Siemens Plans to Include Gensym’s Next-Generation of G2 Software in its MES Portfolio
Gensym Corporation, a leading provider of software and services for expert operations management, announced that Siemens’ Automation and Drives Group (A&D) plans to use Gensym’s next-generation G2(R) software within SIMATIC IT, A&D’s portfolio of MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) software. Siemens is currently working to incorporate into its products new capabilities within Gensym’s next generation of G2.
SIMATIC IT Production Suite
SIMATIC IT is Siemens’ portfolio of MES products that enable manufacturers to optimize the flow of production by coordinating and synchronizing processes in real time. SIMATIC IT bridges the gap in functionality and alignment that exists between shop floor control systems and enterprise business systems. With SIMATIC IT, manufacturers more effectively specify how to produce orders, assess available production capacity, determine which orders to process and when to schedule them, and track production lots and key performance indicators in real time.
SIMATIC IT offers a highly configurable product suite with flexibility for adapting to a wide variety of production requirements. A key to its flexibility is its component-based approach, in which required functionality is provided by independent application components, including those for production tracking and tracing, quality management, material lot management, personnel management, and many others. Through a modeling framework built on the current version of Gensym’s G2 software, the activity of each component is synchronized and coordinated with the machines, people, and applications already present in the customer’s plant. The overall framework structure is based on ISA-95, which is an industry standard that defines equipment and workflow models for integrating enterprise and control systems.
“Unlike traditional MES products, SIMATIC IT readily adapts to the dynamic requirements of each installation so that users can fit the software to their own business processes instead of changing the way they run their business to fit the software,” said Mr. Ivo Dabrowsky, Siemens A&D MES Integration Manager. “G2 enables us to build a product that relates groups of production equipment and software systems, using real-time rule logic to express business and production processes. The improved configurability, adaptability, and flexibility being introduced in Gensym’s next generation of G2 will help further differentiate our products in the MES marketplace.”
Taking Advantage of Next Generation G2 Capabilities
Gensym recently released its next-generation G2, version 8.0, and plans to largely complete its transition to next-generation G2-based products by the end of the year. This next generation of products, which is compatible with the previous generation, includes the following capabilities:
— Advanced reasoning technology for more powerful decision support
— Out-of-the-box application functionality to speed up deployments
— Embeddability in larger systems for deployment flexibility
— Standardized application infrastructure components to reduce development effort
— A new user interface based on Microsoft Windows standards for greater ease-of-use
— Advances in on-line and off-line performance
“Siemens’ SIMATIC IT organization has been a leading-edge user of Gensym technology for many years,” said Philippe Printz, vice president of engineering at Gensym. “As part of its transition to our next generation of G2, Siemens’ technical staff has been working closely with our product team to help ensure that our next-generation products will meet Siemens’ requirements now and in future releases of SIMATIC IT. We greatly value this relationship.”
“Gensym is very pleased to be partnering with Siemens’s MES group as it grows its business and use of our reasoning technology,” said Lowell Hawkinson, chairman, president, and CEO of Gensym Corporation. “Siemens’ use of G2 as part of their leading MES Suite is an outstanding example of the value that G2’s dynamic modeling and reasoning capabilities can provide in high-volume OEM applications. We look forward to working with Siemens for the indefinite future.”
About Gensym Corporation
Gensym Corporation (www.gensym.com ) is a provider of software products and services that enable organizations to automate aspects of their operations that have historically required the direct attention of human experts. Gensym’s product and service offerings are all based on or relate to Gensym’s flagship product G2, which can emulate the reasoning of human experts as they assess, diagnose, and respond to unusual operating situations or as they seek to optimize operations. Gensym’s next generation of G2, version 8.0, which is fully compatible with the previous generation, was released in June 2004. The transition to the next generation of G2-based products is expected to be largely complete by the end of 2004.
With G2, organizations in manufacturing, communications, transportation, aerospace, and government maximize the performance and availability of their operations. For example, Fortune 1000 manufacturers such as Alcan, ExxonMobil, DuPont, El Paso, Eli Lilly, Ford, Hitachi, Lafarge, Procter & Gamble, and Toyota use G2 to help operators detect problems early and to provide advice that avoids off- specification production and unexpected shutdowns. Manufacturers and government agencies use G2 to optimize their supply chain and logistics operations, while communications companies such as AT&T, Ericsson, Motorola, and Nokia use G2 to troubleshoot network faults so that network availability and service levels are maximized.
Gensym has numerous partners who help meet the specific needs of customers. Gensym and its partners deliver a range of services, including training, software support, application consulting and complete solutions. Through partners and through its direct sales force, Gensym serves customers worldwide.
Gensym and G2 are registered trademarks of Gensym Corporation. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
