ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) is currently at a crossroads between hype and actual value-adding implementations. According to Gartner studies, while 92% of companies are increasing their AI investments, 74% of initiatives fail before they are ready for production. This discrepancy entails a number of fundamental problems, ranging from personal sensitivities, to operational feasibility, and the strategic viability of the projects. Critical errors made along the way are almost always due to poor methodology right at the start of development. 

The problem: most organisations treat AI implementation as a technological experiment and not as a strategic value driver. Unstructured approaches lead to the typical pitfalls: solutions looking for a problem, use cases without business objectives; and pilot projects becoming stranded in the “proof-of-concept desert” due to insufficient consideration of measurability and subsequent scalability. However, corporate practice shows things can be done differently.

The reason for this is down to the ability of many companies in identifying use cases that make a clear business impact, instead of utilising purely technology-driven solutions focused approach. Starting here enables them to eliminate poor investments at an early stage. It also incorporates a structured evaluation system that maintains, from the outset, the scalability of pilot projects in a way that moves them towards true industrial value creation long term. 

That in mind, what follows is a step-by-step approach that all manufacturers – especially those within the automotive and aerospace – can take towards building a successful AI business case, starting with the creative ideation and multi-stage quality gates, that is followed by the implementation and review of the proof of concept (PoC). Each phase serves as a strategic filter that checks for relevance, feasibility and scalability. Following a structured methodology overcomes typical AI traps. These include: avoiding data dilemmas by means of early-stage fitness checks, closing acceptance gaps with user focused co-creation and overcoming barriers to scaling with the aid of infrastructural roadmaps. 

Step 1: Use case ideation – Many organisations have a difficult time with knowing where to start with AI. To change this, manufacturers would do well to carry out a systematic pain-point analysis. This includes various explorative methods to identify appropriate business-relevant AI use cases for their organisation.  These use cases should offer clear economic value and strategic business relevance not just for the ‘now’, but for the future.

Step 2: Use case evaluation and prioritisation – This step usually involves considering multidimensional evaluation criteria (e.g. strategic fit, ROI, feasibility) to help with identifying the use cases that offer a high potential. At this stage, it’s also worth creating a value–effort matrix to ensure maximum transparency that supports ongoing decision-making around AI.

Step 3: Use case refinement – The next step is to develop a detailed catalogue of the various requirements that will make suggested use cases operable and feasible. This also helps with use case refinement as it identifies gaps between existing and required resources. 

Step 4: Proof of concept (PoC) development – Agile implementation is the next step. This enables organisations to transform their concepts into validated prototypes under real-life conditions with a focus on their performance and user acceptance.

Step 5: Use case review and scaling – The last step involves a final evaluation to review the use case and how to scale it – if that is appropriate for the organisation (e.g. manufacturer). All this is made possible by developing and tracking various kinds of quantitative KPIs and qualitative factors. This will then result in well-informed decision-making for AI projects. Organisations can then decide on scaling, optimisation or discontinuing a particular project.

Systematic frameworks for AI drive success

The five-step process from use case ideation to PoC review forms the systematic framework for ensuring successful identification, evaluation and implementation of AI use cases.

Additionally, following this kind of framework enables organisations to thoroughly and consistently evaluate AI applications and their quality at all stages. Following a structured approach also helps to create clearly defined handover points within organisations and enables companies to manage AI initiatives more transparently, effectively, efficiently, and to generate quantifiable business value. It means companies won’t flirt with failure as they deploy AI. Instead, the real success, comes from delivering projects that drive organisational value, and which are sustainable long-term – while also offering greater organisational agility. 

AI culture, AI translator, AI transformation

Further, for many organisations adopting AI means that they need to develop a sense of open-mindedness about AI, as it will likely require a fundamental transformation in terms of culture. However, if AI succeeds, this will be worth it. Additionally, a clearly communicated AI strategy has the potential to become an organisational compass. It can set and synchronise resource allocation, talent acquisition and innovation culture.

What is more, as AI strategies are deployed, it’s worth establishing ‘AI translator roles’ across the organisation. ‘Translators’ bridge the gap between data scientists and departments, while targeted upskill programs enable employees to actively shape the digital transition. In terms of process development, a balance between standardisation and flexibility needs to be achieved too. While the end-to-end process serves as a guiding principle for use case development, modular entry points and opt-in or opt-out scenarios facilitate tailored adaptations for the use of AI across organisations, which will be different for everyone.

