Converging

OT and IT
Uncover Predictive Insights from
Time-Series Data with Seeq and AWS
Table of Contents
Introduction: Process manufacturing is at the beginning of OT/IT convergence 3

What’s driving digital transformation in process manufacturing? 3

Challenges: What’s preventing OT/IT convergence? 4

Solution: Seeq on AWS enables OT/IT convergence 5

How Seeq software works on AWS 6

What kind of analytics do you want? 7

Key features and capabilities 7

How are companies realizing value from OT/IT convergence? 8

Well Performance Trending 10

Asset Utilization Monitoring At Buzzi Unicem 10

Getting Started with Seeq on AWS 11

 Introduction: Process manufacturing is at the beginning
of OT/IT convergence
Advanced analytics have helped organizations across
all industry verticals create new value from the data
they collect. However, in process manufacturing, many
organizations have not fully realized this potential yet. In
large part, that is because operational, time-series data
present challenges that traditional business intelligence
applications were not designed to solve. For example, the
data remains on-premises in process control networks
making it difficult for advanced analytics and data science
tools to access and uncover rich insights.

Making OT data available for advanced analytics is

the first step in truly unlocking its potential. Doing so
bridges the gap between OT and IT, empowering process
manufacturers to leverage machine learning, global
operational reporting, and emerging cloud technology to
enable innovation and efficiency at a greater rate to drive
improved business outcomes. Successfully converging OT
and IT is a critical starting point for organizations on their
path to digital transformation.

In this whitepaper, you will learn how Seeq on Amazon

Web Services (AWS) enables organizations successfully Successfully converging OT and IT is a
converge OT and IT to enhance process manufacturing critical starting point for organizations on
at scale. But first, it’s critical to understand the trends
their path to digital transformation.
leading process manufacturing organizations to pursue
digital transformation in the first place.

What’s driving digital transformation in process manufacturing?

The wealth of operational data
In many cases, manufacturing companies are collecting up to terabyte of operational data per plant on a daily basis and
this amount is projected to triple within five years. With this much production data at their disposal, the proper analytics
tools would allow process manufacturers to optimize processes and create a true competitive edge.

Adoption of smart manufacturing to achieve operational excellence

A common way for manufacturers to capitalize on their data is by adopting smart manufacturing. Smart manufacturing
is a technology-driven approach, utilizing technologies like industrial internet of things (IIoT), cloud, and machine
learning to optimize production processes. In these efforts, organizations are constantly seeking opportunities to
solve operational problems proactively, automate operations and leverage analytics to improve overall
manufacturing performance.

Converging OT and IT: Uncover Predictive Insights from Time-Series Data with Seeq and AWS 3
 Data-driven product innovation
By monitoring how products are used and received by customers in addition to watching market signals, companies can
leverage user data to produce and influence new, innovative products. To maximize their competitive advantage, many
are implementing machine learning capabilities to accelerate their rate of innovation.

Challenges: What’s preventing OT/IT convergence?

While these trends represent significant opportunity, process manufacturers operating on-premises face several
challenges that limit their ability to transform operations. These challenges include:

Leaving data on-premises creates data silos

When organizations store OT data on-premises, they inadvertently create data silos that limit analysis. That’s because when
data is stored in a physical environment, engineers and analysts working in disparate locations have a hard time accessing
the OT data. Data inaccessibility also makes it difficult to execute global operational reporting.

Data historian applications are not sufficient for advanced analytics

Most customers have been storing their time-series data in enterprise historians – database applications that enable
access to all sensor data in a plant – for decades. Typically, historians come equipped with two primary applications to
derive insights from time-series data: a trending tool for visualization and a Microsoft Excel connector for analytics. While
these applications work well with diagnostic or descriptive analytics, they fall short when it comes to root cause analysis
or predictive analytics. Part of this is because the manual effort involved with using Excel for analytics is significant.
Additionally, the moment the data is exported to Excel for analytics, the opportunity for insight on near real-time data
has passed. Finally, these applications don’t provide the machine learning and analytics capabilities needed to derive
powerful, predictive insights.

While traditional BI tools are great for analyzing relational data,

they often fall short when it comes to operational time-series data.

Time-series data needs to be analyzed differently than traditional data

Organizations often try to analyze OT data using traditional BI tools. While traditional BI tools are great for analyzing
relational data, they often fall short when it comes to operational time-series data. That’s because time-series data
comes with significant velocity, volume, and variety and it is extremely noisy. When capturing this data, you’ll often get
data points that represent an anomaly or irregularity thrown in with the rest of your sample. For example, if one of your
sensors was down for even a short period of time, your analysis would be thrown off. Because analysts working in BI tools
traditionally work on this data before subject-matter experts have an opportunity to cleanse the data, it is unlikely you’d
pickup on this dropout without it impacting analysis.

