The March from
Industrial Automation to Industrial Autonomy
Industrial Automation to Industrial Autonomy
The rapid changes in the market and business environment require manufacturing companies to become more agile, efficient, and operationally resilient in their business management and activities.
Emerging challenges and progress toward digital transformation have increased the prevalence of industrial automation and have actually accelerated our way toward industrial autonomy and the key promise of Industry 4.0.
The rise of smart manufacturing—in which digital enabling technologies are applied to production and manufacturing, allowing self-learning, self-adapting, autonomous operations—has made the pursuit of industrial autonomy possible.
The confluence of these elements invites the opportunity to realize the transition from industrial automation to industrial autonomy, where systems can operate and adapt to change on their own.
Survey Results
A surveyOpens in a new window.
conducted by Yokogawa revealed that autonomous operations is a primary goal for many companies, and the implementation of autonomous operations has been steadily progressing with growing expectations that industrial autonomy will be a key contributor to industry and environmental sustainability.
1) Accelerating Deployment
2) Environmental Sustainability
3) Positive Impacts in Sustainability
1) Accelerating Deployment
2) Environmental Sustainability
3) Positive Impacts in Sustainability
1. The deployment of industrial autonomy is accelerating
The implementation of industrial autonomy projects is starting to gather pace, with 51% of the manufacturers surveyed now scaling deployment across multiple facilities and business functions and another 19% reporting they have full deployment in at least one facility or business function.
51%
Scaling deployment across multiple facilities/business functions
19%
Deployed in at least one facility/business function
14%
Currently piloting in at least one facility/business function
7%
Identified at least one use-case and currently developing pilot
8%
Investigating technology
and use cases
and use cases
1%
Don't know
0%
Not considering industrial autonomy
1) Accelerating Deployment
2) Environmental Sustainability
3) Positive Impacts in Sustainability
1) Accelerating Deployment
2) Environmental Sustainability
3) Positive Impacts in Sustainability
2. Environmental sustainability is a factor
45% of the respondents from manufacturing companies anticipate that industrial autonomy will have a significant impact on environmental sustainability in the areas of dynamic energy optimization, water management, and emissions reduction. In contrast, only 6% expect industrial autonomy to have no impact at all on environmental sustainability.
Significant Impact
Moderate Impact
Minor Impact
No Impact
Environmental sustainability*
Robotic surveillance and inspection
AI-enhanced process optimization
Supply chain optimization
Remote operations capability
Adaptive advanced process control
Maintenance**
Process anomaly detection
*Dynamic energy optimization, water management, emissions reduction
**Work scheduling and asset health
**Work scheduling and asset health
1) Accelerating Deployment
2) Environmental Sustainability
3) Positive Impacts in Sustainability
1) Accelerating Deployment
2) Environmental Sustainability
3) Positive Impacts in Sustainability
3. Positive impacts are expected in sustainability categories.
High levels of positive impact are expected across energy management, worker safety, greenhouse gas reduction, and waste reduction.
High Impact
Moderate Impact
Low Impact
No Impact
Energy Management
Worker Safety
Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Waste Reduction
1) Accelerating Deployment
2) Environmental Sustainability
3) Positive Impacts in Sustainability
1) Accelerating Deployment
2) Environmental Sustainability
3) Positive Impacts in Sustainability
1. The deployment of industrial autonomy is accelerating
The implementation of industrial autonomy projects is starting to gather pace, with 51% of the manufacturers surveyed now scaling deployment across multiple facilities and business functions and another 19% reporting they have full deployment in at least one facility or business function.
51%
Scaling deployment across multiple facilities/business functions
19%
Deployed in at least one facility/business function
14%
Currently piloting in at least one facility/business function
7%
Identified at least one use-case and currently developing pilot
8%
Investigating technology
and use cases
and use cases
1%
Don't know
0%
Not considering industrial autonomy
1) Accelerating Deployment
2) Environmental Sustainability
3) Positive Impacts in Sustainability
1) Accelerating Deployment
2) Environmental Sustainability
3) Positive Impacts in Sustainability
2. Environmental sustainability is a factor
45% of the respondents from manufacturing companies anticipate that industrial autonomy will have a significant impact on environmental sustainability in the areas of dynamic energy optimization, water management, and emissions reduction. In contrast, only 6% expect industrial autonomy to have no impact at all on environmental sustainability.
Significant Impact
Moderate Impact
Minor Impact
No Impact
Environmental sustainability*
Robotic surveillance and inspection
AI-enhanced process optimization
Supply chain optimization
Remote operations capability
Adaptive advanced process control
Maintenance**
Process anomaly detection
*Dynamic energy optimization, water management, emissions reduction
**Work scheduling and asset health
**Work scheduling and asset health
1) Accelerating Deployment
2) Environmental Sustainability
3) Positive Impacts in Sustainability
1) Accelerating Deployment
2) Environmental Sustainability
3) Positive Impacts in Sustainability
3. Positive impacts are expected in sustainability categories.
High levels of positive impact are expected across energy management, worker safety, greenhouse gas reduction, and waste reduction.