For example, an engineering company with a developed data infrastructure will likely start immediately with advanced analytics use cases, while a logistics provider would probably initially invest in data lakes and literacy programs. This adaptability transforms the process from a rigid framework into a living organism that adapts to the maturity level of the company.

If you consider this further from a purely ‘technological perspective’, the coherent integration and efficient adaptation of various existing solutions becomes a critical enabler too. For instance, the seamless connection to ERP/MES systems via OPC UA interfaces; the use of established DevOps pipelines for MLOps; the embedded architecture of AI models in edge device clusters, and so on. These are all more than just technical details. They are vital requirements to be considered that deliver fast, predictable and viable success for companies.

Conclusion

Driving AI value across organisations requires a strong combination of culture, process and technology, and aligning it into a coherent value added chain. At this stage many organisations do not have the proven capabilities inhouse that enable them to drive AI value. This is where proven holistic digitalisation partners can support: from initial strategy workshops, through to developing industrialised AI operation models. They often have the expertise and experience in developing effective integrated methodologies that combine sector-specific domain knowledge with highly developed technological expertise – and always with the aim of establishing AI not as an isolated technology but as a driver of innovation within the system.

In a world where 74% of AI pilots never make production, a holistic approach towards AI deployments is becoming a critical competitive advantage for manufacturing and engineering organisations; and it can truly shift the needle for these companies, including within automotive and aerospace. 

With that in mind, the companies that succeed in understanding the five phases: not just as a linear process – but as an iterative learning cycle and that activate cultural, process-related and technological levers in a synchronised manner – they will be in a strong position to not only be AI users, but position their organisation as AI innovators that drive value and results.

Bodo Philipp is CEO at MHP Consulting UK

www.mhp.com

The project demonstrates how customised automation solutions, Virtual Commissioning (VC) and seamless integration into customer-specific software environments can be successfully applied in highly complex manufacturing environments.

To ensure the efficient and reliable execution of a project of this scale, PIA Automation relied on Virtual Commissioning (VC) from the earliest concept phase. Programming logic, motion sequences and process workflows are digitally simulated and validated before any physical equipment is assembled. The resulting insights are then directly incorporated into further system optimisation.

Compared with the traditional sequence of design, manufacturing, assembly and commissioning, this approach significantly accelerates engineering and ramp-up activities. “Virtual Commissioning reduces the number of review cycles and helps us minimize resource-intensive development efforts,” explains Markus Harlander, project manager at PIA Automation. “Particularly during ramp-up, time savings of up to 50 percent can be achieved because potential issues are identified and resolved in the virtual environment before they impact real production.”

One of the key automation challenges within the project is the fully automated assembly of the transmission stage. In this process, three gears are precisely meshed before being inserted into the transmission housing. The production line can assemble multiple transmission variants in batch size one without requiring changeover operations. This flexibility is enabled by automatically adjustable grippers that adapt to the specific product variant being processed.

Another highly demanding process is the so-called “marriage” of the preassembled transmission and electric motor assemblies. Within a robotic cell, both components are brought together and secured using twelve synchronised fastening systems operating simultaneously. Continuous quality assurance is achieved through the monitoring and documentation of force-displacement curves, torque values and angular measurements.

PIA Automation typically relies on its proprietary PIA Industrial App Suite to control and monitor production systems. For this project, however, the automation solution needed to be integrated into the BMW Group’s company-wide software standard. To ensure seamless integration with the automaker’s existing digital infrastructure, PIA specialists underwent extensive training on the customer-specific software environment.

For nearly 20 years, PIA Automation has been developing systems for the fully automated assembly and quality inspection of components used in electromobility applications. The current E-Drive assembly project marks the first collaboration between PIA Austria and the BMW Group’s Steyr plant. At other BMW locations, PIA Automation and the BMW Group have already successfully completed several projects together.

The implementation of this large-scale project involves several centers of expertise across the PIA Group. While PIA Austria, as a specialist in powertrain applications, assumes overall project responsibility, PIA Croatia supplies complete robotic cells. These systems are assembled, precommissioned and factory acceptance tested in Zagreb before being transported to Austria for final installation.