Converging OT and IT: Uncover Predictive Insights from Time-Series Data with Seeq and AWS 4
 Solution: Seeq on AWS enables OT/IT convergence
In order to derive greater value from their operational data, organizations are looking to establish industrial data lakes
on AWS. By doing so, they can bring together operational and enterprise data, establishing end-to-end visibility across
processes, production, and business performance.

When they do so, however, these organizations need a way to make time-series data collected on-premises data available
for analytics, and easy for subject matters experts throughout the company to gain insights from. That’s where Seeq and
AWS come in.

Seeq is an advanced analytics solution that enables the convergence of OT and IT. It does so by helping process
manufacturers connect to operational data residing on-premises or on AWS, cleanse and contextualize data for richer
analysis, and enable collaboration between the OT teams that understand the data and IT teams that have expertise in
advanced analytics and machine learning techniques. Seeq software can then be used to perform analytics ranging from
asset monitoring and diagnostics to root-cause analysis to predictive and prescriptive analytics.

Bridge data silos between AWS and on-premises

Seeq makes it easy for engineering SMEs and data scientists to access data that is residing
both on-premises and on AWS. By connecting easily to data from both sources, you can
bridge data silos that typically prevent an organization from leveraging operational data for
advanced analytics.

Empower SMEs to collaborate with data scientists

Seeq provides easy-to-use tools that are accessible to engineering SMEs, managers, and teams, while
also enabling data scientists to share analytics and machine learning models created on AWS. These
two capabilities lead to stronger collaboration between IT and OT, which is valuable (among other
reasons) because SMEs are much closer to the process being analyzed. As a result, SMEs can help
data scientists properly cleanse the data and drive towards better business outcomes. On top of this,
Seeq makes it easy for you to scale the SME’s productivity, by enabling you to duplicate their initial
efforts for new assets and/or processes being analyzed.

Enrich operations with cloud capabilities

Because you can run Seeq directly on AWS, you can easily leverage cutting edge technologies to
analyze time-series data. Amazon SageMaker is a fully managed service offered by AWS that enables
you to build, train, and deploy machine learning models. When using this service, Seeq enables you
to access time-series data that has been cleansed, contextualized, and gridded in Seeq to build and
train models in SageMaker. Once complete, these models can be accessed by Seeq, enabling new
levels of collaboration between data scientists and subject-matter experts.

Furthermore, Seeq can access time-series and relational data stored in services, such as Amazon
Redshift, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon S3, and Amazon Athena. You can access real-time sensor data
collected by AWS IoT services using Seeq.

Converging OT and IT: Uncover Predictive Insights from Time-Series Data with Seeq and AWS 5
 How Seeq software works on AWS
Seeq software is composed of two primary applications: Seeq Workbench and Seeq Organizer. Together, they provide
engineers, teams, and managers with self-service analytics, enhanced by machine learning capabilities to accelerate
time-to-insight. Neither component requires extract, transform, load (ETL) or duplication of data to function, allowing
users to integrate manufacturing and business application data sources with their data lakes all from the Seeq
application experience – the “one pane of glass” concept across all of the process data a user needs to access.

Seeq Workbench
Seeq Workbench is an application for engineers engaged in diagnostic,
descriptive, and predictive analytics with process manufacturing data.

Benefits:
• Connect to multiple data sources quickly
• Easily cleanse and contextualize data for analysis
• Uncover rich insights with advanced analytics and visualization capabilities

Seeq Organizer
Seeq Organizer is an application for engineers and managers to assemble and
distribute analysis and materials for distribution to others, while maintaining
links to underlying Seeq data. It’s most commonly used for things like process
optimization dashboards or summary reports.
Seeq software is composed
Benefits:
of two primary applications:
• Simplifies collaboration across teams/organizations
Seeq Workbench and Seeq
• Enhances productivity with automated workflows
Organizer.
• Consolidates reporting for simplified views

Interacting with data using Seeq on AWS

Once Seeq software is deployed on AWS it connects to and indexes all your time-series and relational data on the cloud.
For customers who do not have this data already on the cloud, some choose to lift-and-shift their historian data to
Amazon S3, then immediately begin indexing it.

