January/February Automation.com Technology Update

Summary

A monthly magazine can’t keep up with all news, insights and inspiration automation professionals need. Stay informed with Automation.com, the publication platform of the International Society of Automation. New articles are published daily under six broad categories encompassing a range of automation, control and cybersecurity topics. Search for new products and whitepaper resources in all categories. You can also subscribe to the Automation Weekly newsletter or one of the topic-specific newsletters to get news, new products and other technical resources delivered to your inbox.

Digital transformation: What the cool kids are doing

Better Insights Lead to Better Manufacturing Management
Changing core processes while managing the daily demands of the business is seldom easy. Introducing new technology to a 100+-year-old manufacturer is even more challenging. Here’s how that manufacturer navigated its digital transformation.
 
Smarter Factories: Manufacturing in 2025 and Beyond
A survey from the Institute for Supply Management showed that 60% of manufacturers anticipate increased revenues in 2025. Manufacturers can prepare for success by creating smart factories using AI and decentralized manufacturing methods.
 

Safety & cybersecurity: Protecting people, plants and the environment

Digital Innovations Are Making Industrial Facilities Safer
Although regulations are important to promote
safety, industrial facilities also need safety technologies such as AI, automation and software tools. Connecting the dots between new safety technologies and existing workflows should be a strategic imperative for industrial organizations.
 
What Does the Future of Zero Trust in OT Look Like?
The irreversibility of IT/OT convergence and the pervasiveness
and effectiveness of zero trust in enterprise IT systems give clear signaling that OT networks will adopt it, eventually. So what, exactly, will zero trust look and feel like in the future? And when will it happen?
 

Enterprise architecture & networks: How things fit and communicate

How eSIM, IoT and Connectivity Security Are Powering Industry 4.0
eSIM eliminates the limitations of traditional SIM cards by allowing secure over-the-air provisioning and updates, making it easier for businesses to manage large-scale deployments across multiple regions.
 
2025 IoT Breakthrough Awards Announced
More than 100 awards were given in 13 categories to celebrate innovative IoT companies, products, services and people. The awards honor an industrial IoT company, solution and innovator of the year, digital twin solutions, predictive maintenance solutions, smart manufacturing solutions and more.
 

Operations & management: Managing the business

The Future of Energy Storage with AI-driven Technologies
As the world becomes increasingly focused on renewable energy and reducing carbon footprints, the need for advanced energy storage systems is growing significantly. The integration of artificial intelligence is helping to make them more reliable, efficient and cost-effective.
 
The Role of AI in Lean Manufacturing
Lean manufacturing aims to reduce waste, enable continuous improvement and enhance customer value. Artificial Intelligence supports lean manufacturing by offering accessible personalization for high-end items, analyzing factory processes to find improvement opportunities and boosting productivity.
 

 Automation & control: Running the plant

Case Study: Visualizing the Pathway to Better Papermaking
Industrial Video Solutions Inc., a US-based specialist in automation for the papermaking industry, is leveraging infrared (IR) thermal cameras to get data from paper machines that can be used to boost machine-control efficiency.
 
Motion Controls Market Declines as Over- Ordering Results in DeStocking
Marked by low manufacturing output and a significant “destocking” event, 2024 was a rough year for makers of motion control products. However, the market has begun to stabilize and the long-term compound annual growth rate remains largely unchanged.

New Products: Hardware and software solutions

Yokogawa Releases OpreX Quality Management System
The cloud-based system can accelerate the digital transformation of quality assurance processes for the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and food & beverages.
 
Poka Introduces AI Toolkit for Manufacturing Workflows
Poka has added AI-powered features to its Connected Worker Platform. Designed to transform the way manufacturers create, share and access knowledge on the shop floor, these innovations address critical challenges in workforce efficiency, training and communication. The toolkit will provide new benefits to workers on the shop floor, from video-based work instructions to multilingual translation and smarter search functions.
 
ABB Strengthens Roller Table Motor Offering for Global Steel
Industry
The motors, designed specifically for rolling mills, have up to 20-year lifespan and have been shown to slash operating costs.
 
Advantech IoT Edge Device Is Pocket-Size Industrial Gateway
The compact device delivers powerful edge computing capabilities with second-stack expansion options for diverse industrial applications.

_{This update originally appeared in the January/February issue of Automation.com Monthly.}