“We are particularly pleased that our longstanding expertise in highly efficient automation, our extensive experience in electromobility and the positive results of previous joint projects were key factors in the BMW Group’s decision to partner with us on this exceptional manufacturing system,” says Franz Reiter, business Segment Manager E-Drive & Powertrain at PIA Automation. “The project is progressing according to schedule, and we look forward to seeing the system enter regular production.”

Commissioning of the final production line sections is scheduled for 2027.

www.piagroup.com/en/

EMIS SMF913 and TMF913HEMP EMI Power Line Filters provide single phase and three phase configurations, and suitable for a wide range of AC and DC facility power applications. With current ratings from 6 to 3000A, they are suitable for supporting applications ranging from control panels and communication equipment to high-current facility power distribution systems. The EMIS HEMP filter design features Integrated 80kA peak surge-current protection (8/20μs) which provides protection against lightning-induced surges and power switching transients.

Standard Performance models provide 100dB insertion loss from 30MHz to 18GHz, followed by 90dB attenuation up to 40GHz. Extended-performance models provide 100dB attenuation from 14kHz to 40GHz, offering enhanced protection against both low-frequency conducted interference and high-frequency electromagnetic disturbances. Built-in discharge resistors safely dissipate energy stored in internal capacitors after power is switched off, improving operator safety and reducing maintenance hazards

The EMIS HEMP filters are designed in accordance with the requirements of MIL-STD-188-125-1/2 and MIL-PRF-15733J, supporting HEMP-hardened facility and high-performance EMI/RFI protection applications and tested in accordance with MIL-STD-188-125-1/2 to withstand specified E1 Short Pulse and E2 Intermediate Pulse current injection levels under common-mode and line-to-ground conditions, with E1 residual current limited to ≤10 A and no damage to the filter during E2 testing
 

EMIS HEMP filters help to prevent equipment malfunction, reduce communication and control errors, minimise system downtime and enhance the reliability and service life of connected equipment.

Applications include:

• EMP Shielded Mobile Shelters: Provides HEMP and EMI protection at power entry points, safeguarding critical electronic and communication in mobile and rapidly deployable facilities.
• EMP Racks: Protects sensitive equipment within EMP-protected racks by suppressing conducted HEMP, EMI/RFI and power-line transients.
• Command and Control Centres: Protects mission-critical communication, surveillance, command, and control systems from HEMP and conducted electromagnetic disturbances, ensuring reliable operation.
• Data Centres: Protect critical servers, networking equipment, UPS systems, and other IT infrastructure against HEMP, EMI/RFI, and power-line disturbances, helping maintain continuous operation.
• Combat / Tracked Vehicles: Protect vehicle power systems against HEMP and EMI, supporting reliable operation of communication, navigation, electronic warfare and other mission-critical electronic equipment.
• Radar Power Supplies: Provides protected and low-noise power to radar systems, minimising conducted electromagnetic interference and supporting reliable signal processing and operational performance.
• MIL-Grade Panels: Integrated into military-grade power distribution panels to provide HEMP, EMI/RFI, and transient protection for critical defence electronic systems.
• Communication & Electronic Warfare Systems: Protect sensitive communication, surveillance and electronic warfare equipment against conducted HEMP and EMI disturbances on power lines, enhancing system reliability in demanding electromagnetic environments.
• Critical Infrastructure: Protect facility power systems and connected electronic equipment in telecommunications, utilities, transportation, and other mission-critical facilities against HEMP, EMI/RFI, and power-line disturbances, supporting reliable and continuous operation.

emisglobal.com

Rayfast is a leading stocking distributor of quality interconnect solutions as well as high-performance harness components and electro-mechanical products. Key markets include aerospace, defence, energy, industrial, rail and motorsport, which are supported by an experienced team, with technical specialists by sector and product.

Weald Electronics is known for its comprehensive selection of circular bayonet and screw coupling connectors such as the LMH, LMJ, LMV and LMG series, produced in a choice of materials and finishes and leads the way in high performance interconnection solutions based on popular industry standards including industry standard MIL-DTL-5015 and MIL-DTL-26482 specifications. The versatility of Weald’s circular connectors is facilitated by a wide choice of shell sizes, styles, plug and socket contact types and contact arrangements. 

