Open ecosystems as a success factor

The industry is changing. A frequently cited but also challenging example for many users is the change in supply chains. Disruptions in the supply chains of central automation components such as control systems in particular lead directly to delays in projects. A common and obvious approach is to develop a multi-supplier strategy. The resulting requirements for openness are obvious: cross-manufacturer interoperability with regard to communication between automation devices on the one hand, but also the standardized use of software components on the other.
Operators of machines and systems are also increasingly confronted with sustainability reporting guidelines. For the resource and energy management that this requires, production facilities and the machines and systems they operate must provide more and more data. Companies can only obtain a reliable overview of the consumption of their production with the most accurate values possible. Ideally, the data should be transparent right down to the IT level in cloud-based software systems. The much-cited convergence of OT (operational technology) and IT (information technology) required for this also leads to completely new requirements for open systems.
This is particularly true at a completely different level: for specialists. IT technologies such as security or TSN are flowing into OT; at the same time, OT technologies such as OPC UA are merging into IT. As a result, specialists need to be able to think and combine OT and IT from a single source.

From an open system to an open ecosystem

Customer demand for open systems is now being met by numerous automation providers. The term "open ecosystem" is often used here, which takes a holistic view of openness: In addition to openness in the sense of technical compatibility and interoperability of individual devices and components as well as the use of open technologies, for example open source such as Linux, this also includes cooperation between different players - customers, partners, competitors, suppliers. This form of partnership-based cooperation, known as co-creation, accelerates and broadens the range of solutions for users. Particularly in areas where partners have specific expertise, such as cybersecurity or AI, synergies can quickly arise that would not be achievable without open approaches.
Openness is also a decisive criterion for users when it comes to ecosystems: lock-in effects due to technical restrictions, licensing requirements or infrastructure systems such as app stores lead to disadvantages in terms of flexibility and freedom of choice in the medium term. True openness is therefore demonstrated by bridging ecosystems, for example by using components and devices from different ecosystems, such as Codesys, Container, Node-Red or Siemens Industrial Edge.
The resulting challenge is to harmonize the various software tools with manageable engineering effort - in other words, to enable collaboration between them. Dedicated technologies, such as message brokers, which network applications with each other, are becoming the basic prerequisite for open ecosystems.
ecosystems. They replace time-consuming programming of interfaces and enable customers to easily configure the connections of required tools.

Open ecosystems as an advantage in Industrial IoT

Ultimately, many applications show that open ecosystems are a decisive success factor in automation. In times of increasing individualization of customer requirements and growing complexity of supply chains, open ecosystems offer the necessary flexibility and interoperability to remain competitive. By integrating open technologies, companies can not only reduce costs, but also strengthen and expand their innovative power. Examples show this: The move from proprietary to open systems is essential in order to exploit synergies, create sustainable added value and meet the challenges of digitalization.
meet the challenges of digitalization. Companies that rely on open solutions benefit from a larger selection of technologies and partners - and thus secure their future in the Industrial IoT.