Digital transformation has by now become a foundation of modern manufacturing and industrial operations, with innovations that are reshaping the landscape for control and automation professionals. One of the most significant trends driving this transformation is the emergence of digital industrial platforms. These technologies are changing how data is collected, contextualised, and used in heavy industries, allowing for more efficient operations, enhanced sustainability, and greater agility in responding to market demands. For control and automation professionals in sectors like oil and gas, manufacturing, power generation, mining and beyond, understanding digital industrial platforms is crucial.
Digital industrial platforms are not just another software product, they represent a shift in how industrial data will be managed and leveraged to accelerate innovation. This article will briefly explore what digital industrial platforms are, why they are important and how they might shape the future of industrial automation.
What Is a digital industrial platform?
At its core, a digital industrial platform is a stack of technologies that collect, process and contextualise data from a variety of industrial sources. This data might come from sensors, control systems, scada systems, or other relevant industrial sources. It also often includes unstructured information like engineering drawings, maintenance and operating procedures, and historical records, which are critical for decision making but traditionally harder to include in automated processes.
The goal of a digital industrial platform is to make this wealth of information far more accessible and useful for various operational stakeholders, including control room operators, supervisors, process engineers, and maintenance technicians. By pulling together and augmenting structured and unstructured data from a broad array of sources, digital industrial platforms enable the kind of real-time well-informed analysis that can improve operational efficiency, safety and productivity.
A key element of these platforms is their ability to integrate with existing industrial infrastructure while providing new capabilities, such as:
• Cybersecurity: Protecting valuable industrial assets and sensitive operational data.
• Connectivity and data management: Ensuring large volumes of information can be efficiently gathered, organised, scrubbed and retrieved.
• Simulation models: Virtual models of physical systems that allow engineers to simulate and optimise operations without risking downtime.
• User interfaces: Simplified, intuitive interfaces that allow operators and engineers to access and interpret data quickly and accurately, without deep expertise in programming or data science.
Drivers behind digital industrial platforms
Several emerging technologies and industry trends are driving the development of digital industrial platforms. There are many such drivers, but the main ones include:
• Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT): The rise of IIoT devices has significantly increased the volume of data available from industrial operations. Digital industrial platforms help consolidate this data, making it actionable in real time.
• Cloud computing and edge processing: With advancements in both cloud storage and edge processing capabilities, industrial organisations can now process vast amounts of data locally, while leveraging cloud resources for more complex analyses.
• Standardised protocols: These enable more seamless data communication between devices, systems and platforms, facilitating integration and interoperability.
• Generative AI: The introduction of AI models that can analyse and interpret large datasets has been particularly disruptive, enabling predictive maintenance, process optimisation, and other advanced analytics tasks.
Together, these technologies are creating a robust foundation for the digital industrial platform ecosystem. The challenge for vendors is to consolidate all of this technology into practical solutions for industry.
The role of vendors, and the current market landscape
The vendor landscape for digital industrial platforms is evolving rapidly. Some established vendors are adapting to this shift quickly, but others lag behind, struggling to transition away from legacy automation, software and IT systems that are not well suited for the modern industrial environment. The fragmentation in the vendor market means that buyers and decision makers in industrial automation must carefully evaluate their current vendors’ ability to innovate and meet future needs.
Some key trends driving vendors to innovate include:
• Convergence of IT and OT: Historically, information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) were distinct domains. Today, the lines between these two areas are blurring, with digital industrial platforms often spanning both IT and OT domains to enable more comprehensive analytics.
• Service-oriented architecture (SOA): Many software vendors are moving toward service-based business models, offering software as a service (SaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) solutions. This allows for more flexible, scalable solutions that can be tailored to specific industrial needs.
• Cloud and edge computing: Very large companies that provide scalable, cloud-based platforms, with integrated edge processing capabilities, are well positioned to succeed in this evolving landscape.
• Smart sensors: New intelligent sensors capable of leveraging internet protocols and generating actionable insights are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in industrial automation. The ability to interface with a range of sensors and IIoT vendor products is key to a successful digital industrial platform.
Some platform vendors have made strategic partnerships with major industry players to accelerate joint innovation. For instance, at least one leading vendor in the digital industrial platform space has formed a joint venture with one of the world’s largest oil producers based in the Middle East. This collaboration aims to harness the best of both worlds: innovative IT solutions paired with the operational expertise of a global industrial giant. This is similar to the collaboration in the
Challenges and opportunities for adoption
Despite the obvious benefits, the adoption of digital industrial platforms is not without its challenges. One major issue is the skills gap in many industrial organisations. As digital platforms become more sophisticated, they require a higher level of expertise to implement and manage. Many companies are struggling to recruit the talent needed to make full use of these technologies.
Additionally, there can be resistance to change, particularly among organisations that are heavily invested in legacy systems. Transitioning from a traditional proprietary control system to a more open digital platform can be seen as risky, especially in industries where cybersecurity is paramount and downtime or operational failures have significant financial or safety implications. Nevertheless, the opportunities far outweigh the challenges. According to research by Frost & Sullivan, the process industry is expected to be the highest-growth segment for digital industrial platforms in the near future.
Conclusion and recommendations
Digital industrial platforms are here, and they are poised to reshape the industrial automation landscape. For control and automation professionals, it is crucial to stay informed about these technologies.
To make the most of this opportunity:
• Keep an eye on emerging vendors that specialise in digital platforms and evaluate how their offerings could integrate with your existing systems.
• Pressure your current control and automation suppliers to clarify their plans for transitioning to digital industrial platforms and ensure they are committed to keeping pace with industry trends.
• Develop a roadmap for adopting these platforms in your organisation, focusing on areas where they can deliver the most value, such as process optimisation and overall equipment effectiveness.
The future of industrial automation lies in converting data into information, and digital industrial platforms are the key to unlocking its full potential. By embracing this technology, you can ensure your organisation remains competitive. The opportunity is there for the taking; will you rise to the challenge?
About Gavin Halse
Gavin Halse.
Gavin Halse, an experienced chemical process engineer, has been an integral part of the manufacturing industry since the 1980s. In 1999, he embarked on a new journey as an entrepreneur, establishing a software business that still caters to a global clientele in the mining, energy, oil and gas, and process manufacturing sectors.
Gavin’s passion lies in harnessing the power of IT to drive performance in industrial settings. As an independent consultant, he offers his expertise to manufacturing and software companies, guiding them in leveraging IT to achieve their business objectives. His specialised expertise has made contributions to various industries around the world, reflecting his commitment to innovation and excellence in the field of manufacturing IT For more information contact Gavin Halse, TechnicalLeaders, gavin@gavinhalse.com, www.technicalleaders.com, www.linkedin.com/in/gavinhalse.
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