As well as circular connectors, Weald Electronics manufactures two-part PCB connectors and subminiature plastic-bodied circular connectors and a comprehensive range of connector accessories, including high-performance and ultra-lightweight protective covers, nut plates and gaskets specifically designed for Motorsport and UAV applications.

Rayfast will have full access to the complete range of Weald products, which includes:

• Electrical connectors
• Backshells and adaptors
• Protective caps and dust covers
• Connectors accessories.

Nick Wheeler, sales director for Weald Electronics says: “With their established and highly regarded presence in our industry, Rayfast will provide an excellent route to market for Weald Electronics, especially for customers who are looking for supply as part of a wider Harness Components portfolio of products, such as wire and cable, markers, tubing and heatshrink moulded shapes. The Weald product compliments their existing connector ranges and they have a superb team that is dedicated to sales, technical support and customer service”

Neil Ruddick, UK sales director for Rayfast, commented: “We are very excited to agree what I am sure will be a long-term partnership with Weald Electronics. Their excellent product range, capabilities and reputation for quality & customer service fit perfectly with our core strengths in electrical interconnect, providing even greater depth and breadth of solutions for our customers.”

www.wealdelectronics.com

Combining 15.0A power and high-speed Ethernet communication within a single, ultra-compact interface, MiniMix streamlines installation in space-constrained joints, actuators and robotic mechanisms, reducing connector count, cabling complexity and assembly effort.

“Humanoid robot manufacturers are rapidly moving from prototype builds to commercial mass production, but traditional joint wiring methods create major manufacturing bottlenecks," said Brian Hauge, president and SVP, consumer and commercial solutions, Molex. “MiniMix replaces tedious manual assembly with an integrated solution for power and signal transmission, freeing robotics designers to build sleeker, lighter and more responsive autonomous systems at scale.”

Integrating power and signal connectivity into increasingly compact joints, actuators and articulated mechanisms without sacrificing performance is a major hurdle for the robotics industry. Design engineers face severe space and assembly constraints in multi-axis articulated joints – such as wrists, elbows, knees, ankles and neck assemblies – where actuator motion systems must route high power and high-speed control data through extremely tight channels. 

Traditional approaches using separate power and signal connectors are typically too bulky and heavy to fit in these confined spaces, forcing manufacturers to thread bare wires manually and hand-solder terminals during final assembly, which introduces potential failure points and slows production output.

The Molex MiniMix Hybrid Power and Signal Connectors resolve these manufacturing challenges by consolidating up to 15.0A power contacts and 1Gbps 1000BASE-T1 Ethernet communication into a single integrated interface. Featuring an ultra-compact 5.65mm routing profile, MiniMix is the industry’s smallest hybrid connector, requiring up to 50% less routing area than alternative options. This enables pre-terminated cable assemblies to pass smoothly through narrow internal actuator channels, articulated limbs, robotic joints and end-effectors. 

Offered in vertical and right-angle mating orientations, the Molex MiniMix Hybrid Power and Signal Connectors can accommodate diverse layout requirements while optimising space utilisation and reducing cable strain. Furthermore, its robust, vibration-resistant mechanical design withstands continuous motion and constant flexing, ensuring reliable electrical performance and long-term durability across repeated movement cycles.

The Molex MiniMix Hybrid Power and Signal Connectors offer wire-to-board connector and cable assembly solutions that are ideally suited for evolving robotic applications where space, weight and reliability are crucial. According to a 2026 supply chain analysis by McKinsey & Company, joint actuator systems represent 40% to 60% of a humanoid robot’s total bill of materials (BOM), intensifying requirements to optimize sub-assembly space and eliminate manual cabling labor. As robots scale to include approximately 50 articulated joint actuators, integrated connectivity solutions like the Molex MiniMix Hybrid Power and Signal Connectors will play a pivotal role in facilitating plug-and-play assembly, reducing harness weight and minimizing potential failure points across next-generation humanoid robotic architectures.

Samples and functional evaluation assemblies of the Molex MiniMix Hybrid Power and Signal Connector family are available now for customer design-in and joint evaluation, with full commercial production scaling slated for late 2026.

www.molex.com

The report reveals that as manufacturers increase their AI investments, the focus is shifting from standalone automation projects to larger physical AI ecosystems. It highlights that companies see physical AI as a people-first transformation. Instead of replacing the workforce, manufacturers are using intelligent systems to help employees work more safely, efficiently, and productively while supporting workforce redeployment where needed in a Human + AI Operating model.

