With the launch of the Valmet DNAe Distributed Control System (DCS), Valmet redefines what a DCS can be in a connected digital world. Valmet DNAe is a next-generation distributed control system. As a fully web-based platform, it delivers an industry-leading user experience and cybersecurity by design. The system brings the process know-how of the world’s leading experts directly to your control applications and improves efficiency. It provides unique data collection and utilization capabilities, enabling informed decision-making. Valmet DNAe is a catalyst for sustainable practices, and it sets the stage for autonomous operations and a digitalized future.
The future holds remarkable prospects for process industries. Every challenge is a catalyst for innovation and growth. The pressures of globalization and demographic and climate change are reshaping expectations. As technology leaps forward, Valmet is creating solutions that transform complexity into simplicity, enabling a new generation of workers to navigate and excel in a digital landscape.
Transformative times for process industries
“The world around us is changing rapidly. Industrial systems like the DCS need to embrace this digital connected world,” explains Mr. Jukka Ylijoki, Vice President of R&D, Automation Systems, Valmet. “Building a truly open yet secure and sustainable DCS that would last for decades required a complete overhaul. No aspect of our recently launched Valmet DNAe was left untouched. We had to be sure it delivered the reliability, performance, flexibility, and security our customers needed.”
A foundation for digitalization and autonomous operations
“Compared to 20 years ago, the requirements for a DCS have changed dramatically,” says Mr. Harri Mustonen, Director of Control Systems, Valmet. “The primary purpose of a DCS is still to connect field devices to process controls, but over the last few years, digitalization initiatives everywhere have pushed the DCS toward higher levels of connectivity and automation.”
The common thread is better data utilization. To enable greater autonomy, the DCS needs to collect, manage, analyze, and share high-quality data across Operational Technology (OT) systems at the facility and the Information Technology (IT) systems of the back office.
“Valmet DNAe makes this possible as a single unified system,” says Mustonen. “In addition to real-time process controls, Valmet DNAe brings structured high-quality information management tools for advanced analytics and reporting to the core of the DCS. This enables customers to improve their digital intelligence at every level to achieve higher targets while reducing production costs.”
Cybersecurity meets open connectivity
Making the digital transformation smooth for customers was a key ingredient in the development of Valmet DNAe. “Customers need to be able to open their DCS in an easily controlled manner to combine systems and data sources,” says Ylijoki.
“Our networking and connectivity goals for Valmet DNAe were far more ambitious than anything we had done before. How do you secure a system designed to be open and adaptable? To answer that, we maintained a laser-like focus on cybersecurity.”
“This was perhaps our biggest insight when we started developing Valmet DNAe,” Ylijoki continues. “The need for a platform that is fundamentally cybersecure is proving itself time and again.”
Valmet DNAe ensures cybersecurity measures from the operating field layer up to IT-level communication. The system’s different network layers and technical features have been developed based on certified Security Development Lifecycle Assurance (SDLA) methodologies, ensuring security from the first line of code.
At the core of the Valmet DNAe Distributed Control System is the Trusted Information Framework (TIF), which serves as the backbone for communication and data management. The TIF framework provides a robust foundation for system security and integrity. Built on the TIF foundation, Valmet DNAe architecture is cybersecure by design, and it includes measures such as role-based access control, authentication, encryption, endpoint protection, and comprehensive audit trails. IT security integration helps security teams stay alert to potential threats, and the Valmet DNAe system also enables the implementation of intrusion detection.
Every user counts more than ever
“Industries face a silver tsunami of retirement,” says Mustonen. “The most experienced people are leaving the workforce. New recruits lack the expertise from 30+ years in the same job, and they don’t even want such a career. Changing jobs after a few years is the norm now. Even though the DCS role is bigger, the system needs to be much easier to learn and use to counter high turnover.”
Attracting new recruits and keeping them is hard, adding to the pressure to optimize and do more with less. Smaller and smaller teams need to be able to run processes in larger, more complex operations.
Valmet DNAe empowers teams to collaborate seamlessly across process areas, sites, departments, and organizations by implementing a design philosophy that focuses on usability. Users get an intuitive holistic view of processes, sites, and fleets for best situational awareness and cross-team collaboration.
“Valmet DNAe is as much about bringing people together and new ways of working as it is about connecting systems,” says Ylijoki. “We want the best experts to be available for our customers and work seamlessly to analyze data, resolve issues, and optimize process performance.”
All users can now easily access and leverage process data to improve and accelerate data-driven decision making. Bringing more users into the DCS realm is the key to success.
