A digital approach substantially reduces engineering costs and time for industrial automation. The Arrowhead Tools project has demonstrated this. This one stands as a powerful testament to this shift. Its results are nothing short of groundbreaking, with savings on engineering costs and time spanning from 30% to a staggering 95%. On average, across all use cases, savings exceed 80%. The most susbtantial gains have been seen in process automation, tool interoperability, and data integration—proving that the future of automation is digital, efficient, and game-changing.
“We have an opportunity to actually engage and invest jointly in a better future for Europe.”
The research employed Eclipse Arrowhead, an open-source architecture for integrating microservices, as the primary framework for implementation. The study involved 28 industrial use cases spanning multiple domains, including automotive, semiconductor manufacturing, smart cities, healthcare and logistics. These cases were used to evaluate the potential efficiency gains from adopting a digital approach to industrial automation, establishing a baseline for engineering cost and time based on pre-existing processes and technologies to ascertain the efficiency gains.
Engineering Tool Chain Interoperability
It became clear that digital adoption in industrial automation allows for greater flexibility, modularity and scalability. One of the key innovations in the Eclipse Arrowhead framework is the concept of Local Clouds, which allows different industrial stakeholders to maintain secure, real-time operations while integrating heterogeneous systems. This is a game-changer, especially in multi-owner environments where both security and real-time data processing are non-negotiable. Local Clouds make it possible to navigate complex ecosystems without compromising on speed or safety, redefining the standards for modern industrial automation.
A major goal of the research was to improve engineering tool chain interoperability. Over 150 engineering tools were analysed, with around 40 tools being integrated using Eclipse Arrowhead microservices, allowing seamless data exchange between different tools and engineers, and eliminating manual data conversion and improving workflow automation. This improves collaboration between engineers, enabling teams to both reduce errors and eliminate redundant tasks and speed up development cycles. By unlocking full data interoperability and standardization, engineering costs take a sharp downward turn, driving a surge in automation and productivity.
The result? A more competitive landscape across Europe. It’s a domino effect: streamlined processes foster innovation, which in turn boosts efficiency, propelling industries forward. The message is clear—embracing these advances isn’t just about cutting costs, it’s about positioning Europe at the forefront of industrial competitiveness.
“We have the technology, we have knowledge, but we actually need to start to exploit it and push it.”
Not only is the digital route a viable and effective solution for enhancing industrial automation efficiency, it also paves the way for broader adoption in future smart manufacturing. The time has come to kick on and adopt this technology so that Europe gets the competitive edge it deserves and needs. Investment now ultimately means more output for less input. Readers are invited to explore the Arrowhead Tools website and see the short 90-second presentation of the results of Arrowhead Tools.
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