TIE DIVISION

TIE division started as a permanent cooperation forum at the beginning of 2022 as a continuum of the TIE project. The division continues digitalizing the processes of the exchange of technical information between companies, especially in connection with investment projects and Operation & Maintenance cases. TIE members started the new CoPVN, Collaborative Production Value Network in Summer 2023.

See the brief TIE presentation

### CHALLENGES

Although suitable technologies and standards already exist, the challenge is how companies agree with each other on what standards to use, how to adapt companies’ internal business processes to the information flow between companies, and how to ensure interoperability of information exchange at the corporate network interfaces.

The current prevailing practice stems from traditional way to agree information exchange based on company’s own legacy data models. Practice has shown that it inevitably leads to costly case-by-case implementation solutions, information siloing, and loss of information integrity. This means that the information is difficult to access, and it cannot be utilized extensively, e.g., by combining design, equipment, and operational data for specific AI applications. According to international estimates, digitalization has not increased productivity in the process industry over the past 20 years, while in the consumer sector productivity growth has been wild!

TIE-PROJECT

Seven multinational companies participated in the project. In addition to companies, Business Finland and Automation Foundation founded the project. The most important use-case example was the integration of the technical information exchange processes into procurement processes in investment projects. Different industries use different standards (sometimes incomplete), and data exchange processes vary, making it difficult to find a common approach.

Committing in one way is impossible if one cannot trust that key business partners will be able to commit to the same. This is not only a national challenge, but it also affects all industrial sectors around the world. Therefore, learning was sought by allying with key international development groups for digitization standards (PoscCaesar/Norway, SEIIA/Sweden, DEXPI/Germany, USPI/Netherlands, MIMOSA/USA ja CFIHOS-project/IOGP). The TIE division connects the Finnish development community to the forefront of international development. The division is related to the development work of ISO and IEC through METSTA and SESKO (SFS organizations) and cooperates with the national PSK.

JOIN THE TIE DIVISION

The division has emerged as a collaboration forum in digitalization for companies in the process industry. It provides an evolving standardization infrastructure at the forefront of international standardization, as well as the opportunity to participate in new development projects and contribute to the international industry development. Digitalization is also changing work processes and creating new ways of operating in business networks for which it is good to agree on common rules and principles in larger industry interest groups.

Most of the companies involved in the project have already confirmed their membership, and several new ones have joined the division. Gold membership gives you the opportunity to direct the development work of the TIE community and all the rights to use the products and services of the division. Silver membership offers a view to the forefront of standardization development and the right to utilize the division’s output. If you are interested in membership and would like to hear about the benefits TIE offers to your business, get in touch!