High Impact
Moderate Impact
Low Impact
No Impact
Energy Management
Worker Safety
Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Waste Reduction
In 2021, Yokogawa conducted global surveys on the advancement of industrial autonomy with companies in seven key process industries and received responses from over 500 decision-makers for each.
Autonomous Operations
Autonomous operations represents an ideal state where operations function with complete autonomy that requires no human intervention throughout a value chain. However, in the near future, complete autonomous operations without human intervention is unlikely and industrial autonomy will extend autonomation systems’ capability and augment human decision-making.
How to Get StartedOpens in a new window.
Achievement of safer and more efficient operations
Increased productivity and safety
Improved collaboration and optimized production
Capturing of new business opportunities
Optimization of the value chain
Achievement of safer and more efficient operations
Increased productivity and safety
Improved collaboration and optimized production
Capturing of new business opportunities
Optimization of the value chain
IA2IA Defined
is an established transitional path that demonstrates why moving towards true autonomous operations is essential in a post-pandemic world.
Yokogawa offersOpens in a new window. a better understanding of the autonomous journey, and how to succeed in each key transitional step.
Benefits of Autonomous Operations
The journey toward autonomous operations will help companies achieve their smart manufacturing goals as well as their targeted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Adaptability
Meet a changing business environment
Profitability
Achieve maximum efficiency
Supply Chain
Optimize supply chain performance and adaptability
Sustainability
Create more environmentally friendly and healthy operations & environments
Safety & Security
Attain an unprecedented safety and security track record
Reliability
Eliminate downtime with resilient, reliable, and self-healing assets
Workforce
Better train and equip the workforce of the future
Adaptability
Meet a changing business environment
Profitability
Achieve maximum efficiency
Supply Chain
Optimize supply chain performance and adaptability
Sustainability
Create more environmentally friendly and healthy operations & environments
Safety & Security
Attain an unprecedented safety and security track record
Reliability
Eliminate downtime with resilient, reliable, and self-healing assets
Workforce
Better train and equip the workforce of the future
Adaptability
Meet a changing business environment
Profitability
Achieve maximum efficiency
Supply Chain
Optimize supply chain performance and adaptability
Sustainability
Create more environmentally friendly and healthy operations & environments
Safety & Security
Attain an unprecedented safety and security track record
Reliability
Eliminate downtime with resilient, reliable, and self-healing assets
Workforce
Better train and equip the workforce of the future
Enabling Technologies for Industrial Autonomy
Upskilling
Cloud and Edge
Data Analytics
IoT Platform
DCS and SCADA
Safety and Security
Digital Twins
Smart Sensors
5G Wireless
Artificial Intelligence
Cognition
Blockchain
AR, VR, MR, and Wearables
Modularization
3D Printing
Robots and Drones
Mobile Automation
The journey to industrial autonomy requires the deployment of a variety of technologies. As such, technology and infrastructure readiness is a critical factor in successful industrial autonomy implementation. The good news is that much of the technology and data exists to enable industrial autonomy; 70% of companies cite that cloud computing is ready for large-scale or specialized deployment. The most common technologies being labeled as “game-changers” by industry leaders are artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.
Integration mindset is key
Traditionally, operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) are separate, and organizations, processes, systems, and data are unconnected. The transition to industrial autonomy requires a variety of technologies across both IT and OT areas — a sensing and digital infrastructure that spans the entire operation and integrates data, smart devices, reliable hardware, and software to deliver the required level of flexibility, adaptability, and resilience. The integrated operations approach combines many functional aspects of business and operations, providing new and enhanced capabilities. Integrated operations increase value by integrating more functions and/or assets of the organization.
Case Study:
Development of an automatic inspection system that utilizes robots to predict hazards in offshore facilities
The centralized coordination of individual robots is complex as it requires the management of multiple systems and the data that they acquire. Yokogawa has already been engaged in the research and development of a robot service platform that centralizes the management of multiple robots and seamlessly links them with existing control systems.
