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May 2026 Trends Issue
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Industrial Automation & Control Trends: May 2026 Issue
Welcome to the latest issue of the International Society of Automation’s online magazine, Automation.com Monthly. May 2026 is the 11th annual Industrial Automation & Control Trends issue.
Access Thousands of Articles — Completely Free
Login or create an account to gain free access to all the articles in this issue as well other gated content. For access to back issues and bonus content, become a member of ISA.
Features
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How Data Maturity Brings Industrial AI Agents Within Reach
Manufacturers can build a foundational data infrastructure that enables them to adopt agents faster and with less outright risk. -
Hands-On Automation Learning Prepares Students for the Future
Kettering University developed a collaborative program between education and industry to prepare students for meaningful, high-impact careers. -
How Unattended Machining Redefines What’s Possible
The most successful shops use automation to protect and elevate their workforce, stabilize production expectations and stay competitive in a tight labor market. -
Monolithic Namespace Is a Liability, Not a Strategy
The industry has been so focused on solving the integration problem that it has ignored the failure mode problem. -
Industry 5.0: The Digital Journey of Enterprise-Wide Intelligence
The quest for optimization begins with digital connectivity, unlocking opportunities for insight generation, automated modeling and predictive maintenance, all essential for productivity in today’s demanding process environments. -
Manufacturing's AI Moment: The Tech Powering the Workforce to Take the Next Industrial Leap
Here's how manufacturers translate AI investment into real-world gains on the shop floor. -
Logistics Industry Trends: Software-Layer Solutions and Resilience Planning
The software layer is connecting data, automation, labor management, slotting and exception handling. -
The Industrial Orchestration Layer: Empowering Shop Floor Intelligence
As a secure and deterministic bridge between stochastic AI models and physical machinery, the industrial orchestration layer empowers manufacturers to safely automate real-time decision-making while ensuring safe operations.
Columns
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From the Editor: Industrial Automation Information - So Many Trends, So Many Topics
With so much changing so fast, it helps to have a trusted source. -
From the ISA President: Celebrating International Automation Professionals Day 2026
Behind every control system, every manufacturing improvement, every safety layer and every digital innovation are professionals applying expertise, creativity and judgment to improve our world. -
Topical Roundup: May 2026
Today’s new topic is next year’s trend. See what’s going on at Automation.com! -
The Human Side of Industrial Cybersecurity, and Why Consultants Align With ISA/IEC 62443
ISA/IEC 62443 brings structure to cybersecurity work in a way that reflects how industrial environments actually function, how teams of real humans collaborate and how risk is experienced in the real world.
News From ISA
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ISA OT Cybersecurity Summit Delivers Training and Two Tracks of Exceptional Speakers
Attendees can learn about cyber-physical security, industrial supply chain threats and mitigation and more, as well as attend certificate training courses. -
International Society of Automation (ISA) Announces Publication of New Standard for SCADA Systems
The ISA-112 Part 1 standard provides a framework for modernizing supervisory control and data acquisition systems and making them easier to design, build, operate and maintain. -
Palindrome Technologies Gains Full Accreditation to Certify Products to the ISASecure Program
The International Society of Automation announced Palindrome Technologies has received full accreditation from the International Accreditation Service and ANSI National Accreditation Board to serve as an ISO/IEC 17065 accredited certification body for ISASecure. -
ISA Celebrates Fifth Annual International Automation Professionals Day
The International Society of Automation (ISA), the leading professional society for automation, will celebrate its fifth annual International Automation Professionals Day on 28 April 2026. -
ISA Podcast Breaks Down OT Cybersecurity in the Maritime Sector
The latest episode of Podomation examines the next wave of maritime cybersecurity with Marco Ayala and Steve Mustard. -
ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance (ISAGCA) Announces 2026 Advisory Board
The ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance (ISAGCA) has announced members of its Advisory Board for the 2026 term. -
Announcing the OT Security Knowledge Framework: A Guide for Educators & Students, Second Edition 2025
The OT Security Knowledge Framework: A Guide for Educators & Students, Second Edition 2025 can help universities build an OT cybersecurity program.
Products of the Month
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Components for Efficient Panel Design
Simplify panel design and assembly with Omron Panel Builder Solutions. Access a comprehensive lineup of power supplies, relays, monitoring devices and control components designed for reliable automation and efficient panel integration. -
Industrial Strength, Simplified SCARA
A high‑payload SCARA robot built for speed, easy integration and reliability, featuring batteryless design, flexible control and a 20 kg payload. -
One PLC for Data Center Cooling Control
Reduce system complexity in data center cooling applications with a single device that handles control, communication and visualization. No gateways. No extra layers. Built for reliable, real-time operation. -
Unleash Innovation at the Premier Automation Event
Want to peek into Ignition’s future & gain automation insights? See you in September at ICC for can’t-miss keynotes & expert-led sessions. -
Stop Reacting. Start Monitoring.
Unify sensors, software, and data in one IIoT platform to accelerate digital transformation from engineering to optimization. -
Positioned for Tough Compact Applications
Novotechnik's TX2 Series position sensor's pivot-head mounting can handle ±12.5° of offset with stroke lengths of 25 to 300 mm. Linearity is within ±0.5% and the TX2 Series is sealed to meet or exceed IP67.
A message about our sponsors
ISA’s mission and Automation.com Monthly digital magazine are supported by advertisers and sponsors. They contribute technical articles, case histories and other technical resources designed to educate, inform and inspire automation professionals and advance their careers. Articles from advertisers are identified with a “Sponsored” tag. To obtain further information from any of the advertisers in this issue, contact them directly using the information found in their ad or author bio. For news and product information from suppliers, visit Automation.com.
Sponsors
Explore Past Issues
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February 2026 February 2026 Issue
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January 2026 January 2026 Issue
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December 2025 Automation.com Monthly Nov./Dec. 2025
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October 2025 Automation.com Monthly October 2025: 2nd Annual Cybersecurity Trends Report
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August 2025 Automation.com Monthly August/September 2025
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July 2025 Automation.com Monthly June/July 2025
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May 2025 Automation.com Monthly May 2025
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April 2025 Automation.com Monthly April 2025
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March 2025 Automation.com Monthly March 2025
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January 2025 Automation.com Monthly January/February 2025
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November 2024 AUTOMATION 2024: IIoT, Digital Transformation & Smart Manufacturing
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October 2024 InTech Digital Magazine October 2024
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September 2024 AUTOMATION 2024: 1st Annual OT Cybersecurity Trends Report
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July 2024 AUTOMATION 2024: 9th Annual Industrial Automation & Control Trends Report
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June 2024 InTech Digital Magazine June 2024
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May 2024 AUTOMATION 2024: Digital Transformation for Sustainability (May)
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April 2024 InTech Digital Magazine April 2024
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March 2024 AUTOMATION 2024: IIoT & Digital Transformation (March)
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February 2024 InTech Digital Magazine February 2024