SEW-EURODRIVE’s OrchestrationSuite Supports the Software-Defined Factory

KEYWORDS: Software-Defined Factory, Browser-Based Engineering, OrchestrationSuite, MOVISUITE, MOVIRUN, Motion Studio, Industry 4.0, IT Methods, PLC Code, Remote Access, Integrated Development Environment (IDE), IDEaaS, DevOps

Overview

The German company SEW-EURODRIVE is an established market leader in the design, manufacturing, and assembly of gears and geared motors. It has evolved into a company that offers automation systems and software to meet the needs of Industry 4.0. The new software tool OrchestrationSuite has been recently introduced to the market.

Machine builders and end users have long been confronted with the problem of disparate engineering tools from various vendors, all of which are required to commission or service a machine in the field. Industrial companies implementing their digital transformation strategies seek a concept of an orchestration layer that unites engineering tools in a single, homogeneous environment.

SEW-EURODRIVE addresses this issue with the introduction of OrchestrationSuite, a new software suite that supports the needs of the Software-defined Factory (SdF). This strategy is built by SEW-EURODRIVE on three pillars:

• Decoupling software from hardware (virtualization & containerization)
• Efficient device management (orchestration)
• Enabling data-driven operations (unified data)

The newly introduced OrchestrationSuite supports this SdF strategy under Industry 4.0 perfectly by replacing legacy engineering workflows through state-of-the-art proven IT methods in which remote, secure and version control software operations empower automation engineers and service technicians. OrchestrationSuite aligns seamlessly with SEW’s broader digital strategy of enhancing productivity, resilience, and modularity across complex production landscapes.

The new OrchestrationSuite is a great leap forward for the daily work of automation engineers and service technicians, helping them to be much more efficient. The benefits play out for machinery OEMs as well as end users. Key features of the OrchestrationSuite include:

Secure & Remote Access

• Encrypted VPN connections provide secure remote access to OT systems across distributed sites.
• Role-based access control (RBAC) ensures precise and auditable permission management.
• Temporary access for third parties can be granted with full traceability.

Vendor-Neutral Orchestration

• One centralized platform for managing software across PLCs, Motion Controller of SEW-EURODRIVE and robots of Kuka (will be extended to Sinumerik-CNCs, robots, smart drives, HMIs, and motion controllers).
• Supports hard, soft, and virtualized PLC.

DevOps for Automation

• Integrated tools for version control, automated backup, deployment, and code comparison.
• Each project is traceable with full change history (4W principle: who, what, when, why).
• Brings software discipline and auditability to industrial code management.

Browser-Based Engineering (IDEaaS)

• Engineering environments (e.g., MOVIRUNopen, MOVISUITE, Motion Studio) run directly in the browser.
• No need for local installations, software licensing for each user, or manual updates.
• Environments are preconfigured based on the archived device projects.

AI-Assisted Code Analysis

• The integrated AI Factory Agent can read and explain legacy PLC code, including graphical formats.
• Accelerates understanding, maintenance, and documentation, especially when original authors are unavailable.

Built on Software Defined Automation Inc.

• Powered by Software Defined Automation Inc. Cloud-native infrastructure, integrated with tools from 16+ automation vendors.
• Ensures future scalability and cross-vendor interoperability.

Local Engineering Access Limits Scalability and Efficiency

In the past, automation engineers and service technicians have connected locally via laptop to the automation equipment of machines to download, test and change PLC code. The engineering development software was installed on each laptop. Considering the long lifetime of machines, there are many legacy applications that require a matching version of the development software. Password protected access control to the automation controller is not always enabled and after many years of machinery operation, the automation code may deviate from the original, and in many cases, it is not sufficiently documented.

Another reason to adopt a more modern approach to IT methods is remote connectivity. Modern tools allow a secure remote connection, which helps machine builders overcome problems like the lack of qualified automation experts on-site and time-consuming travel to the site, resulting in longer machine downtime.

How OrchestrationSuite Works in Practice

The following picture shows in simplified manner the OrchestrationSuite architecture. The user can access the automation devices on the shopfloor remotely or even locally at the manufacturing premises. One big difference to the past is that the access follows proven IT methods of professionally managing software with well-documented processes.

