Episode 49: Wacker System Migration - A Necessary Evil or an Opportunity?

Spoiler alert: Wacker Chemie turned what is often considered to be a necessary evil into an opportunity for progress.  In Episode 49 of the Digitalization Tech Talks podcast, we welcome Vishnu Sharma, Director of Project Engineering at Wacker, to discuss a transformative journey in the world of industrial automation and digital technologies. This episode dives into Wacker’s innovative approach to leveraging digital tools during a Distributed Control System migration, providing insights into how these technologies have revolutionized operations, engineering, and maintenance processes. Vishnu’s expertise and firsthand experience offer an in-depth look at the challenges and successes of navigating this complex undertaking.Listeners will gain valuable perspectives on how Wacker integrated cutting-edge digital solutions to modernize its systems and drive efficiency. Vishnu shares practical examples of how this has enhanced decision-making, streamlined workflows, and improved overall system reliability. From digital twin simulation to mobile devices, the episode uncovers the pivotal role digitalization can play propelling a DCS migration to the next level, setting a benchmark for other organizations in a similar position to also take advantage of the opportunity that migration presents.Show Notes:Website: Wacker (https://www.wacker.com/cms/en-us/home/home.html)Website: Migration of legacy systems and third party (https://www.siemens.com/global/en/products/automation/process-control/simatic-pcs-7/migration.html)Video: Virtual Control via SIMIT VT-Simulator at Wacker in BBiW (https://youtu.be/3PnefXIeqCM?si=ZUMSGfo7m3nQAM3Y)Webinar link:From Reactive to Proactive: Mastering Predictive Maintenance with AI—Siemens Webinar 2025 (https://www.semi.org/en/event/from-reactive-to-proactive-mastering-predictive-maintenance-with-ai-siemens-webinar-2025)Contact us:Vishnu Sharma (vishnu.sharma@wacker.com)Don Mack (mack.donald@siemens.com)Jonas Norinder (jonas.norinder@siemens.com)