Wikipedia
OSIsoft, LLC is a manufacturer of application software for real-time data infrastructure solutions, called the PI System. Founded in 1980, OSIsoft, LLC is privately held and headquartered in San Leandro, CA, with operations worldwide.
OSIsoft, LLC develops and supports software used to capture, process, analyze, and store any form of real-time data. OSIsoft's target markets include: oil and gas; chemicals and petrochemicals; materials, mines, metals and metallurgy; power and utilities; pulp and paper; pharmaceuticals, food and life sciences; critical facilities, data centers and IT; and federal.
The PI System is a suite of software products that are used for data collection, historicizing, finding, analyzing, delivering, and visualizing. It is marketed as an enterprise infrastructure for management of real-time data and events. The term PI System is often used to refer to the PI Server but the two are not the same. The PI System refers to all OSIsoft software products whereas the PI Server is the core product of the PI System.
Data can be automatically collected from many different sources (Control systems, Lab equipment, Calculations, Manual Entry, and/or Custom software). Most information is gathered using one of the many OSIsoft and third party PI Interfaces. Users can then access this information using a common set of tools (ex. Excel, web browser, PI ProcessBook) and look for correlations. Some examples include:
- Analyzing seasonal trends
- Determining if utilities are meeting the demands of production
- Comparing the performance of different lots of raw material
- Determining when maintenance is required on equipment
- Optimizing the utilization or performance of a production line