Potential of Edge Computing PLCs in Industrial Automation

Ongoing industrial revolution - Industry 4.0, driven by a mesh of disruptive new technologies, promises a more effective and productive industrial environment. The challenges that have arisen as a side effect, such as the vast quality of data that needs to be transmitted and processed safely in real-time, require a new computing approach. One of the paradigms being used to conquer this problem is Edge computing which, due to an increase in the performance and enhancement of storage capacities, moves data processing closer to the data origin. This new approach is being applied to Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), the core of industrial automation since the 1960s. This paper offers a parallel comparison of state-of-the-art PLCs that are adopting Edge computing principles and their fit in an already complex industrial network.