Automation These five trends are influencing industrial automation in 2025

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Omron Electronics AG

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In industrial automation, a new era will begin in 2025. According to Omron's Sinic theory, more autonomy will follow the optimization phase. Systems will not only work optimally and efficiently in the future but will also develop the ability for self-regulation, continuous learning, and independent decision-making.

What aspects play a central role in further industrial automation in 2025 and beyond? Omron lists five crucial trends:

• 1. Making effective use of existing data: Predictive maintenance is one of the significant developments in the industry. Data-driven, companies are automatically and proactively alerted to the impending wear and tear of components of individual machines and systems, allowing them to take appropriate measures early on. As a result, this reduces downtime and improves operational efficiency. By analyzing collected data, intelligent systems can also independently make adjustments and subsequently optimize existing production processes. In this way, productivity and efficiency continue to increase.
• 2. Adaptive systems for intelligent manufacturing: Due to the complexity and variety of today's production environments, modern manufacturing requires adaptive systems that respond flexibly to changing conditions. It is crucial to automatically monitor real-time data from machines and systems and adjust parameters directly if needed. Overall, this ensures optimal performance and high product quality and consistency. An example: In semiconductor manufacturing, adaptive systems can detect and subsequently correct errors occurring at the micro level in real time to improve results and reduce waste. Especially in quality assurance, such systems represent the future of manufacturing.
• 3. Co-creation as an important driver of innovation: Across industries, innovations often arise from the collaboration and joint development of companies, academic institutions, and customers. This co-creation leads to improvements and new solutions that precisely meet the needs of a market and society. In industrial automation as well, such collaborations further advance technological development. The skills and insights of various partners are combined to foster innovations. This approach goes far beyond the individual capabilities of the respective participants.
• 4. Increasing sustainability through greater energy efficiency: In the industry, companies are under increasing pressure to minimize their environmental footprint. Innovative technology around gallium nitride (GaN) promises significant progress in this regard. It offers an alternative to traditional silicon-based semiconductor power devices in industrial systems. GaN technology allows for more power on a significantly smaller footprint. Therefore, miniaturized components are used, which require less energy and simultaneously reduce heat generation. Moreover, GaN technology converts incoming energy with minimal loss. All of this helps to increase sustainability in manufacturing and especially in the field of industrial automation.
• 5. Creating complete transparency: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into industrial systems raises ethical questions. Ideally, companies can easily review and comprehend automated decisions. This way, they always maintain control over their systems and processes. Transparency in AI decisions also fosters trust among employees, other companies, and additional stakeholders. On this basis, it is possible to shape an ethically responsible future.

As the autonomous society progresses, the approach to industrial automation is also fundamentally evolving. Predictive maintenance, adaptive control, and co-creation are reshaping today's manufacturing. With each innovation, from real-time data analysis to advanced material science, not only can processes be improved, but systems are also enabled to think, learn, and act independently. Together, industry players must now develop smarter, more resilient manufacturing systems for a complex, ever-changing world. (mk)