For process automation engineers, a key takeaway from this Automation World article is the need to harness the vast amounts of data generated by PLCs, HMIs, IoT sensors and meters to improve operational efficiency.
Despite this data's availability, many manufacturers struggle with data silos and lack the tools to effectively analyze and utilize it. Engineers must move beyond simple descriptive analytics—such as tracking machine performance or identifying common faults—towards more advanced diagnostics and predictive analytics. This shift can uncover root causes of issues and enable prediction and prevention of equipment failures, optimizing the entire production process.
Implementing a unified platform like Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk DataMosaix, which consolidates data from multiple sources into a centralized system, can also be beneficial. This approach allows real-time decision-making at the edge (e.g., adjusting operations based on sensor readings) while reserving more complex analyses for cloud-based systems.
Automation World, a Control partner publication, explores the impact of process data in a recently published article, available to read in full here.