There are two, easily accessible ways for you to interact with your data using Seeq:

1. Workbench Analysis: where you will be performing your investigations and calculations

2. Organizer Topics: where you can share your work with others in a dashboard, live document, or report format

Converging OT and IT: Uncover Predictive Insights from Time-Series Data with Seeq and AWS 6
 What kind of analytics do you want?
It’s most effective to approach analytics processes by
asking yourself what question you want to answer with
your data. Seeq answers the following questions by
performing the following analytics:
Descriptive analytics: What happened?
Seeq enables you to create and share insights to inform
decisions plant-wide.
Prescriptive analytics: What should
have happened?
Evaluate options and make decisions that optimize
your outcomes.
Key features and capabilities
Connects to all your data
Regardless of whether your data is on-premises or on
AWS, Seeq connects to your process and contextual data
without requiring you to move it, copy, or write a single
line of code. By breaking down data silos, you not only
are able to access data faster, but can develop more
comprehensive (and therefore more accurate) insights
into your process manufacturing operations.
Simplifies integration and scalability
Delivered as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution or
deployed in a company’s existing AWS environment, Seeq
can integrate and/or extend to other third-party products
and be customized through REST APIs and multiple
software development kits (SDKs). This enables you to
more easily incorporate emerging technologies across
your on-premises and AWS environments.
Converging OT and IT: Uncover Predictive Insights from Time-Series Data with Seeq and AWS
Monitoring: What is happening right now?
Gain real-time insights into the health of your asset and
process statuses, highlighting if operations are running
as expected and what actions you need to take to stay
on track.
Predictive analytics: What will happen?
Predict maintenance schedules and ensure you’re
improving batch outcomes.
Diagnostic analytics: Why did it happen?
Root-cause analysis to determine how you can improve
upon processes in the future.
Generates actionable insights in minutes
Whether you are working with historical or time-series
data, Seeq enables you to investigate and share analysis
across all verticals via historians or other storage
platforms. Its intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) and
point-and-click capabilities make it easy to build the
analytics dashboards and reports your teams need.
Data cleansing
The work required to get great analytics requires data
cleansing. Typically, organizations do not want to perform
this within their process control systems, requiring a
solution specifically geared toward time-series data. It’s
important to note that traditional BI tools are not built
to analyze time-series data. For example, if a sensor
goes offline, it can skew your entire analysis. Seeq can
interpolate what offline sensors’ data signal would have
been, so your data sets can be prepared for analytics.
7
 Machine learning
Seeq provides interactive machine learning capabilities
designed for ease-of-use. Certain methodologies have
been optimized for time series process data so you can
quickly clean your data, build and test your models, and
repeat the cycle to continuously improve it.
Knowledge capture and collaboration
Seeq Workbench saves analytics processes so they can
be reused and shared across tasks and teams. This allows
users who did not create the analysis to understand,
replicate, and scale the process –streamlining analytics
workflows and accelerating time-to-insight.

Multivariate regression is supported using a variety of
bases. The roadmap includes the integration of principal
component regression, k-means clustering algorithms,
and additional advanced artificial intelligence techniques.
Using the prediction tool in Seeq, you can rapidly generate
predictions generated from your variables and compare
them to actual figures. There is an “automatic” mode,
which adds polynomials and cross-products to the
basis to further improve your models. It continues to be
modified as new data arrives for any assets included in
the model.
Seeq Organizer builds upon this capability be creating
“read only” views of the information generated in a web
page format (as a URL), allowing viewers to annotate or
comment on the document to share feedback with
other viewers.
Using the prediction tool in Seeq, you can rapidly
generate predictions generated from your
variables and compare them to actual figures.

How are companies realizing value from OT/IT convergence?

To understand the value that Seeq on AWS delivers to process manufacturing organizations, let’s explore some use cases
that others have adopted.

Asset and process performance monitoring

Operators and engineers require near real-time monitoring of processes and asset performance. Being that Seeq is
specifically designed to work with process time-series data, it connects to data and immediately creates prediction
models to determine end-of-cycle dates and compares them to the minimum performance threshold. This process can
then be replicated across relevant assets.

This enables risk-based maintenance planning based on the predictions generated by Seeq. By planning maintenance
outages, engineers can reduce the amount of unplanned downtime and prevent single failure events.

Converging OT and IT: Uncover Predictive Insights from Time-Series Data with Seeq and AWS 8
 Production optimization
Seeq offers users the ability to identify batch phases and sub-phases through process operating data analysis by combining
step numbers, flow rates, and valve modes. Capsules, a Seeq feature which helps users quickly identify time periods of
interest, can identify different process phases and calculate key metrics for each, resulting in batch-phase and long-term
views of recommended asset and process improvements that can be made to save time and increase efficiency.

As mentioned previously, Seeq users have access to continual contextualization of process data, enabling them to create
accurate process signal statistics for each mode of operation (e.g. operators
can totalize flow rates only when in Cleaning vs. Sterilization or identify max conductivity per cleaning event).

Additionally, by providing a central view into operational data, it streamlines the process of documenting and sharing
insights, accelerating the identification and resolution of operational problems.

Predictive maintenance
There are three primary steps associated with this type of analysis.

