I/O Modules for Process Automation

The I/O Modules for Process Automation Market Research delivers current market analysis plus a five year market and technology forecast. It is available in multiple editions including worldwide and all regions.

I/O Modules for Process Automation: The 'Nervous System' of Control Systems

ARC’s research on the market for I/O modules for process automation emphasizes the fact that these critical components serve as the “nervous system” of control systems, facilitating seamless interaction between field devices and systems. In today‘s competitive market, their precision, dependability, and efficiency make them essential. IO modules form an integral part of industrial automation. Due to their accuracy, efficiency, and adaptability, they are indispensable for changing industry needs. The development of process industries is driven by I/O modules in the era of automation and data-driven decision-making.

I/O Modules for Process Automation Strategic Issues

Process I/O ModulesIn addition to providing a five-year market forecast, the IO modules process market research report provides detailed quantitative current market data and addresses key strategic issues as follows.

Consider Characterizable or Configurable IO

End users should consider adopting next-generation IOs. Automation suppliers offer new IO that is either characterizable, configurable, or a combination of the two. Characterizable IO includes hardware modules that plug into a rack and can represent analog input, analog output, digital input, digital output, etc. The type of module plugged into the rack determines the type of signal. Modules can be plugged anywhere in the rack and are location independent. Configurable IO solutions take a similar approach in terms of point independence and flexibility, but the points are configured through software rather than hardware modules. Some vendor solutions offer a combination of characterizable and configurable IO points, depending on the type of signal. 

The benefits of characterizable and configurable IOs go beyond simply reduced hardware, footprint, and wiring. Specifically, they allow end users to separate the hardware- and software-related aspects of the system. With fully adaptable and standard IO and control hardware, end users can theoretically design and test all the software aspects of the system before it is deployed into the physical system hardware. This allows the software to be deployed into the hardware infrastructure at the very late stages of the project. This is often referred to as "late binding".

Take Advantage of the Benefits Offered through Virtualization

Industrial control system (ICS) virtualization offers clear benefits for end users. These include lower TCO, longer ICS life, fewer disruptive changes, and improved ability to manage change and implement continuous improvement. The largest payoff comes from improved operations. End user organizations should study the virtualization strategies of their potential future ICS suppliers, paying special attention to supplier plans for migrating existing installations to a future virtualized environment.

Market Data Research Available Datasets

This in-depth market data research is split into two key modules: Market Growth Outlook and Competitive Analysis.  Each of these modules is further configured into several sub-modules to meet the needs of executives as well as marketing, sales, and product development managers.  All of these modules and sub-modules may be purchased as a bundle or separately.  A brief description of these modules, sub-modules, and their use cases is included below.

Market Growth Outlook

ARC’s market growth outlook service delivers an in-depth market opportunity analysis including five-year market and technology forecasts and 3-year history trend lines where available. Besides providing an in-depth analysis of the market opportunity provided by each technology, this service allows technology suppliers to analyze their own customized markets consisting of multiple technologies. For example, customers can view different market scenarios by adding or removing technology markets from the analysis, providing them a Total Available Market (TAM) view of their own served market. A list of the available market growth outlook services can be seen in the list below.  

This service is designed to help accelerate your organization's ability to understand an up-to-date view of the market opportunity provided by your current product portfolio and analyze how your company’s market opportunity would change if you were to acquire or divest a particular product line. The service will also help you identify and capitalize on emerging markets, whether these markets are based on an emerging technology, region, vertical industry, or application. Built upon a proprietary market model and ARC’s field proven primary research, this service helps product and marketing managers optimize their business plans by identifying the opportunities provided by emerging trends. ARC’s reputation as the preeminent independent provider of market growth opportunity analyses for nearly four decades also provides greater weight to your business plans. ARC’s market growth outlook services are available in a variety of formats depending on whether you view your market opportunities via different technologies, industries, or world regions.  

In addition, ARC has a strong history of providing customized market opportunity reports and services to meet your specific needs.  For example, you may sell your products only to specific industries and/or in only one or two regions. You tell us your served markets and ARC can quickly configure a report or service designed to best serve your served market.

ARC provides several versions of these reports and services depending on your role in the organization. Executive Views are high level market opportunities designed to help executives quickly identify key trends and market opportunities around the world.  In-depth market opportunity analyses provide marketing and product managers more detailed technology specific market information to plan marketing and product development strategies.  The following table shows more specific information included in each version.

Market Growth Outlook AnalysisUse CasesTarget Role
Worldwide Market Growth Outlook by Industry & Region with 3-year history where availableIn-depth technology-specific strategic growth planning across multiple technologies, applications, regions, and industriesProduct & Marketing Managers
Worldwide Industry Growth Outlook by Region with 3-year history where availableStrategic technology growth planning for markets defined by a single or multiple vertical industriesIndustry Managers
Regional/Country Market Growth Outlook by Technology & Industry with 3-year history where available (includes country data)Strategic technology growth planning for markets defined by a single or multiple world regionsRegional & Country Sales Managers
Market Growth Outlook Executive ViewStrategic Total Available Market (TAM) growth planning dashboard covering multiple vertical industries, technologies, and world regionsExecutives
Market Competitive Analysis

ARC’s Competitive Analysis services deliver in depth competitive analyses across multiple technologies, applications, regions, and industries.  Besides providing an in-depth analysis of the market opportunity provided by each technology, this service allows technology suppliers to analyze their own customized markets consisting of multiple technologies. For example, customers can view different market scenarios by adding or removing technology markets from the analysis, providing them a Total Available Market (TAM) view of their own served market. A list of the available market growth outlook services can be seen in the list below.  