Read MoreOpens in a new window.Drone: Chimney & infrastructure
Snake: Inside pipeline
Bee & beetle: Inside & outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inside vessel
Gecko: Outside vessel
Security: Patrol
Crawler: Operate & manipulate
Carry: Transport supplies & product
Dog & crawler: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Inside vessel
Spider & crab: Outside pipeline
Offshore facility robot utilizations
Drone: Chimney & infrastructure
Snake: Inside pipeline
Bee & beetle: Inside & outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inside vessel
Gecko: Outside vessel
Security: Patrol
Crawler: Operate & manipulate
Carry: Transport supplies & product
Dog & crawler: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Inside vessel
Spider & crab: Outside pipeline
Drone: Inspect chimney & infrastructure
Drone: Chimney & infrastructure
Snake: Inside pipeline
Bee & beetle: Inside & outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inside vessel
Gecko: Outside vessel
Security: Patrol
Crawler: Operate & manipulate
Carry: Transport supplies & product
Dog & crawler: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Inside vessel
Spider & crab: Outside pipeline
Snake robot: Inspect inside the pipeline
Drone: Chimney & infrastructure
Snake: Inside pipeline
Bee & beetle: Inside & outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inside vessel
Gecko: Outside vessel
Security: Patrol
Crawler: Operate & manipulate
Carry: Transport supplies & product
Dog & crawler: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Inside vessel
Spider & crab: Outside pipeline
Bee & beetle robot: Inspect inside & outside vessel
Drone: Chimney & infrastructure
Snake: Inside pipeline
Bee & beetle: Inside & outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inside vessel
Gecko: Outside vessel
Security: Patrol
Crawler: Operate & manipulate
Carry: Transport supplies & product
Dog & crawler: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Inside vessel
Spider & crab: Outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inspect inside vessel
Drone: Chimney & infrastructure
Snake: Inside pipeline
Bee & beetle: Inside & outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inside vessel
Gecko: Outside vessel
Security: Patrol
Crawler: Operate & manipulate
Carry: Transport supplies & product
Dog & crawler: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Inside vessel
Spider & crab: Outside pipeline
Gecko robot: Inspect outside vessel
Drone: Chimney & infrastructure
Snake: Inside pipeline
Bee & beetle: Inside & outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inside vessel
Gecko: Outside vessel
Security: Patrol
Crawler: Operate & manipulate
Carry: Transport supplies & product
Dog & crawler: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Inside vessel
Spider & crab: Outside pipeline
Security robots: Patrol
Drone: Chimney & infrastructure
Snake: Inside pipeline
Bee & beetle: Inside & outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inside vessel
Gecko: Outside vessel
Security: Patrol
Crawler: Operate & manipulate
Carry: Transport supplies & product
Dog & crawler: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Inside vessel
Spider & crab: Outside pipeline
Crawler robot: Operate & manipulate
Drone: Chimney & infrastructure
Snake: Inside pipeline
Bee & beetle: Inside & outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inside vessel
Gecko: Outside vessel
Security: Patrol
Crawler: Operate & manipulate
Carry: Transport supplies & product
Dog & crawler: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Inside vessel
Spider & crab: Outside pipeline
Carry robot: Transport supplies & product
Drone: Chimney & infrastructure
Snake: Inside pipeline
Bee & beetle: Inside & outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inside vessel
Gecko: Outside vessel
Security: Patrol
Crawler: Operate & manipulate
Carry: Transport supplies & product
Dog & crawler: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Inside vessel
Spider & crab: Outside pipeline
Dog & crawler robot: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Chimney & infrastructure
Snake: Inside pipeline
Bee & beetle: Inside & outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inside vessel
Gecko: Outside vessel
Security: Patrol
Crawler: Operate & manipulate
Carry: Transport supplies & product
Dog & crawler: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Inside vessel
Spider & crab: Outside pipeline
Drone: Inspect inside vessel
Drone: Chimney & infrastructure
Snake: Inside pipeline
Bee & beetle: Inside & outside pipeline
Mouse & spider: Inside vessel
Gecko: Outside vessel
Security: Patrol
Crawler: Operate & manipulate
Carry: Transport supplies & product
Dog & crawler: Patrol & monitor
Drone: Inside vessel
Spider & crab: Outside pipeline
Spider & crab robot: Inspect outside pipeline
Case Study:
In a world first, successful autonomous control of a chemical plant with AI for 35 consecutive days
In early 2022, a field test was completed with ENEOS Materials Corporation (formerly JSR Corporation Elastomer Business Unit) at a chemical plant. The AI solution successfully dealt with the complex conditions needed to ensure product quality and maintain liquids in the distillation column while making the maximum possible use of waste heat as a heat source. The AI used was the Factorial Kernel Dynamic Policy Programming (FKDPP) algorithm, which was recognized as being the first reinforcement learning-based AI in the world that can be utilized in plant management.i
Read MoreOpens in a new window.i As of March 22, 2022, there are no other forms of AI that directly change the manipulative variable in a plant.
Your IA2IA Journey
To connect and integrate operations is the key for companies to accelerate the transition. Mainly there are five objectives:
Centralize and
efficiently manage operations.
efficiently manage operations.
Create highly effective multi-diciplinary teams.
Provide situational awareness of process, equipment, people, work, and environment in real time.
Collect and analyze information with a variety of advanced analytics, like AI, for smart decision making.
Discover, design, and develop a sustainable blueprint for operations and manufacturing.
