As companies strive to achieve the benefits of Industry 4.0, they rely on development of smart manufacturing technologies. Many of the advances are occurring around data—how we can capture it, share it, secure it and make it maximally useful. In this edition of AUTOMATION 2022, you’ll gain insights into ensuring continuous data gathering through IIoT devices supported by maintenance-free batteries that can power wireless devices for decades. You’ll learn how time-sensitive networking (TSN) is enabling data gathering and data transfer to support the digital transformation of industry.
You’ll see how AI inference at the edge processes data at speeds high enough to create autonomous systems, and how open process automation can bring the best of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) together. These and other advances in data analytics and operations come together in a case study on Genentech’s newest biotechnology manufacturing facility: a Level 5 Adaptive Plant that incorporates advanced manufacturing and environmental sustainability. This issue showcases the importance of collaboration—between IT and OT, and industry and technology providers, as well as the data at the heart of smart systems. -Renee Bassett Chief Editor Automation.com