While manufacturing leaders work to manage and improve operations in today’s challenging environment, complex regulations, shorter product lifecycles, over-customization and talent shortages are proving to be significant roadblocks.
Manufacturing engineers cannot continue meeting industry needs with closed, hardware-driven systems, said Ali Haj Fraj, Schneider Electric’s head of Digital Factory, Industrial Automation. What manufacturers need to succeed moving forward is open, software-defined automation (OSDA). “Open, software-defined automation is making it easier for manufacturers to transition to a more agile, digital way of operating,” said Hany Fouda, senior vice president of Process Automation, for Schneider Electric. The movement involves building an open, interoperable automation ecosystem that allows customers to make their systems flexible and resilient.
The men were speaking at Schneider’s Houston-based Innovation Center, which is focused on OSDA and the company’s implementation of it. In the photo above, Fouda is on the left, and Fraj is on the right.
Webinar: Use Cases—How Open, Software-Defined Automation Delivers Value Across Industries (Part 3)
What is open, software-defined automation (OSDA)?
The traditional, hardware-focused approach to creating automation systems involves choosing hardware—such as a PLC, industrial computer—then creating software based on the hardware. Schneider Electric is championing a movement that involves two parts: open automation and software-defined automation.
And when such software-defined automation (SDA) solutions, including Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure, are based on open rather than proprietary standards, the advantages multiply.
Open automation. Open automation involves applying open standards that allow integration of devices from multiple manufacturers. Schneider Electric’s solutions support integration of any third-party software and hardware based on the open standard of the Universal Automation Organization. Watch Schneider Electric’s webinar “Open, Software-Defined Automation: Why Open Standards Matter” here.
Software-defined automation. The software-defined approach involves divorcing control logic from physical hardware When this happens, automation systems can be more programmable, flexible and scalable, said Fraj.
Together, the two concepts make up Open, Software-Defined Automation (OSDA), which allows for a vendor-neutral system. Watch Schneider Electric’s webinar, “Open, Software-Defined Automation: The Evolution From Hardware to Software” here.
Fouda compared the OSDA movement to the evolution of the music industry. While music used to be tied to specific hardware, like a cassette player or a CD player, Spotify revolutionized the industry, letting listeners use whatever hardware and platform they wanted. The OSDA movement is similar. Automation is now digital—accessible from anywhere using whatever hardware and software best suits their needs.
EcoStruxure Automation Expert (EAE) is Schneider Electric’s open, software-defined automation solution for discrete, hybrid and process industries. The platform is for all types of control applications, including logic control, motion control, HMI and more.
The four tenets of OSDA
Schneider Electric shared the following four tenets for open, software-defined automation specifically as it relates to EcoStruxure Automation Expert:
- Hardware independence. Manufacturers have the freedom to choose the hardware that works best for their situation. Schneider Electric products allow for the integration of any third-party software and hardware based on the open standard of the Universal Automation Organization.
- Distributed intelligence. OSDA allows for dynamic distribution of control logic across edge devices that can adapt in real time.
- Application centric. Manage all your processes and systems using one application.
- Digital continuity. Get data regarding both IT and OT to make faster, informed decisions.
Problems OSDA can solve
Vendor lock-in. Legacy systems are often tied to proprietary hardware and software, meaning customers are restricted to a single vendor’s ecosystem. This limits flexibility and makes it difficult to integrate new tech or switch providers.
Limited flexibility. These systems are not agile enough to adapt to changing business needs, regulatory requirements or market conditions. Infrastructure can’t scale easily or support dynamic reconfiguration.
Complexity and skills gap. Legacy automation often involves complex programming and configuration, which can overwhelm teams. It’s harder to find talent trained in outdated technologies, exacerbating labor shortages.
Let’s take a look at Scheider’s OSDA platform in action.
Case study: The City of Conroe
Schneider Electric partnered with the City of Conroe to transform water infrastructure with EcoStruxure Automation Expert (EAE), Schneider’s open, software-defined automation solution. Conroe deployed EAE across 19 water and wastewater facilities to accelerate infrastructure delivery and support sustainable development.
“Water is vital to our communities and economy, yet cities face growing challenges with supply shortages, aging infrastructure and climate uncertainties,” said Sophie Borgne, president, Water & Environment, Schneider Electric. “Conroe’s forward-thinking approach demonstrates how open, software-defined automation can secure a city’s water future while enabling scalable, efficient operations.”
The collaboration resulted in a $50M infrastructure upgrade for Conroe, reduction in water loss, optimization of operations and strengthening of cybersecurity and resilience. (Learn more from Daniel Roberts, water and sewer superintendent for the City of Conroe, in Part 3 of Schneider Electric’s webinar series with Automation.com.)
Case Study: GR3N and Schneider Electric revolutionize plastic recycling
Swiss chemical recycler GR3N has partnered with Schneider Electric to launch the world's first open automation system for the advanced plastic recycling. Debuted in March 2024 at GR3N's Italian site, this innovative system uses EcoStruxure Automation Expert to transform the recycling landscape. The first industrial-scale facility, set to open in Spain, will process more than 40,000 tons of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) waste every year. GR3N's pioneering MADE (Microwave Assisted Depolymerization) technology breaks down PET into its chemical components, which can be recombined to produce new PET pellets, closing the loop for hard-to-recycle plastics. The system's modularity and shared automation runtime, managed by Universal Automation and following the IEC 61499 standard, offer efficiency and scalability. More information is available here.
Final thoughts
Sanjith Singh, VP of software-defined automation at Schneider Electric, said, “The tech of OSDA allows the market to move faster and solve real- life problems.”
Those interested in further information about open, software-defined automation can check out the Universal Automation organization or investigate Schneider Electric’s OSDA solution EcoStruxure Automation Expert (EAE).
