AI Act (EU Regulation 2024/1689)
(EN) EU Regulation 2024/1689, known as the AI Act, is the world's first organic regulatory framework dedicated to artificial intelligence. It has a direct impact on industrial automation too, where machine vision, collaborative robots and predictive algorithms are now part of everyday production processes. Companies in the sector therefore need to find their way between obligations already in force and others still on the horizon.
HMI 2026: From Operator Panel to Cognitive Dashboard
(EN) Industrial automation is going through a deep shift in how operators interact with machines. The human-machine interface, historically just a basic control panel, is turning into a true cognitive dashboard capable of reading, interpreting and anticipating production processes. It's no longer just about displaying data, but about making that data understandable in real time.
Cyber Resilience Act: New Obligations Kick In From September 2026
(EN) The Cyber Resilience Act moves into a concrete operational phase starting 11 September 2026. From that date, manufacturers of products with digital elements will need to comply with strict requirements for reporting exploited vulnerabilities and severe incidents. In industrial automation, where product lifecycles are often measured in decades, getting ready for this shift means starting the organizational groundwork well in advance.
Lumia INOX: ESA’s new platform for food processing
(EN) In the food industry, automation system design has to meet a specific set of requirements: strong performance, easy sanitization, uninterrupted operation, and regulatory compliance. Lumia INOX is a solution built specifically for these environments, paired with the Kreo HMI platform, which brings dedicated functionality for compliance with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 guidelines.
SPS Italia 2026: Report from the Industrial Automation Trade Show
(EN) SPS Italia 2026 brought the entire industrial automation supply chain back to Parma. The exhibition grounds brought together machine builders, technology manufacturers, and system integrators in an environment focused on the evolution of production models. Digitalization, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence took center stage as the key drivers of manufacturing transformation.
Data Center Framework Act: Rechenzentren werden zu strategischer Infrastruktur
Mit der Verabschiedung des Data Center Framework Act durch die italienische Abgeordnetenkammer und dem Inkrafttreten des Energiekostendekrets („DL Bollette“) hat Italien einen seit Langem erwarteten Schritt vollzogen: Rechenzentren werden nun auch formal als das anerkannt, was sie in der Praxis bereits sind – strategische Infrastrukturen, die eine Grundlage für die digitale Wirtschaft und die industrielle Wettbewerbsfähigkeit des Landes bilden.
ESA E1 Remote I/O: Die neue Plattform für die dezentrale Automatisierung
Remote-I/O-Systeme sind eine zentrale Komponente dezentraler Steuerungsarchitekturen und spielen heute eine entscheidende Rolle beim Übergang zu flexibleren und stärker vernetzten Anlagen. ESA Automation & Robotics erfüllt diese Anforderungen mit der E1-Serie: einer leistungsstarken modularen Plattform, die entwickelt wurde, um die Integration, Konfiguration und Verwaltung in unterschiedlichsten industriellen Anwendungen zu vereinfachen.
ESG and Automation: Sustainability Becomes a Strategic Evaluation Criterion
(EN) In recent years, ESG criteria and industrial automation have become increasingly interconnected. Environmental, social, and governance sustainability is no longer an external variable to production. It now plays a direct role in investment decisions, supplier qualification processes, and risk assessments conducted by financial institutions.
From LLMs to LAMs: Artificial Intelligence stops talking and starts acting
(EN) The debate around artificial intelligence in manufacturing has shifted from Large Language Models to a more operations-oriented category of systems, Large Action Models. This evolution is not only about technological architecture but also about how AI is concretely integrated into production processes, moving from the role of assistant to that of an operational actor.
ISA/IEC 62443: The Standard for Industrial Cybersecurity
(EN) In the context of industrial digital transformation, the cybersecurity of OT systems has become a tangible priority that can neither be overlooked nor deferred. The growing interconnection between plants, networks, and IT platforms is exposing factories and critical infrastructure to risks that were once considered marginal. Against this backdrop, the ISA/IEC 62443 international standards have emerged as a global benchmark for securing industrial automation and control systems throughout their entire lifecycle.