Centralize and
efficiently manage operations.
efficiently manage operations.
Create highly effective multi-diciplinary teams.
Provide situational awareness of process, equipment, people, work, and environment in real time.
Collect and analyze information with a variety of advanced analytics, like AI, for smart decision making.
Discover, design, and develop a sustainable blueprint for operations and manufacturing.
A Roadmap Is Essential
Source: International Centre for Industrial Transformation (INCIT)
Yokogawa offers you a systematic methodology to find your way in Digital Transformation and your IA2IA journey. No matter if you’re just at the beginning or have already started your journey:
the Smart Industry Readiness IndexOpens in a new window. or other benchmarking and assessment tools help you identify your current “digital maturity” and prioritize your next actions, always with a view to the benchmark for your industry. The result is the basis of your company roadmap identifying the key areas of focus with specific digitalization transformation measures, including company financial performance and strategic objectives.
Yokogawa offers you a systematic methodology to find your way in Digital Transformation and your IA2IA journey. No matter if you’re just at the beginning or have already started your journey:
the Smart Industry Readiness IndexOpens in a new window. or other benchmarking and assessment tools help you identify your current “digital maturity” and prioritize your next actions, always with a view to the benchmark for your industry. The result is the basis of your company roadmap identifying the key areas of focus with specific digitalization transformation measures, including company financial performance and strategic objectives.
A Roadmap Is Essential
Source: International Centre for Industrial Transformation (INCIT)
Yokogawa offers you a systematic methodology to find your way in Digital Transformation and your IA2IA journey. No matter if you’re just at the beginning or have already started your journey:
the Smart Industry Readiness IndexOpens in a new window. or other benchmarking and assessment tools help you identify your current “digital maturity” and prioritize your next actions, always with a view to the benchmark for your industry. The result is the basis of your company roadmap identifying the key areas of focus with specific digitalization transformation measures, including company financial performance and strategic objectives.
Yokogawa offers you a systematic methodology to find your way in Digital Transformation and your IA2IA journey. No matter if you’re just at the beginning or have already started your journey:
the Smart Industry Readiness IndexOpens in a new window. or other benchmarking and assessment tools help you identify your current “digital maturity” and prioritize your next actions, always with a view to the benchmark for your industry. The result is the basis of your company roadmap identifying the key areas of focus with specific digitalization transformation measures, including company financial performance and strategic objectives.
System of Systems
Beyond integration and into the future of System of Systems
To realize more potential, one needs to take a wider view of any given “site” that includes the integration of data, systems, processes, and people within that site. One needs to promote a knowledge operating model that promotes collaboration across the entire organization.
Introducing System of Systems
In the world today, everything is increasingly interconnected in complex ways. A system of systems (SoS), creates an autonomous meta-system where everything is interconnected in complicated ways. Ultimately, the individual components function as independently operated and managed systems that work together to achieve a goal that cannot be achieved by any single system.
Introducing System of Systems
In the world today, everything is increasingly interconnected in complex ways. A system of systems (SoS), creates an autonomous meta-system where everything is interconnected in complicated ways. Ultimately, the individual components function as independently operated and managed systems that work together to achieve a goal that cannot be achieved by any single system.
As manufacturers continue to increase autonomous capabilities, it will be important to integrate those capabilities along with the smart manufacturing-fueled concept of a system of systems. Smart manufacturing is expanding connectivity and autonomy from plants to entire enterprises, to supply chains and beyond. This convergence of multiple systems is required to achieve even higher and more far-reaching levels of autonomy.
Yokogawa is at the forefront of this trend and committed to creating value by effectively promoting connectivity and overall optimization driven by integration, autonomy, and digitalization. Taking advantage of its expertise in OT, its project implementation capabilities and its recognized co-innovation strength, Yokogawa will establish itself as a premier SoS integrator that will lead the way forward in the realization of this future interconnected world.
Yokogawa is at the forefront of this trend and committed to creating value by effectively promoting connectivity and overall optimization driven by integration, autonomy, and digitalization. Taking advantage of its expertise in OT, its project implementation capabilities and its recognized co-innovation strength, Yokogawa will establish itself as a premier SoS integrator that will lead the way forward in the realization of this future interconnected world.
Additional Resources
COVID-19 & the Future of Autonomous Operations
Learn how your company can embark on the journey toward a fully autonomous future.
Autonomous
Operations Video
Operations Video
Opens in a new window.Learn about Autonomous Operations, and how they can benefit your organization.
Digital Transformation Journey Top Tips
Read these top tips on how Yokogawa can help guide clients through a “smart manufacturing” journey.
DownloadOpens in a new window.Autonomous Operations Transitional Path Video
Opens in a new window.Learn how Yokogawa helps you prioritize steps for the journey from Industrial Automation to Industrial Autonomy (IA2IA).
Watch VideoOpens in a new window.For More Information
