What Is Edge Computing In Automation And Controls?

Edge computing is the newest advancement in the automated industrial world. Like the advent of cloud computing, edge computing is a revolution in faster and more efficient automation and control.

But how does this work in automation and control system environments? And how will it benefit you, practically? In this article, we outline how this cutting edge technology can work with your current processes to streamline your automated operations.

What Is Edge Computing?

On a basic level, it moves computing from on-site servers or cloud-based remote servers, into the physical world, at the network’s edge. It is not a form of technology in itself, but rather a location-sensitive technological architecture. This architecture allows for computing at various points along the edge-cloud continuum.

Edge computing brings computation and data storage closer to the sources of data, intending to save bandwidth, improve response times, and reduce security vulnerabilities.

This allows your data analysis and storage to take place on-site, without even sending your data to the cloud. As such, it’s suitable for localized, real-time decisions.

Edge Computing In Automation And Controls

How does automation and controls leverage this in the industrial setting? You’re probably familiar with cloud computing. It’s ideal for decisions that require vast amounts of computing power to process sets of data from more than one source.

Cloud computing can store and analyze your data while generating new automation rules. Cloud-based control monitoring has also made a significant contribution to the industrial automated environment. That’s perfect for the industrial sector, which is why many businesses rely on it.

However, cloud-based solutions can come with a big price tag, as there are often various fees for different services. It’s also not ideal for all industrial settings, where the amount of data being collected and used can grow at an exponential rate.

So, there is a rising star to challenge the Cloud’s dominance: Edge computing. It can, however, also coexist with cloud computing.

In industrial automation, this can execute the new rules that were developed in the cloud, while reducing the traffic flow in the network.

The Benefits Of Edge Computing

Now that you know what edge computing is and what it does, take a look at these benefits for automated industrial environments like yours.

Fills In Communication Gaps

Edge computing helps to solve the challenge of communication between the digital and physical worlds. Your computers and industrial machinery speak very different ‘languages’. While computers speak in bytes, your equipment does so in amps and volts.

Although modern equipment has been adapted to bridge this communication gap, older equipment still uses analog signals. Many of these signals are difficult to convert into a cloud-computing-friendly format. Edge computing can help, either on its own or as the go-between between your devices and the Cloud.

Reduces Data Volume Burdens

Automated industrial machinery generates a large amount of data. This is always on the increase and will overburden networks. As advances in automation require ever-increasing amounts of data transmission and exceed the scope of on-site servers and cloud computing, edge computing picks up the slack. 

By allocating computing power at the edge for data filtering and analysis before sending it on to the cloud, the inevitable data overload is significantly reduced. This naturally shortens the time it takes for your connected devices to receive new instructions.

Improves Cybersecurity

As more of your automated assets are connected, the security risk increases. That is why cybersecurity is important in automation and control systems. When you enhance your cybersecurity, you protect your equipment from malfunction and breakdowns. This also lowers the risk of workplace incidents and injuries. 

Edge computing helps to reduce these risks by improving cybersecurity. Limiting the data needed to travel back and forth reduces the opportunities for data hacks and cyber-attacks.

Speeds Up Automation Responses

Edge computing offers real-time automation and control of your IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) devices. Because these devices produce large sets of data sets, it takes time to send all of the data to the cloud for analysis and control action generation, which is then sent back to your connected devices.

While this time delay is brief, any delay is too much in certain industrial environments, particularly those with potentially hazardous processes.

Edge computing reduces those delays, thereby allowing true real-time automation and control.

Conclusion

Edge computing promises to be an even bigger benefit to the industry than cloud computing. It will help you speed up automation response times, improve device-to-cloud communication, and reduce your bandwidth expenditure.

But truly world-class automation begins with the right controls. Contact us for all your automation and electrical control needs, and get your business off to the right start. We also provide technical support, repairs, and parts to keep your running smoothly.