Radwell International’s Blog

Advancements in technology for the manufacturing sector have improved every industry in the marketplace. Major innovations continue to create improvements in the productivity and sustainability of entire production processes. These innovations include process automation, additive manufacturing, and the inclusion of artificial intelligence. With the struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturers are searching for ways to maintain productivity with reduced manpower. With that in mind, businesses are wondering what the future of manufacturing technology is.

Since the advent of the programmable logic controller (PLC), automation controllers of all kinds have made their way into industrial applications, including programmable automation controllers (PACs) and today’s edge programmable industrial controllers (EPICs). Users have many options in terms of cost, footprint, input/output (I/O) density, fieldbus compatibility, communication, programming options, and processing speed with competition among vendors looking to establish supremacy.

While it’s generally true diversity is healthy for the market, it also can be a source of frustration for engineers and end users. Selecting a control platform is often a long-term investment and carries related overhead like training and support contracts. Decision-makers want the reassurance they are putting their money to work in the right way.