Dear Readers,
3
v
IewpoInt
November 17
If you have a look in the international
weather reports nowadays you´ll
realise a dramatic change in climate
which causes severe weather in nearly
all part of the world. The extremely
strong hurricanes in the Caribbean
which reaches sometimes even Ire-
land in Europe are one of many exam-
ples which proves this situation. And
also, the thunder storms in Germany
gained strength and caused much
more destruction than in the past.
And I believe this situation will con-
tinue or even worst accelerate. This
will increase the challenges to operate embedded systems outdoors.
But also in similar harsh environments like industrial automation
there will be an increase in requirements for embedded systems
caused by the totally automated deserted production halls in which
only machines will work and communicate to each other. There will
be no longer any necessity to create shop floors in which human
beings and robots work in cooperation, which means you have to
take in account the well-being of humans.
While discussions about the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and
its promises of cost-efficient, nonstop operations carry an opportu-
nistic tone among executives, it is system integrators (SIs) who have
to grapple with the reality of figuring out how the different platforms
in a network can communicate with each other. What turns SIs world
upside down is the hodgepodge of protocols in the three divergent
domains of network architecture: Operation Technology (OT), Infor-
mation Technology (IT), and the IIoT. Each domain comes with its
own set of protocols that effectively creates non-interoperable silos,
making it impossible for useful data to reach those who need it on
an enterprise level to make important decisions, and leaving SIs at
their wit’s end. Matters are further complicated by the fact that both
the OT and IT departments are unfamiliar with the protocols used in
each other domains. This trend must be reversed quickly, because as
the IIoT makes inroads into automation, OT and IT are converging.
More in this issue.
The SPS/IPC/Drives 2017 which will be held from 28. to 30. Novem-
ber in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg, is Europe’s leading exhibition
for electric automation and will show all the new products, trends and
innovations within this industry. According to organizer MesagoMesse
Frankfurt the trade fair offers the visitors a platform to search the right
solutions for their automation tasks. The topic of Industrie 4.0 is devel-
oping from a vision to reality and once again will be a main focus of
the exhibition. In the age of digital transformation, IT and automation
are increasingly merging and this will be reflected this year as never
before. Alongside topic based special display areas, presentations, many
products and examples of applications devoted to digital transforma-
tion, hall 6 has a new thematic focus, which will address these new
challenges in production technologies. You should take this chance to
achieve intelligent production and should also take the chance to visit
ICC Media booth 160 in hall 3A to talk to the ICC Media team.
I´m looking forward to see you there.
Yours Sincerely
Wolfgang Patelay
Editor
