Global industry is facing a common set of challenges and end-users are looking to automation vendors to deliver systems and technologies that will address them.

One obstacle to overcoming these challenges is the inability of existing industrial network systems to share information between different technologies. This limitation leads to data ‘islands’, which prevent information from being shared effectively.

The key to resolving this problem is better access to information. In other words, manufacturers of industrial automation control systems (IACSs) and their customers understand the value of the data produced in their factories and therefore require seamless access to that data. Hence the kind of transparency required by Industry 4.0 applications is becoming the preferred approach to reaching a solution.

Taking terabytes of data from the shop floor and turning them into useful information is all part of the strategy to address Industry 4.0. But more importantly it is being able to really solve the customers’ problems as we look at a complete solution-based architecture focused on IT/OT convergence and the ability to take data from the factory floor, provide seamless integration and convert it into information accessible to enterprise-wide applications.