The report also highlights how enterprises are preparing to scale physical AI across factories, warehouses, logistics networks, maintenance operations, and quality management environments. It provides insights into the strategies, challenges, and opportunities involved in adopting physical AI at scale. The study builds on TCS’ partnership with Google Cloud, following the March 2026 launch of the TCS Physical AI Gemini Experience Center in Troy, Michigan. The center helps manufacturers explore, test, and scale physical AI use cases for safety, quality, and operational efficiency with intelligence at the core.

The study surveyed CXOs and vice presidents from 300 manufacturing companies across North America and Europe between March and April 2026. Respondents represented sectors such as automotive, electronics and high-tech manufacturing, industrial equipment and machinery, process industries, and aerospace and defense.

Key findings from the study include:

• Manufacturers are committing to long-term investment: No surveyed organisation plans to reduce Physical AI investment, while 26% plan to increase spending. Manufacturers are preparing for longer value-realization timelines, underscoring sustained transformation over short-term pilots.
• High impact expected in warehouse operations: 77% anticipate significant or transformational impact, followed by assembly and manufacturing operations at 75% and logistics and material movement at 72%.
• Human-centric transformation is taking shape: 42% of manufacturers expect significant workforce augmentation through Physical AI by improving safety and supporting workers in complex, hazardous, or repetitive industrial environments.
• Early-stage adoption, clear roadmap to scale: 68% of manufacturers remain in non-deployment or experimental stages, with legacy system integration, data infrastructure, and workforce skills identified as the primary paths to enterprise-scale deployment.
• Governance is the next frontier: 44% report unclear or no formal accountability structure for Physical AI failures, and 40% are unprepared for emerging regulatory requirements, signaling where manufacturers should focus as deployment accelerates.

Anupam Singhal, president, manufacturing, TCS, said: “Physical AI is taking intelligence beyond the screen and onto the shop floor, where machines sense, adapt and act in real time. The manufacturers that scale it successfully will define the next era of manufacturing. TCS’ ‘infrastructure to intelligence’ approach positions them to lead that transformation. With all the manufacturers in our study planning to either maintain or increase the investment, the direction is clear: towards more resilient, adaptive, and future-ready manufacturing enterprises.”

Kevin Ichhpurani, president, global partner ecosystem, Google Cloud, said: “Physical AI is moving manufacturing from digital insight to autonomous real-world action. Through our partnership with TCS, we are bringing Gemini’s multimodal reasoning to the factory floor, enabling robots and systems to operate safely and intelligently in complex industrial environments.”

TCS is helping global manufacturers move from pilots to enterprise-scale physical AI adoption by bridging the gap between digital ambition and physical deployment. This is enabled through the TCS Physical AI Gemini Experience Center, in Troy, Michigan. Similarly, the TCS Physical AI Blueprint offers an end-to-end framework that integrates AI-powered quadruped and humanoid robotics with advanced sensing, edge intelligence, and secure cloud orchestration to deliver real-time operational insight and autonomous decision support.

These capabilities, combined with TCS’ deep manufacturing domain expertise, help enterprises build scalable, governed, and future-ready Physical AI ecosystems.

www.tcs.com

Delivered through the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy, the funding will support over 1,800 jobs - and thousands more in the supply chain - across the UK, helping to put more money in people's pockets and ensure Britain is better off.

Auto firms and key R&D partners have been awarded nearly £50 million in government funding that will help businesses build and produce the zero-emission vehicle technologies of the future at scale - helping to drive economic growth while simultaneously making EVs cheaper for consumers.

This latest funding is delivered through the DRIVE35 programme - the biggest government investment into the UK’s car industry of the post-war era, with £4 billion to 2035 speeding up the electrification of the automotive industry. This builds on the Government’s mission to reindustrialise every part of the UK, back British innovation and ensure companies are able to succeed and scale here at home.

Industry Minister Blair McDougall said: "Britain invented the modern motor industry and we're determined to ensure the next generation of vehicles are designed and built here too. This investment will secure skilled jobs, strengthen our manufacturing heartlands and help drive the reindustrialisation of Britain. Through our Modern Industrial Strategy we're backing working people and British businesses to deliver growth in every part of the country."

