PLCopen sponsors ARC's 21st Annual Industry Forum

Industrial companies are revisiting their own business processes and technology approaches as competitors and partners start to employ "digitalised' business processes and exploit the increasing convergence between operational technology (OT), engineering technology (ET) and information technology (IT) on the plant floor. Trusted technology vendors are moving from Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) concepts to real IIoT products, systems and services. Companies are creating and implementing open source alternatives to traditional technology options. Governments around the world are supporting manufacturing growth initiatives.

Emerging business models allow manufacturers to rethink, or even outsource, asset management. Intelligent connected products, along with network communications, software, and analytics now enable manufacturers to improve uptime and optimise operating performance. Other hot topics such as cognitive computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence power much of this transformation. The Digital Enterprise benefits from smarter products, new service and operating models, new production techniques, and new approaches to design and sourcing.

How will disruptive technologies change existing products and plants? How will open source technologies impact traditional software and automation domains? Is cybersecurity a threat to digitalisation and, if so, how can the risk be mitigated? How "smart' are smart machines, and what benefit will these bring? How do Big Data and predictive and prescriptive analytics enable operational change? How do connected products create opportunities in aftermarket services? What software capabilities are needed to achieve transformational change? Which industries are already changing? What steps can organizations take to foster innovative thinking?

Join PLCopen at the 21st annual ARC Industry Forum in Orlando, Florida to learn more about how the digital enterprise will be realised and the benefits that this can bring. For more information on the Forum program, please visit www.arcweb.com.