On the journey to greater efficiency, agility and sustainability, the process industries are being transformed by two distinct yet complementary technology trends. Together, they represent a new architectural approach that’s making control infrastructures smarter, safer, more autonomous, and more reliable. As key enablers for plant owners’ wider digitalization strategies, they’re also paving the way for a flexible, freely scalable automation future.
The first of these technological enablers is edge computing. An increasingly important element of today’s automation system and industrial producers’ wider digitalization strategies, edge computing brings real-time processing power, the hosting of applications and data storage closer to where they deliver the greatest value – at the point of data production. Enabled by technological advances in infrastructure, containerization, connectivity, and AI, edge affords a host of benefits in industrial automation environments. These include greater performance, faster response times, reduced latency and improved resilience, as well as more efficient use of available network resources and strengthened cybersecurity.
Rapid response, greater resilience
By enabling real-time data processing directly at the source, near sensors, actuators, and other devices, edge computing allows control and monitoring systems to respond quickly to changing conditions. By processing data locally, it avoids delays caused by sending information to distant servers or data centers, ensuring near-instantaneous responses for safety-critical and time-sensitive operations.
Processing data at the source significantly reduces the need for high-bandwidth connections and lowers the cost of transferring large volumes of data to cloud-based applications. Edge systems can also operate independently, providing resilience during network disruptions or cloud service outages. This makes edge computing especially valuable in remote industrial sites or mobile environments, where internet connectivity may be limited or unreliable.
Placing computing resources at the site where data is generated – such as a mine, offshore windfarm or oil platform – helps reduce cybersecurity risks associated with transmitting industrial facility data over public networks to remote data centers. While both private and public clouds offer strong built-in security, keeping commercially sensitive data on-site ensures it remains under direct control of plant operators, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access or data exfiltration. In addition, processing data locally allows faster containment of cyber threats. If one edge node is compromised, the impact can be isolated without affecting the broader network. This localized approach also helps organizations avoid potential legal or regulatory complications related to storing or processing sensitive data in other jurisdictions.
Responding to the voice of process industry end-users
Since its introduction in the 1970s, the Distributed Control System (DCS) has revolutionized industrial operations by improving efficiency, safety and reliability. While technology has evolved over the decades, its core purpose remains the same: reducing the need for constant human oversight in control and monitoring tasks.
During this time plant owners have faced growing challenges, from global competition and stricter safety regulations to rising cybersecurity threats. At the same time, they have been forced to adapt to meet rapidly changing customer demands which require flexible, scalable production systems capable of delivering customized products quickly. The pressure to produce more with less continues to intensify as the process industries respond to the demands of energy transition and decarbonization. Plants must become leaner, cleaner and more energy efficient, while minimizing waste and shifting to renewable power sources. Compounding these challenges are the realities of a changing workforce; where experienced engineers are retiring and being replaced by digital-native employees that lack the decades of ‘traditional’ and expert knowledge of their predecessors.
By accelerating decision-making and supporting a more responsive, resilient control paradigm that can integrate new capabilities without disrupting existing operations, edge computing addresses these challenges by offering plant owners a powerful way to maximize the value of their process data.
Re-appraising the decades-old automation paradigm
From an automation standpoint, industry’s ongoing push toward digitalization is driving the convergence of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). This integration enables the deployment of value-added digital applications that can reside either on-premises or in the cloud. For existing facilities, it’s essential that these new automation capabilities be introduced with minimal disruption to current processes and operations.
In response to growing demands from process industry customers for greater efficiency, flexibility, interoperability, security, and sustainability, there is a fundamental rethinking of long-standing automation system models. Plant owners are seeking to modernize and future-proof their operations while maintaining continuity and minimizing production downtime.
Building on decades of experience delivering process control solutions worldwide, ABB’s response to these evolving needs is an automation system that embraces advances in digital technology while preserving the ultra-reliable performance industrial users depend on.
Towards modularization and a separation of concerns
ABB’s vision for a future-proofed automation system centers on providing a separation of concerns; two distinct but interconnected software environments designed to balance reliability with innovation. This division supports dependable, real-time process operations while enabling open access to process and equipment data for monitoring and optimization.
These environments – termed the control and digital environments – provide a modular, scalable architecture that encourages innovation by simplifying the introduction of new technologies and services to meet evolving operations demands.
The control environment forms a robust, cyber-secure foundation for executing critical automation functions. It includes the physical hardware, software configurations, and network infrastructure required to ensure deterministic, real-time control of industrial processes. Crucially, it leverages edge computing to process and store data locally, allowing for immediate responses to operational changes.
Operating alongside this is the digital environment, which provides secure access to process data for higher-level Monitoring and Optimization (M&O) applications. Hosted either on-premises or in the cloud, these applications can analyze performance, predict maintenance needs and drive efficiency improvements without interfering with core control functions. This digital layer also acts as a sandbox for deploying emerging technologies, such as AI-powered analytics, incrementally and safely via software-defined methods, avoiding costly plant shutdowns or disruptions.
This dual-environment architecture reflects industry’s broader shift toward digitalization, where operational and informational technologies (OT and IT) converge to unlock new automation possibilities. For existing installations, it’s essential that these innovations be integrated with minimal disruption to ongoing operations.
A vision for smarter, more resilient industrial operations
In response to growing demands for efficiency, flexibility, interoperability, security, and sustainability, process industries are rethinking traditional automation models. Plant owners seek to modernize and future-proof their systems while maintaining continuity and control.
ABB’s vision of an automation ecosystem addresses these needs by embracing advances in cloud native technology and connectivity, without compromising the ultra-reliable performance that industrial users expect. Built on decades of experience, this approach enables seamless integration of new capabilities while preserving the integrity of core operations. The commitment to continuity allows process industry users to meet today’s challenges, including sustainability, energy transition and a new generation workforce, while adapting to evolving market opportunities.
