Q: What is the state of standardization in the manufacturing community?
A: The current state of standardization is varied, depending upon the focus. For example, the deployment of standard programming languages that reside on PLC, PAC, and DCS automation platforms, such as IEC 61131, device communication based on OPC-DA, and Ethernet-derived automation networks is strong. However, standardized interoperability between the plant floor and MES and ERP levels has a way to go, but is increasingly being adopted as a business strategy because there is a very strong correlation between standardization and lower total cost of ownership.
Q: What are the top three business drivers influencing companies to standardize control and/or plant floor software?
A: The need for higher productivity and control is driving standardization of the connectivity between the plant floor and the enterprise to leverage, for example, the deployment of advanced plant optimization tools and full collaborative manufacturing management. Market forces are driving manufacturers toward greater flexibility and speed with shorter product lifecycles and smaller production runs, which require standardization of the visualization solutions throughout plant operations to prevent abnormal situations and avoid supply chain disruptions, for example. Finally, lowering the total cost of ownership drives standardization, as benefits range from requiring fewer spare parts for maintenance to lower training costs for staff.