This service is designed to help product and marketing managers identify their company’s market positioning across multiple views within their Serviceable Available Market (SAM). Built upon a proprietary market model and ARC’s field proven primary research, this service helps product and marketing managers optimize their business plans by identifying how their company’s market position would change if the company were to acquire or divest a particular product line or technology. ARC’s reputation as the preeminent independent provider of competitive market benchmarking for nearly four decades lends greater weight to your business plans. ARC’s market competitive services are available in a variety of formats depending on whether you view your market opportunities via different technologies, industries, or world regions.  

In addition, ARC has a strong history of providing customized market opportunity reports and services to meet the specific needs of our clients.  For example, you may sell your products only to specific industries and/or in only one or two regions. You tell us your served markets and ARC can quickly configure a report or service designed to best serve your served market.

ARC provides several versions of these reports and services depending on your role in the organization. Executive Views are high level market competitive analyses designed to help executives quickly assess their SAM by world region, technology, or vertical industry. In-depth competitive market analyses provide marketing and product managers more detailed technology specific benchmarking information to plan marketing and product development strategies.  The following table shows more specific information included in each version. 

Competitive AnalysisUse CasesTarget Role
Worldwide Competitive Analysis by TechnologyIn-depth competitive market analysis that quantifies how your company’s market position has changed over time across multiple technologies, applications, regions, and industriesProduct & Marketing Managers
Worldwide Competitive Analysis by IndustryStrategic technology-based competitive analyses for markets defined by a single or multiple vertical industriesIndustry Managers
Regional/Country Competitive Analysis by IndustryStrategic technology-based competitive analyses for markets defined by a single or multiple world regionsRegional Sales Managers
Competitive Analysis Executive ViewStrategic Serviceable Available Market (SAM) analysis dashboard covering multiple vertical industries, technologies, and world regionsExecutives

Worldwide Research Focus Areas

Strategic Analysis

  • Executive Summary
  • Market Trends
  • Buyer Strategies
  • Supplier Strategies
  • Growth Contributors and Inhibitors

Competitive Analysis

  • Market Shares of the Leading Suppliers
  • Market Shares by Region
    • North America
    • Europe, Middle East, Africa
    • Asia
    • Latin America
  • Market Shares by Industry
    • Cement & Glass
    • Chemical
    • Electric Power Generation
    • Electric Power T&D
    • Food & Beverage
    • Metals
    • Mining
    • Oil & Gas
    • Pharmaceutical & Biotech
    • Pulp & Paper
    • Refining
    • Semiconductors
    • Water & Wastewater
  • Market Shares by Environment
    • Intrinsically Safe
    • Non-Intrinsically Safe
  • Market Shares by Type
    • Analog Channels (Input & Output)
    • Digital Channels (Input & Output)
    • Intelligent I/O
    • Network Adaptor
    • Power Supply & Chassis
  • Market Shares by Number of Channels
    • 4 and Below
    • 8 Channels
    • 12 Channels
    • 16 Channels
    • 32 Channels
    • Above 32
  • Market Shares by Form Factor
    • Block IO Module (IP20)
    • Modular IO (IP20)
    • Slice IO (IP20)
  • Market Shares by Sales Channel
  • Market Shares by Customer Type

Market Forecasts and Histories

  • Total Shipments of Process I/O Modules
  • Shipments by Region
    • North America
    • Europe, Middle East, Africa
    • Asia
    • Latin America
  • Shipments by Industry
    • Cement & Glass
    • Chemical
    • Electric Power Generation
    • Electric Power T&D
    • Food & Beverage
    • Metals
    • Mining
    • Oil & Gas
    • Pharmaceutical & Biotech
    • Pulp & Paper
    • Refining
    • Semiconductors
    • Water & Wastewater
  • Shipments by Environment
    • Intrinsically Safe
    • Non-Intrinsically Safe
  • Shipments by Type
    • Analog Channels (Input & Output)
    • Digital Channels (Input & Output)
    • Intelligent I/O
    • Network Adaptor
    • Power Supply & Chassis
  • Shipments by Number of Channels
    • 4 and Below
    • 8 Channels
    • 12 Channels
    • 16 Channels
    • 32 Channels
    • Above 32
  • Shipments by Form Factor
    • Block IO Module (IP20)
    • Modular IO (IP20)
    • Slice IO (IP20)
  • Shipments by Sales Channel
  • Shipments by Customer Type

Industry Participants

The research identifies all relevant suppliers serving this market.

Regional Research Focus Areas

Strategic Analysis

Competitive Analysis

  • Leading Suppliers in Region
  • Industry Shares in Region
  • Country Shares in Region
  • Leading Suppliers by Industry

Market History and Forecast Analysis 

  • Market History and Forecast by Country
  • Market History and Forecast by Industry

Industry Participants

List of countries included in each region: MIRA-Country

For More Information

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