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Open, software-defined automation
Open, software-defined automation
Move beyond vendor lock-in and reclaim an average of $11.28M* in hidden annual costs. Adopt open, software-defined automation to unlock agility. By separating hardware and software, you gain data-driven intelligence and interoperability.
Industrial leaders face rising complexity and increasing pressure to adapt quickly. Legacy systems, proprietary platforms, rigid infrastructure, and regulatory constraints limit scalability, innovation, and create costs. It's time for a new model: one that simplifies operations, accelerates transformation, and aligns automation with business strategy. Embrace open, software-defined automation to compete boldly, and infuse operations with data intelligence, and drive a cultural shift towards scalable, future-ready competitiveness. A recent Omdia market study examining the financial impact of closed industrial automation systems revealed that:
different hardware vendors
Deploy on average by enterprises
cost of unplanned downtime
Average cost for large enterprises with over $1B revenue*
annual average
Hidden costs of closed industrial systems (7,5% of mid sized companies revenue).*
Foundational pillars
Open standard benefits
Supports any vendor, legacy systems, and enables Industry 4.0 readiness.
Full containerisation perks
Runs like modern IT software and works with any OS or hardware that meets performance standards.
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Foundational pillars
Open standard benefits
Supports any vendor, legacy systems, and enables Industry 4.0 readiness.
Full containerisation perks
Runs like modern IT software and works with any OS or hardware that meets performance standards.
Want to know more?
Flexible automation control
Shift and move across devices with no downtime, ensuring continuous and flexible operations.
Efficient dynamic scaling
Enable dynamic scaling and redistribution without manual setup, saving time and effort.
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Modularity and reusability
Asset-centric design creates reusable digital models of plant equipment, eliminating the need for repeated validation.
Streamlined engineering
Single Line Engineering reduces rework, improves efficiency, and accelerates commissioning.
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Smarter data integration
Unify OT and IT data to drive analytics, improving operational efficiency and profitability.
Digital twin and AI for smarter operations
Leverage digital twin and AI to validate and optimise workflows for deeper data driven insights.
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The freedom to innovate
Discover EcoStruxure Automation Expert
EcoStruxure Automation Expert gives you the freedom to choose and the flexibility to adapt with:
- Less engineering time: Experience greater efficiency with reduced engineering time for industrial automation.
- Quicker fault recovery: Improve operational resilience with greater system uptime and recovery after faults.
The first truly open, software-defined automation solution: unbound by hardware, engineered for agility, and empowered by data.
Discover how open automation drives agility and innovation
Read the article and explore how open, software-defined automation transforms industrial operations, delivering scalability and innovation for sustainable success in a fast-changing world.
Unlock limitless automation potential
By embracing open standards, our software-defined automation solution integrates any hardware into a seamless system and enables applications to run independently of hardware, deploying control where it performs best.
Industrial operations reimagined
Manufacturers must reimagine operations to thrive amid change. By adopting AI and Software-Defined Automation, leaders gain agility, real-time insights, and the ability to respond faster to market shifts.
Microsoft
Balaji Iyer, Industry Leader, Americas Manufacturing Industries,
Strategic advantage with open automation
Open Software-Defined Automation is no longer optional. It's a strategic advantage that drives resilience, flexibility, and sustainability—shaping the future of industrial automation through open collaboration.
Universal Automation Org
Raquel Torres
Hardware independence
By breaking the chains that bind software to rigid hardware, we're unleashing unprecedented flexibility, scalability, and intelligence across every plant floor and utility grid.
Intel
Stan Woody, Industrial & Robotics Division
Key alliances and partnerships
*OMDIA report "Open vs. Closed: The $11.28m Question for Industrial Leaders"
1. What is open software-defined automation?
Open software-defined automation refers to a modern approach to industrial automation that prioritises software and its flexibility over traditional hardware-centric systems. It decouples the control layer from the underlying hardware, enabling greater agility, portability, and scalability in automation processes. This approach leverages software to manage, configure, and control automation systems, making them more adaptable to changing needs and less reliant on specific hardware.
2. What are the benefits of open software-defined automation?
Benefits include enhanced interoperability through open standards, enabling seamless integration across multi-vendor systems and reducing vendor lock-in. This approach also brings flexibility and scalability, allowing systems to be reconfigured or expanded quickly through software. It accelerates deployment, simplifies configuration and control, and helps lower costs. By leveraging edge control, decisions can be made locally and in real time, reducing latency and improving responsiveness. Additionally, software-defined systems integrate easily with IT infrastructure, cloud services, and analytics platforms, enabling smarter, more connected operations.
3. How does open software-defined automation support digital transformation?
Open software-defined automation is a key driver of digital transformation in industrial environments. By decoupling control software from proprietary hardware, it creates a flexible, interoperable foundation that integrates easily with cloud platforms, analytics tools, and enterprise systems. This enables real-time data visibility and advanced insights for smarter decision-making.
Because of its software-defined architectures, companies can adopt technologies like edge computing, AI, and IoT without major infrastructure changes. This accelerates innovation, reduces deployment time, and bridges the gap between traditional OT systems and modern IT ecosystems, making connected, agile industrial operations possible.