Watch: In Pursuit of Lesser Water Footprint‘
Performance for a sustainable future
With the DCS taking on an increasingly important role, high availability is a must for a fully digitalized DCS. “System reliability is critical because the primary function of a DCS is to secure continuous, trouble-free production,” notes Mustonen.
Fault tolerance and redundancy have been at the core of Valmet DNAe development, ensuring continuous availability of real-time high-quality data. This enables precise control of the process and faster response times to both unexpected disturbances and planned changes.
“You can eliminate process variability and run at the optimal operating point to produce the targeted production and quality with the minimum input,” says Mustonen. “This is critical for long-term sustainability. Valmet DNAe delivers the controls, data, analytics, and diagnostic intelligence to confidently move towards more efficient use of resources and lower emissions.”
The future starts now
Valmet keeps its lifetime systems compatibility promise to customers with Valmet DNAe. Existing Valmet DNA customers can benefit now from the latest technology and innovations in Valmet DNAe.
“We have well-defined upgrade paths for existing Valmet DNA customers to transition to Valmet DNAe on a timeline that best fits their production and investment plans,” says Mustonen.
“Whether it’s a hydrogen production or power plant, paper machine, or whiskey distillery, tremendous process expertise has gone into those applications,” adds Ylijoki. “They’re the strongest foundation to build on. We introduce innovative technology while securing customers’ existing assets by migrating control functions without changing their behavior.”
Customers can jump-start optimization and performance enhancement through a library of industry-specific applications for Valmet DNAe. Valmet also provides a reference network with ready-made templates to significantly reduce project times and ensure the final Valmet DNAe network design adheres to cybersecurity requirements.
Securing the present is as important as securing the future. “One of the key advantages of the Valmet DNAe system is that it can evolve. This is pivotal to our customer promise,” says Ylijoki. “More than that, though, our system is designed to adapt and remain competitive in the future.”
Also Read: Bellmer: Innovation and Collaboration in Paper Technology
New cybersecure system core and architecture
Valmet DNAe is inherently cybersecure by design. The innovative system core and architecture provide multi-layered protection to shield operations from cyber threats.
Developed following the industry-leading IEC 62443-4-1 standards and independently verified with Security Development Lifecycle Assurance (SDLA) certification, Valmet DNAe delivers hardened defenses against cyber threats.
Valmet DNAe enables customers to improve their digital intelligence at every level to achieve higher targets while reducing production costs.
User Interface and configuration tools
Valmet DNAe was developed with a design philosophy that empowers people to perform and collaborate better across their organization. The system provides a common user interface for controls, analytics, configuration, and maintenance. Intuitive workflows simplify operations and enable users to manage larger process areas with less effort. With role-based access control and support for global expert networks, Valmet DNAe also enables global collaboration and multisite operations to increase operational flexibility and ease recruitment. The new user interface enables significantly easier onboarding for the new generation of DCS users.
Built-in data management and analytics
The Process Insight solution is included in Valmet DNAe and can be run on-premise in an edge server or fully in the cloud. Easy-to-use trending, analysis, and filtering allow users to follow, study, and troubleshoot processes, while powerful reporting and self-service data visualization help cross-team collaboration.
Advanced analytics and reporting solutions provide actionable insights to all users from control room personnel to analytics teams and office stakeholders. The easy-to-use dashboarding and analysis tools and advanced monitoring and prediction applications are specifically designed for industrial data and provide a comprehensive view of production processes or sites.
Valmet DNAe is as much about bringing people together and new ways of working as it is about connecting systems.
Guaranteed lifetime compatibility
Valmet DNAe is a scalable automation system that grows with a business. It adapts to evolving operational needs and technological advancements. Valmet’s commitment to lifetime system compatibility guarantees that there’s always an upgrade path available.
Predictable lifecycle costs and long-term commitment are ensured through lifecycle plans. Service agreements provide performance guarantees and expert support for continuous performance improvement.
Upgrading an existing Valmet DNA can be started smoothly through the user-friendly Valmet DNAe User Interface. Valmet DNAe User Interface is available as an upgrade for the previous generation Valmet DNA, ensuring a seamless user experience across generations.
Digital pioneer
Since the 1960s, Valmet has been pioneering digital solutions for industrial customers. Valmet’s first DCS arrived in 1978, one of the very first on the market. Since then, all our distributed control system generations have had industry-leading release compatibility.
Common hardware family
Valmet’s controllers and I/Os are built for reliable real-time operation, ensuring uninterrupted performance. The adaptable hardware family offers a wide range of options to perfectly fit specific needs, regardless of the current system.
