Today, in the ever-evolving field of industrial automation, a technological revolution is taking place, moving from closed to open. Compared to the closed and rigid traditional technology system, open, software-defined automation technology is bringing disruptive changes to the production, collaboration, and innovation models of various industries with its unprecedented flexibility and efficiency. To truly assess the prospects of a new technology, we must ultimately refer to industry practices, be guided by user needs, and use tangible value and user experience as the basis for evaluation. From this perspective, how valuable is open automation technology? What kind of future can it bring to various industries? We seek answers from real industry data, insights from authoritative experts, and feedback from industry partners. Recent industry research shows that in the robust industrial sector, closed yet reliable traditional automation systems have long been a preferred option for businesses. However, in the face of a constantly changing market environment, the limitations of closed technologies are increasingly eroding corporate competitiveness. A recent research report points out that adopting closed industrial automation systems will subject companies to hidden costs such as operational inefficiencies, downtime losses, compliance modifications, and production delays, thus continuously weakening their competitiveness. Medium-sized enterprises suffer an average annual loss of 7.5% of their revenue, while small manufacturers face even more severe losses, averaging 25% of their revenue annually. The core issue lies in hardware complexity. Most companies operate anywhere from two to more than ten heterogeneous automation platforms, each with unique maintenance requirements. This directly leads to dependence on suppliers, with approximately 30% of problems requiring specialized technical support. Given the current widespread shortage of manpower and skills, this demand for specialized skills further impacts workforce efficiency. Furthermore, isolated systems hinder the implementation of predictive maintenance and rapid problem resolution, resulting in high downtime losses and decreased productivity. These inefficiencies amplify throughout the entire operational process, hindering a company’s agile response capabilities and creating hidden cost burdens. In stark contrast to this “closed-loop dilemma” is the solution offered by the emerging technology trend of open, software-defined automation. Leveraging the decoupling of hardware and software through open automation technologies, companies can flexibly integrate multi-vendor systems, quickly respond to market changes, efficiently conduct small-batch production, and fill engineering skill gaps. Simultaneously, real-time data is transformed into actionable decision-making support, helping companies formulate smarter strategies, improve productivity, and achieve economies of scale in cost reduction.
As innovative digital technologies such as AI are rapidly integrating into the industrial sector, open automation not only means richer and more flexible innovative technological tools, but also serves as a natural platform for enterprises to bridge IT and OT, and integrate AI and industrial automation technologies, laying a solid foundation for enterprises to build future-oriented “intelligent competitiveness.” A professor from the School of Automation and Sensing at Shanghai Jiao Tong University vividly describes open automation technology as the “nerve center” connecting the AI brain and the industrial site. He points out that for the value of AI-driven decision optimization to truly take root in the industrial field, it is necessary to transform information-level decisions into executable instructions on the industrial site. Achieving this transformation requires a technical architecture that can support integration across equipment, factories, and even platforms. In this regard, an open automation platform that can seamlessly connect IT and OT can be considered the most effective technical solution currently available. As a representative carrier of open automation technology, Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Open Automation Platform (EAE), with its core advantages of free selection and flexible adaptation, has become an innovative tool for enterprises to overcome persistent problems such as architecture lock-in, data silos, system closure, and upgrade difficulties. In the municipal water treatment industry, EAE has demonstrated significant application value. The Deputy Chief Engineer of Shanghai Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute (Group) Co., Ltd. pointed out that EAE can simplify software programming and development, significantly reducing the workload of development and maintenance. Its high replicability perfectly matches the group management needs advocated by current smart water management initiatives. The Chief Engineer of the Fourth Institute of Tianjin Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. also stated that EAE provides a “burden-reducing approach” for the non-disruptive transformation of existing projects, allowing engineering design teams to focus on core needs for capacity matching and reducing interference with existing treatment processes. A distinguished chief engineer of Huazi Technology Co., Ltd. pointed out that EAE, with its distributed architecture, can break down the “data silos” between traditional controllers without cumbersome configuration and programming work, and can meet the data interaction needs between various process stages more quickly and effectively. Industry research, expert insights, and partner feedback demonstrate that open automation technology possesses solid practical potential in enhancing core enterprise competitiveness and empowering the implementation of cutting-edge technologies such as AI. It is driving an increasing number of industry users on a journey of value advancement “from closed to open.” Looking to the future, Schneider Electric will continue to promote the iterative upgrades and industry applications of its EcoStruxure Open Automation Platform (EAE), working hand-in-hand with industry partners to unleash the synergistic power of innovation and collaboration, jointly building an open, collaborative, agile, and intelligent future industrial world.