The Government is doubling down on its commitment to delivering growth in every region. With the North East and West Midlands serving as the UK's powerhouse regions for automotive manufacturing, this funding will provide vital support to flagship companies such as Turntide Technologies and Bentley, helping to ensure the next generation of vehicles are designed, developed and built here in the UK.
 
This follows £100 million worth of DRIVE35 grant funding already being delivered to supply chain businesses in both of these regions, preparing them for the electric vehicle transition. With the connected and automated mobility (CAM) industry expected to create tens of thousands of high-quality jobs and contribute around £66 billion to the economy by 2040, according to SMMT. The Government is injecting £17 million into a further nine successful CAM Pathfinder projects, paving the way for innovators to develop, test and scale cutting-edge transport technologies - reinforcing the UK's position as a global leader in this growing industry. Altogether this industry-matched funding totals nearly £130 million, showcasing the best of British innovation on the global stage and bolstering the UK’s advanced manufacturing sector.

Ian Constance, Chief Executive at the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK, said:  “The projects announced today demonstrate the depth of innovation and engineering excellence that exists across the UK automotive sector. Through DRIVE35, we are supporting businesses to move promising technologies to commercial deployment and manufacturing at scale.

“This investment is about far more than individual projects. It is about strengthening the UK's capability to design, develop and build the technologies that will define the vehicles of the future. By bringing together industry, government and academia, DRIVE35 is helping create the conditions for long-term growth, increasing investor confidence and reinforcing the UK's position as one of the world's leading destinations for automotive innovation."

www.gov.uk

BY BRINGING drives, motors, gearboxes, control equipment and PLCs together under one manufacturer, Technidrive can deliver complete, end-to-end systems that reduce integration complexity while improving visibility, connectivity and support.

The move is particularly valuable for applications where equipment performance must be monitored continuously, but reliable internet access cannot be guaranteed. This includes remote or mobile assets such as marine systems, where data must be captured locally and synchronised later so operators can retain a complete record of asset condition.

As a WEG Premier Partner, Technidrive already supplies the Brazilian manufacturer’s motors, variable speed drives (VSDs), gearboxes and control equipment. By adding WEG PLCs, the company can deliver fully integrated automation systems on a single control architecture, improving communication, reducing complexity and streamlining commissioning and support.

Marine data acquisition

This approach has already been applied in a marine data acquisition project, where the customer needed a reliable way to monitor onboard assets despite inconsistent connectivity at sea. Technidrive deployed the PLC500 to track temperature, humidity and pressure across large vessels, storing data locally and syncing it when a connection is available. This allows the customer to retain a full record of asset conditions, so engineers can later identify environmental issues, check for pressure drops, spot early signs of deterioration and plan maintenance before faults cause failure or downtime.

“The ability to bring everything together under one manufacturer is a major advantage,” explained David Strain, technical director at Technidrive. “Knowing the PLC has been tested alongside the drives, motors and control gear gives us confidence in system performance and reliability, while also helping to ensure smooth integration, faster installation and simpler support for our customers.”

A key benefit of the PLC500 in this application is its remote connectivity. For vessels operating across different regions, internet access can be inconsistent or restricted. By storing information locally and uploading it once a connection becomes available, the PLC500 enables operators to maintain a reliable record of system performance over time.

Multiple languages

Technidrive also highlighted the PLC500’s programming environment and human-machine interface (HMI) as important factors in its adoption. Built on the widely recognised CODESYS platform, the PLC supports multiple programming languages, including structured text, ladder logic, function block, sequential function chart and continuous function chart. This gives engineers the flexibility to work with familiar tools and adapt the system to different applications.

“The software and ease of development were major drivers for us,” added Strain. “Our engineers can program in multiple languages, and the system is very intuitive to use. Combined with strong connectivity and remote access, it gives us a flexible platform for a wide range of applications.”

With support for multiple communication protocols and networking options, the PLC500 can integrate with a wide array of devices and systems, making it suitable for industries ranging from marine and materials handling to quarrying, recycling, food processing and general manufacturing.

As part of WEG’s wider PLC portfolio, which includes models such as the PLC410 for medium-sized applications, the compact PLC20X for smaller systems and the PLC300 designed for operator interface and machine-level control, the PLC500 sits within a scalable ecosystem tailored to applications of varying size and complexity.

