Automation trends in industrial networks and IIoT

Abstract

Digitalization in the factories started with the Third Industrial Revolution. Computers and Automation were introduced in the factories when Operation Technology (OT) were defined and implemented. The hardware as PLCs, I/O, or Field Devices, and the software reached a maturity level at the beginning of the century. Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet of things (IIoT) implementation are the paths to reach the new productive model requirements. The motivations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution are cost reduction, rapid technology adoption, end-product customization, and product delivery time reduction. It could be reached through the digital transformation and automation trends supported by technologies such as the IIoT, Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), Cloud Computing, Big Data Analytics, 5G networks, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence (AI), among others. Those technologies impulse the convergence IT-OT, redefining the reference architectures. Through the latest enabling technologies, a new production model could be achieved. The objective of this chapter is to provide a contemporary look at state of the art in Industrial Automation. It will give a better understanding of the enabling technologies, potential advantages and challenges of the Industry 4.0 and IIoT and foster interest to explore this promising area.