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PROCESS AUTOMATION
AN OPEN APPROACH TO AUTOMATION
Aneil Ali, The Open Group Open Process Automation Forum Director, says the development of a holistic standards- based process control architecture has advantages for manufacturers and vendors alike
he idea of automation, as it is spoken about today, often feels distinctly modern. Whether it is autonomous vehicles, AI-powered customer service tools, or smart home technology, automation is always seen as something which is only just arriving in society.
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It is worth remembering, however, that we have been using and relying on automation for a long time now. In fact, replacing human labour in repetitive physical tasks has been a key part of progress throughout history: everything from early irrigation machinery to the humble vending machine has been an innovation which frees people up to do more intelligent, nuanced work.
Nowhere is this truer than in manufacturing. Perhaps only the production line – splitting work up into smaller tasks – has had a bigger impact than automation on the speed and precision with which we can make things. From making paper and gasoline to soft drinks and plastics, process automation systems are ubiquitous in the manufacturing industry and often go unnoticed.
The history and high importance of process automation in manufacturing might be why the industry now faces a distinct set of challenges in the area. Automation has, of course, progressed significantly in recent decades, with computerisation giving rise to a wide range of new technologies to connect, oversee, and manage processes. As the sector, like all parts of the economy, becomes truly digital first, businesses are experiencing this systems complexity as a barrier to innovation. While other rapidly- advancing areas of technology, like connectivity, have promoted new ideas by enabling flexible interoperability, process control systems are typically bound by proprietary communications protocols which
40 FEBRUARY 2023 | PROCESS & CONTROL
limit the choices of end-users. A long history of gradual automation and the expectation of a long service life for new solutions which are implemented means that this investment is deeply embedded and difficult to replace. This problem is becoming more acute in the context of an increasingly sensitive supply chain. Global trade networks have faced a series of shocks in recent years, and when highly-automated systems are interrupted, the consequence on a business’s ability to meet demand can be devastating. As we go forward, the precision of manufacturing automation must be joined with greater flexibility and responsiveness to change. This, of course, is precisely what siloed ecosystems of automation technology limit. The answer is to move towards open standards for process automation, in which a common language allows different systems to communicate while making it easier for professionals to abstractly model different options for operations. This is the work of The Open Group Open Process Automation Forum, in which a group covering end users, suppliers, system integrators, standards organisations,
and academia are collaborating to develop a holistic standards-based process control architecture.
For manufacturers, this kind of standardisation establishes a clear, more reliable path to follow when migrating process automation systems. By ensuring compatibility between a more diverse set of tools, it will enable them to innovate more quickly without risking the continuity of core processes. Cross- sector standardisation will also enable information sharing where, previously, approaches have been strictly siloed into different kinds of manufacturing process. For vendors, it will open new markets and potential customers. In an ecosystem which is established on a common, standardised framework, ideas and operating models are much more portable across different use- cases – not just within businesses, but even between different areas of manufacturing. This, together with fundamental interoperability, will enable innovative new approaches to spread more quickly to places where they can have a real impact. For the staff, who are ultimately on the frontline of change when deeper automation is introduced, standardisation will also have an important supportive effect. There will be a shift from manual, hands on the line roles towards technical professionals doing important work maximising the value of automated processes. As with any technical role, these skills will deliver the greatest benefit when they can be applied across a wide range of environments: in this context, standardisation provides both a framework for learning and a fluid, competitive market for skills.
The Open Group
www.opengroup.org/forum/open-process- automation
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