The pioneers of positive change

New software-centric universal automation technology is already paying dividends for the rapidly changing segments of consumer-packaged goods, pharmaceutical and logistics enterprises, including companies like GEA and Master Systèmes.

As the software is decoupled from the hardware, modifying the conveying line to adapt as flow requirements change is easier and more cost-effective. When something goes wrong, universal automation is able to pin-point the root cause of failure and troubleshoot four times faster. And with 45% less products on the error line when it comes to packaged consumer goods enterprises, workers and consumers all win.

There can be  resistance to standardisation. But industrial machines don’t thrive on individuality. Quite the opposite. Their whole purpose is to be part of a bigger whole, working in harmony across the operating environment. The standardisation of screw threads back in the day revolutionised manufacturing because it meant machines could be made and repaired using any standard rather than custom-built screw. This was one of the first major feats of industrial standardisation, one which the modern world has come to rely on. Imagine what we could achieve by standardising platforms on which the software solutions run in our factories today?

Universal automation will help engineers realise their full potential and infuse the industry with a renewed sense of purpose, all while granting manufacturers – especially those struggling during the pandemic – a new lease on life.

We must ensure that ecology and progress are no longer at the opposing ends of the environmental spectrum, as industry becomes one of the cornerstones of a green recovery.  This and more will be possible through industrial innovation, building on the advances of unified, easily interoperable, standards-based systems of sustainable manufacturing.