Boundless Automation

15 April, 2024

Emerson’s Boundless Automation transforms outdated automation architectures into a modern intelligent field, edge, and cloud computing framework, connected through a unifying data fabric

First published in the April 2024 issue of Quarry Management

Emerson see Boundless Automation as an industry inflection point to address data barriers and modernize operations. Advanced software-defined automation architecture will integrate intelligent field, edge, and cloud, unlocking a new era of productivity

Building on their innovation leadership, global technology and software company Emerson say they are poised to transform industrial manufacturing with next-generation automation architecture designed to break down data silos, liberate data, and unleash the power of software with Boundless Automation.

As many companies wrestle to extract full value from their digital transformation efforts, the limitations of today’s automation architectures are being realized, say Emerson. Technology stacks built around each functional department – production, reliability, safety, and most recently sustainability – have resulted in islands of fragmented data, which are proving difficult to integrate or use. As a result, new business insights promised by digital transformation remain elusive.

To address this challenge and help customers achieve their operational improvements, Emerson are introducing a vision and actionable strategy to push more computing power closest to where it is needed and establish the blueprint for a modern industrial computing environment. This environment includes: flexibility to deploy software across the intelligent field; a modern, software-defined edge; and the cloud. All three domains will be connected through a unifying data fabric, helping to maintain data context, improve its usability, and increase security.

Addressing industry leaders at the Emerson Exchange EMEA 2024 conference in Düsseldorf in February, Emerson’s president and chief executive, Lal Karsanbhai, said: ‘After decades of implementing evolving automation strategies, manufacturers recognize the need to extract greater value from data that are locked in a rigid and now outdated automation architecture. The proliferation of data and the development of advanced software are moving us to an era of unprecedented productivity. Rich data and advanced software are converging to form the next major inflection point in the industry.’

According to Mr Karsanbhai, Emerson’s modern, software-defined automation architecture will break down hierarchical networks, securely democratizing and contextualizing data for both people and the artificial intelligence (AI) engines that depend on a continuous flow of information. He added that the company will continue to innovate its broad portfolio of technologies in development to serve as the foundation for the future of Boundless Automation.

With Boundless Automation, Emerson introduce a modern, secure automation architecture that liberates data to unleash the power of software

Emerson’s Boundless Automation architecture will break down barriers and data silos across the intelligent field, edge, and cloud. Integrating these disparate systems with a unifying data fabric will offer new insights and help companies optimize operations across production, reliability, safety, sustainability, and the workforce.

An intelligent field will simplify access to more data from more sources and a greater diversity of applications. With smarter devices and new connection technologies such as 5G and APL, customers can streamline both connectivity from anywhere in the world and integration across the new architecture.

The new operational technology (OT) edge creates a modern, secure, low-latency computing environment, putting new software tools and actionable data closest to its user. This enhanced edge environment establishes a platform for IT and OT colleagues to innovate and collaborate more than ever before.

The cloud will power complex operations and engineering capabilities on-premise and across the enterprise by providing infinite analytical computing power, enterprise collaboration, attractive lifecycle costs, and on-demand support and service.

‘With an industry-leading technology stack and decades of proven expertise, Emerson are uniquely positioned to engineer and deploy automation to maximize customers’ technology investments and deliver measurable performance improvements,’ said Mr Karsanbhai.