daily life for people across the world. As a result, a technology leader such as Baker Hughes (BH) that provides products and services to the oil & gas industry has a substantial global impact and its efforts to innovate can be felt by millions every day. This responsibility has driven the organization to not only improve its operations but also to enhance its services in order to help customers acquire, transport, and refine hydrocarbons more effectively and with a smaller environmental footprint. By providing support on Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream activities, BH has become the world’s first and only fullstream service provider. Through the use of digital technology, BH breaks down silos and reduces both costs and risks in over 120 countries.

As part of a continuing effort to improve its efficiency and productivity within a highly competitive industry, BH Turbomachinery & Process Solutions (TPS) business wanted to improve the productivity of and visibility into its manufacturing process. Moreover, it desired the ability to make decisions and manage production in real time based on data drawn from all relevant devices and machines. With this additional level of insight, the organization would be able to make improvements to its existing processes while reducing downtime. Doing so would require modern digital technology and a partner with a thorough enough understanding of digital manufacturing and the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) to create and implement a powerful solution.

Combining IT and OT to form a shop floor solution

In order to access the necessary expertise to execute its vision, BH selected Capgemini as its industrial partner for the duration of the project. This decision was a result of Capgemini’s extensive understanding of shop floor technology and its history with digital manufacturing solutions. Indeed, Capgemini’s new global business line Digital Engineering and Manufacturing Services combines all its deep expertise in IOT, and connected products, smart engineering and digital manufacturing. Together, the partners formed a strong team for transforming BH’s shop floor by committing to a collaborative, “One Team” approach.

Working in unison to formulate a delivery plan for the project, BH and Capgemini performed an in-depth analysis of the existing manufacturing processes. Based on the results of this study, the partners determined that the ideal solution would be an Industrial Internet solution. This technology offered an effective method of connecting the various devices and machines that made up the manufacturing process. By doing so, BH would be able to create a complete picture of the organization’s opportunities for enhancement. In addition, this solution would be created within the existing infrastructure at BH to ensure minimal disruption to operations during the implementation and a reduction in the overall complexity of the solution.

With a comprehensive solution template in place, the partners agreed to utilize Capgemini’s unique, agile methodology to connect Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) into a single solution.

Real-time manufacturing management

By following the mutually established plan, Capgemini and BH implemented an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solution that transformed shop floor processes. With IIoT, every machine is connected within a network that compiles data in order to generate a comprehensive report on the state of the production process. The solution drew upon numerous data sources, including machine tools, ovens, cranes, the MES, and the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to create its overall view of the shop floor. This ensured complete coverage and a total view of machine performance, which could then be shared with external systems.

In addition, the data is compiled and reported in real time, providing operators and engineers with the ability to both view data-based shop floor insights at any given time and take action quickly. This also enables those same technicians to make informed decisions at the right moment to ensure that BH plants continue running at optimal levels.

While connecting manufacturing devices and machines, Capgemini also implemented standardized processes throughout BH’s shop floor, in effect aligning all its Turbomachinery & Process Solutions (TPS) Italian plants on a common way of working. As a result, operators no longer need to contend with location-specific challenges and can respond to disruptions in a uniform manner, substantially enhancing the speed and effectiveness of their adjustments. With this solution, Capgemini and BH have connected machines, manufacturing operations, and people in real time, creating a new, modern manufacturing approach.

The combination of greater insight, enhanced access to data on the part of the operators, and standardized processes led to an overall decrease in the amount of machine downtime. By forming a comprehensive view of the shop floor, the solution empowered technicians to identify disruptions and preempt them before they actually affected the manufacturing process. This has resulted in a 12% increase in machine utilization in different sites within five months of deployment as well as millions of Euros in savings.