Blake Moret deserves credit for many reasons during his tenure as CEO of Rockwell Automation. He has not been afraid to try things. If they don’t work out, he just pivots and tries something else.
There was the interlude with PTC and ThingWorx. Rockwell gained some benefit, but in the end the benefits were less than spectacular. He sold the stake and acquired Plex (operations software) and Fiix (maintenance management software) gaining solid cloud-based performers.
He also brought in a diverse lineup of senior management including some from outside the company. Outsiders usually leave after a few years, and indeed, the senior level executive cadre consists primarily of people who came up through the ranks. This is not a criticism. Sort of just the way it is. But it helps bringing in fresh thinking. Senior management is also not limited to old white men. There is diversity at the top levels which should make for more interesting discussions.
These comments introduce the 2024 edition of Automation Fair. The format introduced last year makes the experience more like the previous TechEd events with a helping of the in-house trade show that was Automation Fair. All attendees pay a fee to get in. Distributors previously brought customers who had free admittance to the show. That was one reason for the high attendance numbers.
People wondered how it would work this year. It worked. Well, 11,000 people showed up. The show floor and technical sessions were packed. I’d say it was successful.
Moret’s key message during his talks can be summarized as simplification. He stated he was proud of the way the development teams have made things work together better. Rockwell has enhanced the edge-to-cloud experience. “Autonomous,” meaning AI and AMRs, add to existing workflows while lowering the risk of implementation. This topic also includes software-defined architecture and extensive use of digital twin. He finished mentioning Rockwell’s extensive consulting group which houses much domain expertise.
I have more notes than will fit even a long-form blog post. The following compilation takes you through a couple of days of keynotes and briefings.
Matheus Bulho, SVP of Software and Control, spoke on the machine layer. The Design software layer integrates devops into the design platform. It continuously updates the code base in the cloud during development meaning developers can easily visualize code conflict from different programmers.
Logix Echo and Emulate3D finally realize a vision I wrote about from Rockwell Automation perhaps 20 years ago. The technology has arrived to enable design and commission of an entire system in virtual space in partnership with Nvidia. Rockwell has also integrated Copilot into the platform. Software-defined automation has arrived at the platform, as well.
Tessa Myers, SVP Intelligent Devices discussed products targeted at line and plant layers. “We’re driving end-to-end performance with smart, connected machines. End-to-end orchestration includes production logistics, operations management software, material handling, production logistics, and consulting expertise reimagine how material moves through manufacturing lines.
Products include Plex software, OTTO AMR technology, data-ready equipment, Mosaics, industrial data ops, and EnergyManager.
Matt Fordenwalt, SVP Lifecycle Services, handled the Enterprise level of products during the Tuesday keynotes. He discussed security and data standards pointing to Fortinet system level thinking combined with OT and IT domain expertise. Adding Claroty software for visibility and intelligence plus RA company Verve. Other partners in the security chain include Dragos, Crowd Strike, Microsoft, and Cisco.
Some notes from a series of press briefings:
Emmanuel Guilhamon, Vice President, Sustainability, discussed how AI will be helping companies meet environmental goals. He emphasized the need to build business cases in order to sell sustainability to management.
Jordan Reynolds, Vice President of AI, (yes, RA has a VP of AI) told us AI should not be thought of as a separate product. Rather, AI is being built into many products to make them easier and simpler to use, as well as, more powerful.
Matt Rendell, Chief Executive Officer, Clearpath Robotics by Rockwell Automation and Ryan Gariepy, Chief Technology Officer, OTTO Motors by Rockwell Automation reported on advanced robotics and OTTO motors bringing connected factories to life. These recently acquired companies can now better integrate out of the box due to joining RA. These form an integral part of RA’s connected factory vision.
Tony Carrara, Business Manager, FactoryTalk Design Studio,
FactoryTalk DesignStudio, still targeted for discrete, introducing motion and process 18 months or so, Copilot, modernizing building automation system, hosting in Azure, project creation, product guidance, project guidance GenAI use cases; Copilot January 2025, also first release cloud to controller; Innovation Booth; (hmm, no AR/VR); testing guardrails for LLMs in Logix, future research voice interaction;
Michael Bayer, Director of Contracts Capabilities, and Rick Kaun, Vice President of Solutions, Verve Industrial, a Rockwell Automation Company brought Cybersecurity into focus as a business risk. From sensors to controllers, it’s all about data. And that is a risk. People in the factory are not cybersecurity experts, so help is needed. Insurance companies are pressuring the Board to meet the risk. Employees are asking for skills. They want to be security savvy. Kaun says the Verve platform helps clients find assets.
Kris Dornan, Commercial Marketing Manager, and Liz Bahl Prosak, Commercial Portfolio Manager, presented the LogixSIS (safety integrated system for process safety).
Key Capabilities of Logix SIS:
- Modern SIL 2 and SIL 3 solutions delivers comprehensive safety across a wide range of industrial applications.
- High availability safety delivers continuous operation for critical processes.
- Streamline implementation by leveraging familiar hardware and software.
- Reduce engineering time to maximize efficiency through simplified design and configuration.
- Upgrade the system without requiring planned downtime.
- Available through Rockwell Automation distribution channels that provide convenient access to customers worldwide.
Show Floor Tours
One item from the show floor tour piqued my interest—VisionAI. Touted as Rockwell Automation’s first vision system, it features AI-driven software with strong data capabilities and expected connectivity. Actually, this is the third RA vision system. I sold and installed a few in the mid-1990s. It was called the CVIM. A product called VIM preceded that one. The CVIM was powerful, had a huge footprint, and was prohibitively expensive by 1996. I became an editor in 1998 and witnessed the demise of the product.
It’s expensive for me to go to Automation Fair. I weigh the costs carefully. Information was abundant. Meeting old colleagues invigorates the week for one who works alone. I’m glad I made this trip. Next year in Chicago is a no-brainer.
