Industrial Automation: the new trends for 2024

New year, time for forecasts. What will be the main trends accompanying us during 2024?

Let's explore the new trends to watch in the field of industrial automation.

Trends to monitor

The year 2023 saw many industrial realities adopt innovative solutions to effectively respond to the demands for change in the energy sector.

We've gathered the most interesting reflections to offer a comprehensive overview of future applications in the industrial sector.

• Sustainability

A topic of discussion for manufacturing companies has been the integration of ESG principles into decision-making processes.

The focus is on reducing resource consumption and the environmental impact of companies, in line with European decarbonization goals.

Sustainability will, therefore, gain more momentum, requiring companies to meet the trends and promote new competitive solutions.

• Local-for-Local Model

As highlighted by Omron, a leader in industrial automation, recent events have led companies to reorganize their sourcing strategy.

A global supply chain weakened by long distances has made decentralized production not always advantageous.

A possible solution could be replication in other geographic areas, creating a standardized production of the product.

• The Importance of CX

Following the resource supply crises, another trend to monitor is CX, Customer Experience. After recent supply issues, the price and role of the product have become secondary.

Now, a positive purchasing experience for the customer and effective relationship management with distributors and partners are essential. In the automotive sector, companies are interested in buying a solution, not just a product.

This is because relational factors that add value to the company come into play in the purchasing process.

• OT and IT Connection Technologies

With the ability to redesign production and verify changes in a 3D environment, implementation benefits from numerous advantages. Implementation times are significantly reduced, and investments are valued in terms of cost and resource optimization.

We will often hear about flexible production 4.0, a system where industrial robots work coordinated by scheduled activities.

Flexible production will allow resource reconfiguration to expand the product portfolio and quality. Cost and resource optimization thus equates to competitiveness.

• Data and Quality Analysis

Monitoring and managing critical machinery elements are important for ensuring consistent machine efficiency. The use of virtual reality tools for monitoring will ensure more efficient productivity.

Complementary devices, such as programs for acquiring and analyzing machine data and performance, will bring improvements to automated systems.

Special attention will consequently be placed on quality and effective inspection systems to verify the integrity of the realization.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

For the industrial automation sector, AI solutions are considered a great opportunity to optimize system performance.

We can therefore expect that new development technologies will be adopted to ensure quality, safety, and sustainability, de facto requirements of the industry.

In 2024, the growth of industry 4.0 and the digital transformation path to accelerate the implementation of industrial processes will continue.

New technological approaches

Companies must quickly adapt to new evolutionary contexts, driven by trends that force them to integrate management models. A conscious approach to changes is necessary to mitigate risk factors and make the integration of new applications smooth. 

Companies need to redefine themselves with new values, preserving investments and leveraging these rising new technologies. AI is certainly a tool with infinite potential but requires solid risk management and controls. 

Data is vulnerable: protocols for data protection and security must be established. Reliable investments for value creation within the company must support growth in the industrial market.

New applications can indeed offer valid and reliable tools for advantageous productive operations, but above all practical to achieve new business goals.