Simplifying a complex system
KemConnect is a platform for collecting, viewing, and analyzing customer data from multiple sources in the chemicals industry. The application is highly configurable and extensible, and it's easy to use by non-technical users.
Before KemConnect, Kemira was using many separate databases and experienced several challenges with support, low and disparate data resolution, and scalability. There was a clear need to consolidate multiple existing systems into one, common platform.
There were three key business targets for the system:
- Web platform for collecting, viewing, and analyzing customer data from multiple sources.
- The system needed to be configurable, extensible, and easy to use by non-technical users.
- Turn large data quantities towards solution and service sales.
Vaadin as the frontend UI
Vaadin delivered the modeling, and the user experience and then implemented the highly customizable frontend UI. Vaadin Framework integrates well with the rich ecosystems of other open-source solutions which are essential in order to accomplish complex applications like this, in a relatively cost-efficient manner.
The application uses a wide variety of Vaadin Framework components together with Vaadin Charts and Vaadin Touchkit add-ons. Multiple technologies are used in order to acquire and process the data from the backend systems, including Spring Boot & Security, Hystrix, and most importantly OSIsoft PI Server.
A fully integrated platform to benefit the customers ecosystem
The open connectivity, scalability, and reliability of Vaadin Framework and PI System allowed the integrating of all tools with a single underlying data infrastructure and scalable user interface. That enabled Kemira to provide premium services to its customers in a very efficient and cost-effective data-driven environment.
The application is mostly used by Kemira's customers who are involved in operating and monitoring their production processes, and also Kemira's specialists, helping the customers in data analysis and troubleshooting. The application provides near real-time tools for this collaboration. The users of the application can create their own dashboards to support monitoring, analysis, and problem-solving. With a wide variety of pre-made building blocks, users can easily visualize large data sets and create shareable views of various data points with statistics, trends, events, and alarms.
We contracted Vaadin to build a modern and elegant user interface to deliver a world-class user experience for our KemConnect end users. We benefit from Vaadin being an open-source technology and lowered maintenance costs. Vaadin Framework takes care that our UI works in all major browser environments, now and in the future.
Antti Pirneskoski, Senior Manager