Solutions for all requirements
When it comes to developing efficient and powerful technologies, Siemens is an international pioneer. This is not only true of the Energy and Industry Sectors, but also of the Healthcare Sector. The software installed in the associated solutions plays a key role in enabling Siemens to distinguish its activities from those of the competition.
The DC develops software for testing switchgear control technology.
CT DC Industry
Siemens’ Simatic automation system represents one of the Industry Sector’s most important milestones. In fact, the impact that Simatic has had on a wide range of industrial processes is virtually unmatched by any other technology.
The Simatic success story began in 1958, when Siemens launched its first fully wired electronic regulation and control systems under the name Simatic. Today, Simatic controllers and the Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) software concept that is based on them offer solutions to almost all conceivable tasks in industrial automation – whether in transport and traffic technology, or in manufacturing facilities. In some situations, they are supported by software from Corporate Technology’s DC Industry Development Center.
DC Cluster Industry and its software developments are also closely interlocked with the activities of the Industry Sector’s business units. The expertise of software specialists at CT DC extends from communication networks for industrial applications and energy management to the control of production processes, sophisticated fire protection systems, traffic management systems, and train control equipment. The cluster’s software portfolio is therefore also wide-ranging – and not just as far as topics are concerned. Its products and services cross national borders. The Industrial Automation Systems business unit, for instance, has established a global, 50-person development team at CT DC India. This team develops software for user interfaces, helps to formulate functional descriptions, and is responsible for the development of operating systems and applications.
Around 10,000 kilometers away, the Development Center Central Eastern Europe (CT DC CEE) certifies automation components from Siemens and external manufacturers in its accredited Profinet CompetenceCenter and Profinet Test Laboratory in Prague. CEE also operates an Engineering Center in Zilina (Slovakia) together with the Railway Automation business unit. Here, experts create hardware and software configurations for various rail systems, such as switches, control systems, and train control systems.
The DC develops software for optimizing electricity trading on the market.
CT DC Energy
The Energy Sector is a global leader with efficient solutions for power plants and power transmission. Its portfolio also covers the world’s most powerful gas turbine. These days, however, software is an increasingly important part of these complex systems – for example, when it comes to feeding the maximum possible amount of energy from decentralized, renewable resources into the grid.
The solution to this problem is the “smart grid” – an intelligent grid that can be managed in a flexible manner. The smart grid represents the symbiosis of an energy system with information and communications technology. As a result, the energy flows within the grid are not only more transparent but are also easier to control. At the same time, automation is becoming increasingly widespread in the power infrastructure. Thanks to this development, it is easier to integrate and manage decentralized power sources such as wind, sun, and biogas. The result will be a stable, intelligent power grid that features energy stores and boasts a low-CO2 power mix. This would not be possible without a range of software applications.
Among other things, CEE develops new applications for power companies. The largest utility in the Benelux countries, the Electrabel Group, now negotiates its electricity contracts with the help of a software tool developed by CT DC CEE. The tool, which bears the name “jROS” (joint Resource Optimization and Scheduler), incorporates many parameters that are relevant to electricity trading. The parameters, which it also harmonizes, can, for example, include data on the amount of power produced by various sources over a large geographical area or the effects of weather conditions.
In addition, the utility company can use the software to lower the costs of generating electricity. It can do so, for example, by planning generation and reserves, by reducing fuel consumption using the most efficient operating mode, and by optimally exploiting the energy provided by cogeneration facilities or hydroelectric stations. The software, which is currently in use at many utilities in Europe, is being continually updated by CEE in response to the needs of different customers.
Programmers at CT DC India also work on software for the Energy business. For example, they are developing Wind Power Supervisor (WPS). Operators of wind farms can use this solution to monitor their Siemens wind turbines remotely and identify and repair any impending faults at an early stage. At the same time, they can also use WPS to save the operational data generated by the entire wind farm, analyze its interrelations, and infer ways to increase the efficiency of individual turbines. For instance, the air currents and turbulences at the center of a wind farm are different from those at its periphery. Using WPS, turbines and their operating parameters can be individually adapted to their locations and thus optimized. The software is already being used in many wind farms that rely on Siemens turbines.
Software specialists in India are also working on solutions for modern power plants that are operated using web-based control technology. The first such control system in the world, the SPPA-T3000, was to a large extent developed by experts at DC India, who introduced it in 2005. The system permits the operation of a power plant and provides an overview of its status. It enables the customer to quickly spot if a problem has arisen so that countermeasures can be taken immediately via the Web. At present, almost 900 power plants around the world regulate their operation with the help of the SPPAT3000 system.
Particularly interesting results are being produced by the Development Center in China. The focus here is on ways to tailor the functions of individual programs so that they are suitable for emerging markets. In this case, the solutions are especially reliable, easy to use, robust, and, above all, economical.
Many of the complex and expensive functions used elsewhere – such as fulfilling specific western industry standards – are simply not required for power grids in China. That’s why DC China supports Siemens Energy Sector in developing suitably adapted software for Chinese power grids.
What’s more, IT experts at DC China have also developed an integrated management system for operating power plants. With the WebBFS system, for instance, operators can manage their facilities’ work procedures online. DC China tailored the software in line with the needs of the Chinese market in terms of language, usability, and safety regulations. And it has done so with resounding success. Several customers in China are already using this software.
The DC develops software for testing switchgear 4-D ultrasound systems.
CT DC Healthcare
Given the fact that populations almost everywhere are experiencing widespread aging, keeping healthcare costs under control while boosting the quality of treatment is quite a challenge. It requires modern healthcare solutions ranging from laboratory diagnostics to imaging systems and comprehensive information technology. Siemens Healthcare is the only supplier worldwide to comprehensively cover such an integrated approach in its portfolio. Due to the consistent work processes involved, the solutions are all very impressive – regardless of whether the issue is magnetic resonance tomographs (MRT), diagnostic laboratories, or tools for controlling clinical or administrative processes. Here too, software is a vital element when it comes to ensuring an appropriate level of quality and efficiency – as are the programs of the DC Healthcare Cluster.
When it comes to developing efficient and powerful technologies, Siemens is an international pioneer. This is not only true of the Energy and Industry Sectors, but also of the Healthcare Sector. The software installed in the associated solutions plays a key role in enabling Siemens to distinguish its activities from those of the competition.
Software solutions for healthcare are a specialized area of the Development Center in India. New diagnostic software such as Syngo.via makes it possible to evaluate clinical images from MRI, CT, or PET-CT systems faster and in more detail than was previously possible. In the case of a heart examination, for example, the coronary arteries are automatically segmented, highlighted, and displayed on a monitor using intelligent algorithms.
Experts at CT DC CEE also work for the Healthcare Sector. Toyon, an ultrasound imaging software , which makes it possible to visualize and evaluate ultrasound examinations for echocardiography, is a major hit. With this software, the Siemens ultrasound system Acuson SC2000 is capable of realizing 4-D visualizations in real time. At present, roughly 400 of these ultrasound systems are in use at locations around the world.