1. Processing
collect the process data
signals required to perform predictive analysis
2. Calculations
perform calculations by
deriving data from the required input signals
3. Predictions
create a prediction-as-a-function from the signals you created for your
calculations

Using the predictions generated within Seeq, you can identify a potential
equipment failure date. From here, communicate this analysis with the
maintenance department and work with them to schedule a maintenance
appointment prior to the failure date or perceived operational issues.

A prime example of this is the maintenance of pumps and compressors

in your manufacturing facilities. Seeq enables users to remotely analyze
compressor performance and search for extreme operating conditions, such By planning maintenance
as abnormal cylinder temperature. The ability to rapidly share processes allow outages, engineers can
them to replicate monitoring solutions across all relevant assets, providing reduce the amount of
comprehensive monitoring reports in near-real time.
unplanned downtime and
The ability to detect compressor operating issues earlier in the asset lifecycle prevent single failure events.
allows for operating condition adjustment and improved maintenance
planning, helping to lower maintenance costs and production losses.

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 Well Performance Trending
Customer Overview
An Australian energy company focused on the exploration, production, and retail of energy—from
renewables to natural resources.

Challenge
Due to disparate, non-integrated data sources, analyzing well performance was difficult and time-
consuming for production engineers.

Solution
The company leveraged Seeq on AWS to integrate data from various data sources onto their platform
and view them from a single interface. They then leveraged Seeq’s ability to build custom asset
structures and data visualization capabilities to compare performance across wells, and scale their
calculations and analyses.

Benefits and Results

By centralizing the company’s data, engineers were able to quickly and easily analyze data,
significantly accelerating time-to-conclusion. It also enabled them to rapidly scale their monitoring
capabilities across hundreds of wells. This allowed them to analyze well integrity over time utilizing
past data and current information, and more accurately predict future performance.

Seeq’s Well Performance Trending has yielded improved production, lower energy and chemical
costs, improved safety, and lower emissions. In the long run, it will also result in reduced
maintenance costs, improved reliability, and improved engineer productivity.

Asset Utilization Monitoring At Buzzi Unicem

Customer Overview
A leading materials manufacturer in Italy that produces cement, ready-mix concrete, and
construction aggregates.

Challenge
In order to raise efficiency and production standards, it was important the company to be able
to analyze the performance of batch processes and identify the amount of time spent in each
process phases. They needed to increase visibility into unproductive process time (e.g. equipment
cleaning) to enable users to reduce such events. By reducing wait times and increasing production
opportunities when reducing waiting times, overall profitability can also increase.

Solution
Seeq on AWS enables users to identify batch phases and sub-phases through process operating
data analysis by combining step numbers, flow rates and valve modes. It also provides the ability to
calculate metrics for each batch phase and create reports. This data provided operators with a better
understanding of each batch phase and a long-term view of where improvements can be made to
increase efficiency. The speed of AWS empowered the company to rapidly scale its monitoring assets
across dozens of assets and multiple locations.

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 Benefits
Seeq allows for increased effectiveness in the overall analysis of batch process utilization, as well
as improved documentation and cross-organization collaboration. It enables rapid identification of
issues that arise during operations and replaces existing spreadsheets which can be complicated,
inefficient, and make it difficult to collaborate.

Calculations and Capsules

With Seeq, capsules can identify different process phases as well as calculate key metrics for batch
phases. Seeq users have access to continual contextualization of process data, which enables them
to create accurate process signal statistics for each mode of operation.

Results
Seeq operators are able to more effectively analyze batch process utilization, eliminate existing
shared excel documents to better streamline the process and improve both documentation and
collaboration processes. The end result enables faster identification of operational problems so that
they can be responded to and fixed sooner, reducing their impact to your bottom line.

Getting Started with Seeq on AWS

Seeq on AWS enables process manufacturers to begin digital transformation by enabling the convergence of IT processes
and OT data. In doing so, manufacturers can uncover rich insights that help them optimize operations, reduce costs,
innovate products, and more.

To learn more about Seeq on AWS

• Register for the upcoming Seeq webinar

To get started with Seeq on AWS, explore Seeq on AWS Marketplace

Our two primary deployment methods:
1. Seeq can be deployed as a Seeq-hosted SaaS application on AWS
2. Seeq can be deployed directly into a customer’s AWS account

About Seeq Corporation

Founded in 2013, Seeq publishes software applications organizations to rapidly
find and publish insights in process manufacturing data. Oil & gas, pharmaceu-
tical, specialty chemical, utility, renewable energy and numerous other vertical
industries rely on Seeq to improve production outcomes, including yield,
margins, quality, and safety. Headquartered in Seattle, Seeq is a privately held
virtual company with employees in the United States, Asia, and Europe.

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