Geir Jåsund examines what Industry 4.0 has delivered since its introduction in 2011. He highlights where it fell short, and how its lessons are shaping the next phase of industrial digitalisation.

Suzanne Gill gathers together advice from industry experts to help ensure successful digital twinning projects in the operational technology (OT) environment.

Stefan Hufnagl explores how substation virtualisation is helping grid operators integrate renewables and prepare automation systems for the future.

IVECO has deployed a robot monitoring platform at its Valladolid plant in a bid to enhance the digitalisation of two key production lines.

Precision is essential in the food and beverage industry, particularly when it comes to dosing very small quantities of liquid ingredients. For many manufacturers, however, achieving consistent and accurate dosing at high production speeds remains a challenge. Bronkhorst believes it can offer a solution.

Jan Van Den Bossche highlights how the adoption of standardised open communication protocols and low-code tools has affected the role of SCADA software in industrial environments.

Bolletje, a Dutch manufacturer of bakery products, has automated its quality inspection process. A compact quality inspection solution – consisting of a camera and a four-axis robot – is being employed to inspect up to 1,200 rusks per minute. In addition, the data from the cell is being analyzed using artificial intelligence (AI) to support system optimisation.

Suzanne Gill spoke with Christian Johansson, Global Product Manager at ABB Automation Technology about device management and exploring the strategies that can be employed to enable smarter plants.

Atreya Mukerjee explores the challenges faced by visiting contractors, the safety protocols essential for their protection, and the role digital Control of Work can play in safeguarding all workers on-site, no matter how brief or long they stay.

How is artificial intelligence (AI) enabling organisations to move from reactive insights in the operational technology environment to prescriptive insights and autonomous decision making, and how is this changing the traditional role of the control engineer? Suzanne Gill reports.

Stephan Schultz discusses the challenges and benefits associated with the use of wireless communication and data transmission in hazardous areas.

Claude Jaquemet explains how maxon MIND is able to turn a motor into a central element of condition monitoring.

Find out how and why Princes Group undertook a digitalisation project to make a single version of the truth available for the measurement, management and control of all operations, data and equipment.

Greg Wainhouse looks at the role of chlorine sensors in food processing and manufacturing applications.

Jeff Harding, Global Head of Systems Architecture ABB Automation Technology, was instrumental in the early development of the OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) standard which is considered to be foundational to modern automation. We asked him some questions.

According to Mary Anne Ballouz one of the most significant shifts in recent years has been the growing emphasis on plug-and-play, low-code SCADA architectures that reduce reliance on custom development and increase long-term flexibility for end users.

Ethernet-APL is a new technology in process engineering that enhances the efficient and safe operation of systems. It enables field devices and supervisory control systems to be seamlessly networked via proven Ethernet protocols. Innovative APL switches and surge protection ensure reliable efficiency.

Industrial businesses need to explore the ‘art of the possible’ to build in resilience and de-risk assets through digitalisation, says François Disch.

Robots are gaining the power of sight through the integration of machine vision. This is accelerating their evolution into intelligent partners capable of operating with unprecedented precision and flexibility, says Keith Fox.

A customised thermowell has provided a solution that allows for accurate temperature measurement of molasses in a centrifuge.