“PLCs are inherently flexible, so the opportunities are wide open,” said Strain. “The experience has been very positive, and WEG’s PLCs give us a strong platform for future automation projects.”

technidrive.co.uk

Last week NVIDIA announced Halos for Robotics, which it describes as the industry’s first full-stack safety system for physical AI. The system brings the company’s autonomous vehicle safety work into the world of robots, spanning computers, sensors, software and a new inspection lab to help partners prepare for third-party certification. Agility Robotics is the first to build NVIDIA Halos for Robotics into its humanoid robot, Digit.

This is good news, and I want to say so plainly. Safety has long been the least glamorous corner of robotics. It appeals to engineers and standards committees, not to the people who make the videos of robots dancing and running half marathons. So, when one of the most influential companies in computing puts its weight behind robot safety, and when a leading humanoid maker submits its system for independent scrutiny, the whole field benefits.

Investment in safety is investment in trust, and consumer confidence is critical if businesses are to continue to benefit from automation. It’s worth looking closely at what this wave of work addresses, and at what it does not.

A perception problem, well funded

Most of the safety effort around humanoids, including much of the new tooling, concentrates on perception. The hard questions are framed as “can the robot detect a person, predict where they are going, and avoid a collision?” NVIDIA’s approach includes an ‘outside-in’ method that uses external cameras and AI agents to watch the workspace and adjust how the robot behaves. That is difficult but crucial engineering.

However, perception-based collision avoidance rests on an assumption that the robot remains in control of itself. The discipline of functional safety is built on the opposite instinct. A risk assessment spends less time on how a machine behaves when everything works, and more on how it behaves when something breaks. The central question is what the robot does the moment a part fails – in the case of humanoids the answer is uncomfortable.

What happens when a part fails

A legged humanoid is dynamically stable. It stays upright only by continuously sensing its own balance and correcting, many times a second. Take that control away and it falls rather than pausing in place.

Picture a humanoid mid-stride when an actuator in one leg fails. The machine is already committed to a step it can no longer complete, and it topples, potentially onto whoever is nearby. Given the mass of these robots and their high center of gravity, the potential consequences are serious. A flawless perception system is no help here – the robot might know where people are but will be unable to avoid them. By the time the fault occurs, the robot has lost the very control that perception was meant to inform.

My colleague and leading robotics safety expert, Roberta Nelson Shea, makes a related point about power: a battery fault can disable every actuator and sensor at once, and a humanoid needs a reserve of power simply to lower itself to a stable position. Stability depends on nothing going wrong which makes fault tolerance the deeper safety challenge for human-shaped robots.  

Where this meets the rule book

Industrial robots are typically designed to be single-fault tolerant to meet the relevant safety standards. In plain terms, no single component failure should be able to create a dangerous situation. ISO 10218-1, the standard for industrial robot arms, is built on that principle.

Apply the same requirement to a heavy, dynamically stable machine and you are left with two options. The first is to engineer actuators, sensors and battery management that are either fully redundant or so reliable they almost never fail – how to do that at an acceptable cost currently eludes me.

The second option is to accept that working alongside a humanoid carries more risk than working alongside a conventional industrial robot, because a single failure can lead to a hazard.

ISO 10218-1 does not address the risks created by a humanoid’s own mobility. The first standard written specifically for dynamically stable mobile robots, ISO/CD 25785-1, is still at committee-draft stage, working through its first round of comments. As a first attempt at hard new ground, it has a long way to mature.

None of this means humanoids are impossible. It simply means the safety case for them is unfinished, and the honest version of that case is more demanding than the current conversation suggests.

The advantage of being purpose-built

A mobile collaborative robot, a robotic arm mounted on a wheeled autonomous base, does not face these problems because it is statically stable – a heavy base, a low center of gravity, and no need to balance. When something goes wrong, the safe response is simple, and crucially it is simple to make redundant. Cut the power and apply the brakes. A machine standing still is rarely a danger to anyone.

That difference is the result of choosing a form factor for the task rather than for its resemblance to us. Autonomous mobile robots, collaborative arms, and the standards-driven safety functions behind them were designed so that the failure modes are predictable and the safe states are easy to reach. The robot’s safety does not hinge on a perception system continuing to work. It is built into the architecture before any software runs.

