AI in Production Rockwell Shows the Path to the Autonomous Factory at Hannover Messe

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At Hannover Messe 2026, Rockwell will be focusing on solutions for how industry can move from pure automation to self-controlling systems. This will be made possible by AI and secure networks.

The US automation specialist is shaping the transition from hard-coded machines to systems that make decisions autonomously. In Hall 27, which focuses on artificial intelligence in manufacturing, Rockwell Automation will be demonstrating at Stand A22 how companies are gradually making their production more autonomous.

The developers rely on industrial AI, which they integrate directly into the operational processes. The aim is to optimize plant processes in real time and predict impending failures long before a line comes to a standstill. Jordan Reynolds, who is responsible for artificial intelligence and autonomy at Rockwell, categorizes the project: "We are helping the industry to move from automation to autonomy and achieve measurable business results."

Real Data Instead of Pure Visions

The manager emphasizes that the concepts on show have already outgrown the developers' test labs. "Visitors will see that industrial AI, digital twins and secure OT architectures are no longer visions of the future, but are already delivering real added value and are ready for use today," explains Reynolds. To prove this thesis, the company is building concrete use cases and self-optimizing systems at the trade fair that reflect everyday factory life.

The focus here is on software tools such as Emulate3D. Engineers use this program to create detailed digital twins of machines before physically building, commissioning or retrofitting them. Rockwell will also be showcasing the Plex platform for networked manufacturing and various industrial AI solutions.

The more networked and autonomous a factory is, the more vulnerable it theoretically becomes to digital attacks. With the SecureOT cyber security portfolio, the provider aims to demonstrate how artificial intelligence can be used on a large scale without companies jeopardizing critical production processes or violating strict compliance requirements. To achieve this, the developers are already anchoring IT security in the basic architecture of the systems.

Closing Ranks with Technology Partners

The technological basis for these autonomous processes is the consistent merging of classic IT and OT. Rockwell has a long history in the control level in this environment and now combines this classic hardware with modern data analysis. This change extends over the entire life cycle of a machine, from initial design to ongoing operation and maintenance by service technicians.

The company integrates its applications into the ecosystems of various technology partners on the exhibition grounds. Visitors to the trade fair will therefore also find the networked solutions at the stands of the major cloud infrastructure providers: Microsoft will be presenting joint approaches in Hall 17, while AWS can be found in Hall 15. Rockwell will also be demonstrating data exchange with control cabinet and engineering specialists Eplan and Rittal in Hall 27, and the company will also be involved in the industry-wide network organizations ODVA and OPC UA, which are largely responsible for standardized communication channels in modern industry, with corresponding interfaces. (mc)