The term “architecture” appears in almost any discussion of information and automation technology applications, but what is automation architecture?

Companies do not achieve compliance with safety standards just by in-stalling a certified safety instrumented system (SIS).  Full safety compliance requires ensuring safety on a continuous loop-by-loop basis.

Manufacturing companies are embracing digital transformation.  They are reinventing business processes and relationships, and remaking legacy IT systems – for business, engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing operations – based on modern software systems, artificial intelligence, and connected things.

This ARC Advisory Group Strategy Report is a follow-up to last year’s report on Best Practices for Achieving Excellence in Warehouse Operations.

Given the increasing convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT), along with the increasing awareness of the potential benefits of Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled solution in industrial environments, ARC Advisory Group believes it’s time to start focusing on the network edge. 

Overcoming the barriers to digital transformation begins with better data management and analytics capabilities.

Many industrial companies have shifted from exploring the benefits of digital transformation to determining how to execute on its promise.  For operations personnel, this means implementing things like remote monitoring, connected and optimized plants, digital procedures, predictive asset failure detection, or outcome-based services, as examples.

Since the strong rebound starting late in 2016, China’s automation market has remained healthy over the last seven quarters.  As explained in an earlier ARC Advisory Group report, this has largely been due to the macroeconomic cycle and, to a somewhat lesser degree, to the supply-side reforms initiated by China’s government.

DHS Guidance on Cybersecurity reveals the threat of coordinated cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and manufacturing in the US by hostile nation states is increasing. 

Automation suppliers continue to see robust revenue growth, posting overall gains of nearly 10 percent versus the second quarter of 2017.