There is another reason that purpose-built automation will keep winning on the factory floor. The complexity that makes a humanoid captivating in a demonstration is the same complexity that multiplies its failure modes. In manufacturing, reliability is non-negotiable, and falling short means downtime, rework and risk.  

Humanoids are not the only way to harness the incredible potential of physical AI on the factory floor. A rapidly growing number of AI enabled applications are running on collaborative industrial robots and autonomous mobile robots handling machine tending, palletising, inspection, and material movement with the safety and reliability the factory floor demands.

The question to ask first

I welcome NVIDIA’s move, and I hope it marks the start of a more serious, better-resourced era for robot safety. The more rigor the industry brings, the better for every company building machines that share space with people, mine included.

But anyone evaluating a humanoid for real work should start with the important unglamorous question. Before asking whether the robot can recognise a worker, ask what it does when an actuator, a sensor or a battery fails mid-task. Ask for the stability and reliability data. Ask which standards the system is certified against, and which parts of its operation those standards actually cover.

We had this debate, rightly, about self-driving cars, an open and public discussion about how much risk is acceptable and who decides. Humanoids deserve the same scrutiny. Until the field can answer the failure question as confidently as it answers the perception question, the proven path remains the one the industry has been building for years: robots whose shape, and whose safety, are designed for the job.

David Brandt is VP of R&D and CTO at Teradyne Robotics 

www.teradyne.com/robotics/

Figures derived from the company’s latest market study, “The Global Industrial Wireless Solutions Market”, show annual shipments are expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1% to reach 8.5 million by 2030.

Although wired networking solutions are still predominantly used for industrial communications between sensors, controllers and systems, wireless solutions are widely used as wire replacements in hard-to-reach or hazardous areas, on moving machine parts and on portable equipment.

“The standardised wireless technologies Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.15.4 and Bluetooth have advanced to become the leading wireless technologies for industrial applications”, said Veronika Barta, IoT analyst at Berg Insight.

Other wireless technologies include for example cellular, proprietary radio solutions in the unlicensed ISM 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz bands, non-3GPP LPWA, satellite, IO-Link Wireless and non-802.15.4 WPAN technologies.

Today, a growing number of wireless field devices are provided by many major industrial automation vendors including ABB, Emerson, Honeywell Technologies, OMRON, Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric, Siemens and Yokogawa. Instrumentation is particularly important in process industries where continuous monitoring and precise control of process variables are essential. Field instruments are also used in factory automation applications such as machine and condition monitoring. Suppliers of industrial wireless sensing solutions for process and factory automation include Balluff, Banner Engineering, Endress+Hauser, ifm electronic, KROHNE, Pepperl+Fuchs, SICK, Turck and VEGA.

Major providers of wired industrial network equipment also offer wireless solutions to enable customers to monitor and control devices wirelessly in parts of the plant that are normally not connected due to accessibility or wiring costs. These include Siemens, Cisco, Belden, Moxa and Phoenix Contact, which all offer industrial wireless devices such as routers, gateways and access points along with their wired solutions. Cellular solutions are typically used for data acquisition and backhaul communications in distributed automation applications.

The largest providers of cellular IoT gateways and routers in the industrial space include Teltonika Networks, Cisco, Moxa, Siemens, HMS Networks, Phoenix Contact, Advantech, Robustel, Digi International and InHand Networks. Besides the leading industrial WLAN solution suppliers Cisco, Belden, Siemens and Moxa, additional providers of WLAN devices include Phoenix Contact, Westermo (Ependion), Advantech, HMS Networks and ACKSYS (iXnov Group). 

“Cybersecurity has become one of the highest strategic priorities for suppliers of industrial networking and control solutions as environments become increasingly connected," said Barta.

The convergence of OT and IT combined with the growing adoption of industrial IoT, remote access and edge computing has significantly expanded the attack surface of industrial systems. Device vendors are progressively embedding cybersecurity capabilities directly into their products. End users increasingly expect industrial solutions to provide continuous monitoring and lifecycle management.

“Cybersecurity is no longer viewed as a standalone technology layer but rather as a foundational design principle across the industrial automation system architecture," concluded Barta.

The ability to deliver robust cybersecurity capabilities has thus become an important differentiator for solution providers, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing, energy, utilities and critical infrastructure.

www.berginsight.com