ABB and Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) company announced they will collaborate to deliver a scalable, high-performance wireless connectivity solution for large industrial customers. Customers will be able to capture valuable data and insights from their equipment via ABB Ability Smart Sensor technology and access it via a web portal, a cloud interface or a mobile phone application.
The expanded partnership leverages ABB’s expertise in operational technology and HPE’s leadership in information technology infrastructure to provide industrial customers with an easy-to-deploy, Bluetooth-based wireless infrastructure. Available in late 2019, the integrated solution can also be used by customers operating in hazardous industrial environments.
Per the partners, "This collaboration opens innovative opportunities that go beyond condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. For example, Infrastructure-as-a Service or location-based services will allow both companies to add significantly more value for customers."
“Aruba is a market leader and a trusted partner that will help us better serve large facilities,” said Jonas Spoorendonk, Global Product Manager, ABB Ability Smart Sensor. “By combining network infrastructure powered by Aruba with ABB Ability, we are extending our existing offering to help industrial manufacturers make even better decisions about their equipment. This enables them to increase manufacturing productivity and reduce maintenance costs.”
The ABB Ability Smart Sensor technology transforms traditional motors, mounted bearings and pumps into wirelessly connected devices, measures key parameters and converts data into actionable information. Used in conjunction with Aruba’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled access points which feature zero-touch provisioning, the Smart Sensor technology enables customers with large industrial sites and multiple access points to easily monitor the condition and performance of equipment. This allows them to plan maintenance in advance, avoiding unplanned and costly downtime.
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“This collaboration expands upon our existing partnership with ABB,” said Philip Spiessens, Senior Director of Global OEM Partnerships at Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company. “Customers need seamless and secure connectivity from sensors through access points to their IT network to capture real-time data and insights in order to make informed business decisions. This collaboration brings together the strengths of both global companies.”
Collaboration between ABB and HPE began in 2017 with the creation of solutions that combined ABB Ability with HPE’s secure edge compute and hybrid IT solutions, as well as new financial business models. The companies note they have also developed joint solutions for secure edge computing, and partnered to deliver a data-driven, intelligently automated solution that balances data center operations with cost-efficient power sources in real time to drive energy efficiency for its customers.