NEWS n 5 ABB and Microsoft launch AI copilot with ‘potential to transform industry’ ABB HAS JOINED FORCES with Microsoft to launch a generative AI tool that helps industrial users to improve efficiency, productivity and sustainability by contextualising vast amounts of data and providing actionable insights “in an intuitive manner”. The ABB Ability Genix Copilot uses large language models, such as GPT-4, that have been customised for industrial use. Unlike traditional natural language processing that works mainly with text, the new tool uses data from real-world production environments, providing insights that can be implemented immediately to improve industrial operations. ABB says that by embedding Genix Copilot’s capabilities into digital systems, users will be able to achieve significant cost savings in their operations and maintenance, boost production efficiency, and drive improvements in energy use and emissions. Genix Copilot is designed to handle and process data from multiple sources, including shopfloor operations, operator conversations, enterprise systems, unstructured data and metadata, to deliver insights with natural language support. The tool’s intuitive conversational interface allows users to inquire about operational parameters, such as asset health, performance, fault analysis and more, receiving clear, concise responses. For example, a maintenance manager can ask for a summary of the day’s events for their plant, including insights on critical assets that may need attention, root cause analysis, as well as the status of the work orders. Three Genix-based applications are already being used by early adopters: n Genix My Measurement Assistant Copilot, which streamlines troubleshooting and maintenance for industrial devices by using AI to access documentation, error codes and spare parts details. n Genix Asset Performance Management Copilot, which delivers an intuitive user experience for maintenance teams in asset-intensive industries, providing real-time insights in natural language, summarising key events, as well as delivering contextual analytics and actionable recommendations. With predictive maintenance insights, it helps to improve asset performance and reduce downtime. n Genix Sustainability Insights Copilot, which helps users to monitor and enhance their sustainability efforts by providing insights on energy consumption and emissions. “Digitalisation and AI are at the core of delivering more value to our customers, with a substantial part of our R&D workforce dedicated to digital, AI and software,” says Peter Terwiesch, president of ABB Process Automation. “Collaboration of ABB and Microsoft on generative AI is an important step in driving innovation and shaping the future of industry, helping our customers outrun – leaner and cleaner. With Genix Copilot, we can bring a new era of user experience, collaboration and consumerisation of real-time actionable insights across roles. “By embedding Genix Copilot capabilities in our Genix solutions,” he adds, “we’re empowering customers to make faster, data-driven decisions that help them improve productivity, efficiency and sustainability.” “Working with ABB, we’re truly pushing the boundaries of what generative AI can do for industry,” says Sonja Meindl, enterprise commercial director at Microsoft Switzerland. “Genix Copilot has the potential to transform industrial operations, offering customers a practical, easy-to-use tool that enhances efficiency, productivity and sustainability.” www.drivesncontrols.com January 2025 DG INNOVATE (DGI), A UK R&D COMPANY that develops mobility and energy storage technologies, has formed a joint venture with an Indian EV manufacturer and automotive technology company, EVage Automotive, to manufacture and supply drivetrains based on its motor technology. They expect to manufacture up to 100,000 motors in the first four years of production, in ratings of 80, 150 and 315kW, with largest machines having potential industrial applications. DGI has also recently delivered a prototype 450kW motor to Meritor Electric Powertrain Systems, a partner in a UK project to develop drive systems for heavy goods vehicle, which is being partfunded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). The motor weighs 180kg, and is claimed to deliver “industry-leading” torque density. It produces continuous power with a 97.3% measured efficiency when paired a DGI inverter, and 98.5% from the motor alone. DGI will own 60% of the JV with EVage, called Pareta India, and will provide the designs for a range of motors and licence the associated technologies and related intellectual property rights to the JV, while EVage will oversee day-to-day manufacturing. The JV will produce motors for e-mobility customers, including EVage, and for third parties in India and elsewhere. “I haven't been this excited about a product launch since my days at Tesla,” says DGI CEO, Peter Bardenfleth-Hansen. He was with Tesla for more than nine years until 2016, when he was director of its EMEA business development activities. The DGI team includes several former Tesla engineers. DGI’s prototype 450kW motor for the UK project, funded by the Government-backed Automotive Transformation Fund, has an innovative cooling system designed to ensure peak performance under extreme conditions. Redundancy is built in via a parallel inverter architecture, providing an extra layer of security. UK-Indian JV will produce 100,000 electric motors ABB’s Ability Genix Copilot uses generative AI to boost productivity, efficiency and sustainability in industrial operations
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