The software-defined revolution is reshaping industrial automation
A new generation of software-defined automation is quietly changing the character of modern manufacturing. By decoupling control from hardware, it is turning rigid systems into fluid networks of intelligence, making operations more adaptable, efficient, and ready for the age of AI. The history of industrial automation is a series of redefinitions of control. The 1970s […]
The connected future of life sciences manufacturing
Precision, connectivity, and intelligence are reshaping the foundations of modern production. In life sciences, the next generation of manufacturing is no longer defined only by mechanical sophistication but by how seamlessly data, digital models, and human ingenuity converge to accelerate innovation without compromising trust. In an era of shrinking design cycles and rising regulatory pressure, […]
Digital cognition is closing the gap between human judgment and machine control
Executives across manufacturing are rethinking how decisions are made, moving beyond steady-state control to confront the messy, probabilistic choices that govern yield, safety, and uptime. Digital cognition in industrial automation offers a practical way to encode expertise, reduce variance, and improve performance without removing people from the loop. Plant automation has excelled at holding a […]
The road to embodied intelligence in robotics
The next decade will mark the transition from automated to autonomous robotics. By 2035, advances in AI, sensing, and digital infrastructure will create machines capable not only of executing programmed tasks but of understanding their environments, adapting in real time, and learning from experience. This evolution will redefine how manufacturing, logistics, and energy systems are […]
MES must become the factory’s nervous system, not its filing cabinet
Manufacturing execution systems are evolving from passive record-keeping to active, real-time decision support that shapes outcomes at the speed of operations. Senior leaders who still view MES as a historical ledger are missing the strategic pivot that modern manufacturing execution systems now demand. The term MES emerged in the early 1990s, and for a long […]
Robotics will decide whether industry thrives or fractures by 2035
The fusion of robotics and artificial intelligence is accelerating, but its trajectory remains uncertain. Whether autonomy becomes a scaffold for human potential or a hollow substitute will depend on choices made in the coming decade. Industrial revolutions rarely appear fully formed. The steam engine did not immediately replace muscle and wood; it lurked first in […]
Balancing precision and capacity with simulation-powered digital twins
Discrete event simulation is reshaping process design in manufacturing, replacing guesswork with data-driven certainty and unlocking significant untapped capacity. By creating accurate, dynamic models of complex processes, manufacturers can optimise throughput, reduce costs and enhance operational agility before a single piece of equipment is installed. Scaling up from a successful bench synthesis to a fully […]
Most digital twins in manufacturing are just digital theatre
Digital twins and AI are converging to transform industrial operations, but success demands deep data discipline, strategic humility, and an uncomfortable rethink of control. Real change starts with the unspectacular. For all the headlines about AI remaking industry, few narratives grapple with the unglamorous reality at its foundation: if your data is poor, your AI […]
How intelligent agents are transforming maintenance from routine to strategic
Manufacturers are no longer relying on static schedules and human memory to manage complex assets. Embedded AI agents are changing the game by proactively detecting inefficiencies, optimising inspections, and capturing expertise before it disappears. The traditional view of enterprise asset management as a reactive, records-based system is quietly collapsing. In its place, a new model […]
No code on the shop floor is not just for hobbyists anymore
Low-code and no-code platforms are quietly transforming decision-making in industrial environments. These tools are transforming frontline workers into system designers and simulation engineers without requiring them to write a single line of code. The industrial shop floor has always been the domain of pragmatism. Machines must work, systems must align, and processes must produce tangible […]
Data infrastructure is the unsung battleground for industrial AI success
Executives may be eager to scale AI across manufacturing, but without a robust data infrastructure, pilot projects will fail to take flight. Understanding how to treat data as infrastructure, rather than an afterthought, is now critical to achieving fundamental transformation. The AI hype curve is merciless. One moment, an industrial proof-of-concept attracts board-level excitement; the […]
Why the IT OT divide still haunts digital manufacturing
Bridging operational and enterprise data is vital for AI-driven insight. Yet the cultural, architectural and governance gaps between teams continue to stall progress in digital manufacturing. Manufacturers have talked about IT/OT convergence for decades, but the reality on most factory floors remains far more fragmented than strategy decks would suggest. At the root of the […]
Hallucination is not a glitch; it is the generative spark driving the next era of AI innovation
The creative instability of hallucination is no longer a flaw to be eliminated, but a force to be harnessed. Responsible deployment will depend on knowing when to correct it, when to contain it, and when to let it run wild. As enterprises rush to implement generative AI across operations, design, and customer engagement, the phenomenon […]
Simulation is the key to unlocking automation at scale
As manufacturing becomes more automated, the ability to simulate, validate and refine processes in a virtual environment is proving essential. Simulation not only accelerates deployment and improves productivity but also addresses the skills gap and reduces risk. The industrial push toward automation is often framed in terms of robotics, sensors and AI. Yet before a […]
How AI is reshaping metals for efficiency, sustainability, and competitive advantage
The metals industry stands at a critical juncture, facing mounting pressure to enhance efficiency, reduce emissions, and remain competitive in an evolving global landscape. As digital transformation accelerates, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a key enabler, optimising operations, minimising waste, and improving decision-making. AI’s impact is being felt across the metals industry, driving efficiencies […]
Digital transformation lessons from ACG World’s global lighthouse network factory
Digital transformation in manufacturing is often driven by technology, but its success hinges on empowering people. At ACG’s Global Lighthouse Network facility, the focus on workforce engagement, cultural change, and practical innovation offers a powerful blueprint for Industry 4.0 leadership. As manufacturers worldwide turn to digital transformation to keep pace with Industry 4.0, many overlook […]
Can closed-loop AI truly deliver on its promise to revolutionise process control?
Mark Venables spoke to Dennis Rohe, Business Consulting Team Leader at Imubit, to explore whether closed-loop AI technology can transform process control. While the technology promises dynamic adaptability and unprecedented efficiency, questions remain about its scalability, transparency, and ability to deliver measurable results across diverse industrial environments. Closed-loop AI technology has been hailed as a […]
Rewiring manufacturing intelligence for a connected future
Manufacturers have long discussed digital continuity, but most are still struggling with brittle workflows, data silos, and fragmented tools. A new generation of platforms is rewriting the rulebook, with edge collaboration, orchestration, and intelligence at its core. For decades, manufacturers have invested in digital tools with the promise of seamless integration, spanning design, production, and […]
Precision on the edge of possibility
The RB17 pushes manufacturing to Formula One extremes. The result is a 1,200-horsepower machine built with uncompromising detail, designed to deliver ultimate track performance at scale. There is a particular irony to the RB17. Officially, it is the car that never raced. A gap-filler between Red Bull Racing’s 2020 and 2022 Formula One campaigns was […]
Born digital and built for scale, Octave sets out to redefine industrial intelligence
As the lines blur between design, operation and protection of critical assets, the next chapter in industrial software demands a new kind of company. Octave is positioning itself as a digital-native force for orchestrating intelligence across the entire asset lifecycle. For an industry defined by continuity, transformation is rarely dramatic. The evolution of asset lifecycle […]
Why manufacturing agility depends on digital maturity, not just disruption
Agility has become a defining advantage for manufacturers navigating global volatility. But as new data reveals, real-time responsiveness depends on the complex, unglamorous work of digitising the value chain from design to supply chain and beyond. The word most often used to describe manufacturing today is resilience, but the one that truly defines its future […]