The user can be an automation engineer or service technician from the machinery OEM, an end user or a third party such as a system integrator. User access to the automation equipment is strictly regulated by the permission rights that the user has in place.

When the user connects to the machine, the correct toolset— Motion Studio, MOVISUITE, MOVIRUNopen, or third-party tools—is automatically provided in the browser. Each session is preconfigured based on archived project data, regardless of which type of automation device it is connected to. Software updates can be performed either through the engineering tools or via a modern pipeline (automatic executable task list), allowing entire device fields to be updated with different software types—without even opening the engineering tool. This allows teams to focus on actual engineering, not setup work.

Many machines on the shopfloor are automated by a combination of devices from different brands, for example PLC by supplier A, HMI by supplier B and motors & drives by SEW-EURODRIVE. All cloud hosted engineering and development software (IDEaaS) of 12 well known automation suppliers are integrated in the OrchestrationSuite providing access to the overall machinery automation controllers. The pricing model is use case orientated and thus very flexible.

Version Control is an essential part of the OrchestrationSuite and also supports Backup & Deployment of automation code. Every modification, whether a small update or a full deployment, is automatically versioned, timestamped, and linked to the responsible user. This built-in traceability streamlines audits, speeds up troubleshooting, and ensures that no change goes undocumented. The user can call up different versions of the automation code and compare these side by side on the screen, and this even works for graphically edited programs like function block diagrams and ladder logic. Changes are highlighted on the screen. A notable aspect of Version Control is that it benefits from the integration of GitHub, providing the users with the convenience of IT workflows to automation.

Backups can be transmitted via FTP or SFTP even when vendor APIs are unavailable to maintain full transparency and ensure reliable recovery in case of errors or failures.

Some legacy machines are many years old with PLC code written by an automation engineer who has since retired. If changes on such legacy machines are needed, it is quite time consuming to first analyze how the code really automates the machine. Only after having understood this, can changes be carried out in a meaningful way. The Factory Agent AI Assistant generates human-readable summaries of existing logic, which makes it easier to maintain older machines, onboard new staff, and adapt existing solutions without relying on institutional memory.

SEW-EURODRIVE uses OrchestrationSuite in its own factories in a concept of learning by doing to build scalable, data-driven, and serviceable automation systems as part of the company’s “Best in Digital Integration Strategy.”

Importantly, SEW-EURODRIVE made a conscious decision not to build OrchestrationSuite as a proprietary, closed system. Instead, the company partnered with Software Defined Automation Inc. to offer a platform that integrates with engineering tools from competitor automation suppliers. This positions OrchestrationSuite as a vendor-neutral orchestration layer that is well suited to the realities of heterogeneous plant environments. Users are not locked into a single proprietary system and can manage software across diverse controllers with a consistent and professional workflow.

Conclusion

In ARC’s opinion, OrchestrationSuite is of high value to enable centralized management of automation software and supports secure, remote access to devices such as MOVI C controllers and drives. This reduces the need for on-site intervention, reduces travel time and costs, keeps downtimes significantly shorter, shortens service cycles, and contributes to lower operational costs.

This approach reflects a broader industry trend. As industrial automation moves toward software-defined control and open ecosystems, tools like OrchestrationSuite will play a central role in enabling digital transformation and the convergence of IT and OT. However, the use of such modern IT methods for the development and maintenance of automation code requires a cultural change in the mindset of the involved staff, not only machine builders but also end users. This will take time and local changes with laptops connected to the automation controller at the machine will still be the case for quite some time.

SEW-EURODRIVE is well positioned to introduce OrchestrationSuite now and thus assist customers and end users in their digital transformation based on professional and efficient management of automation code development and maintenance, as well as structured control of the installed automation assets. ARC believes the company is taking the right steps to evolve from a pure product supplier into a provider of standardized, interoperable solutions that integrate seamlessly into existing digital environments by combining robust hardware expertise with an open, future-ready orchestration platform.

Legal Notes:
Following brand names/trademarks are registered by SEW-EURODRIVE GmbH & Co KG:
MOVISUITE, MOVIRUN, Motion Studio.
 

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