Category Archives: Automation

Were in the midst of a public health emergency, and life as we know it has ground to a halt. The places we usually go are closed, the events we were looking forward to are canceled, and some of us have lost our jobs or fear losing them soon.

But although it may not seem like it, there are some silver linings; this crisis is bringing out the worst in some (Im looking at you, toilet paper hoarders), but the best in many. Italians on lockdown are singing together, Spaniards on lockdown are exercising together, this entrepreneur made a DIY ventilator and put it on YouTube, and volunteers in Italy 3D printed medical valves for virus treatment at a fraction of their usual cost.

Indeed, if you want to feel like theres still hope for humanity instead of feeling like were about to snowball into terribleness as a species, just look at these examplesand Im sure there are many more out there. Theres plenty of hope and opportunity to be found in this crisis.

Peter Xing, a keynote speaker and writer on emerging technologies and associate director in technology and growth initiatives at KPMG, would agree. Xing believes the coronavirus epidemic is presenting us with ample opportunities for increased automation and remote delivery of goods and services. The upside right now is the burgeoning platform of the digital transformation ecosystem, he said.

In a thought-provoking talk at Singularity Universitys COVID-19 virtual summit this week, Xing explained how the outbreak is accelerating our transition to a highly-automated societyand painted a picture of what the future may look like.

Youve probably seen them by nowthe barren shelves at your local grocery store. Whether you were in the paper goods aisle, the frozen food section, or the fresh produce area, it was clear something was amiss; the shelves were empty. One of the most inexplicable items people have been panic-bulk-buying is toilet paper.

Xing described this toilet paper scarcity as a prisoners dilemma, pointing out that we have a scarcity problem right now in terms of our mindset, not in terms of actual supply shortages. Its a prisoners dilemma in that were all prisoners in our homes right now, and we can either hoard or not hoard, and the outcomes depend on how we collaborate with each other, he said. But its not a zero-sum game.

Xing referenced a CNN article about why toilet paper, of all things, is one of the items people have been panic-buying most (I, too, have been utterly baffled by this phenomenon). But maybe thered be less panic if we knew more about the production methods and supply chain involved in manufacturing toilet paper. It turns out its a highly automated process (you can learn more about it in this documentary by National Geographic) and requires very few people (though it does require about 27,000 trees a dayso stop bulk-buying it! Just stop!).

The supply chain limitation here is in the raw material; we certainly cant keep cutting down this many trees a day forever. Butsomewhat ironically, given the Costco cartloads of TP people have been stuffing into their trunks and backseatsthanks to automation, toilet paper isnt something stores are going to stop receiving anytime soon.

Now we have a reason to apply this level of automation to, well, pretty much everything.

Though our current situation may force us into using more robots and automated systems sooner than wed planned, it will end up saving us money and creating opportunity, Xing believes. He cited fast-casual restaurants (Chipotle, Panera, etc.) as a prime example.

Currently, people in the US spend much more to eat at home than we do to eat in fast-casual restaurants if you take into account the cost of the food were preparing plus the value of the time were spending on cooking, grocery shopping, and cleaning up after meals. According to research from investment management firm ARK Invest, taking all these costs into account makes for about $12 per meal for food cooked at home.

Thats the same as or more than the cost of grabbing a burrito or a sandwich at the joint around the corner. As more of the repetitive, low-skill tasks involved in preparing fast casual meals are automated, their cost will drop even more, giving us more incentive to forego home cooking. (But, its worth noting that these figures dont take into account that eating at home is, in most cases, better for you since youre less likely to fill your food with sugar, oil, or various other taste-enhancing but health-destroying ingredientsplus, there are those of us who get a nearly incomparable amount of joy from laboring over then savoring a homemade meal).

Now that were not supposed to be touching each other or touching anything anyone else has touched, but we still need to eat, automating food preparation sounds appealing (and maybe necessary). Multiple food delivery services have already implemented a contactless delivery option, where customers can choose to have their food left on their doorstep.

Besides the opportunities for in-restaurant automation, This is an opportunity for automation to happen at the last mile, said Xing. Delivery drones, robots, and autonomous trucks and vans could all play a part. In fact, use of delivery drones has ramped up in China since the outbreak.

Speaking of deliveries, service robots have steadily increased in numbers at Amazon; as of late 2019, the company employed around 650,000 humans and 200,000 robotsand costs have gone down as robots have gone up.

ARK Invests research predicts automation could add $800 billion to US GDP over the next 5 years and $12 trillion during the next 15 years. On this trajectory, GDP would end up being 40 percent higher with automation than without it.

This is all well and good, but what do these numbers and percentages mean for the average consumer, worker, or citizen?

The benefits of automation arent being passed on to the average citizen, said Xing. Theyre going to the shareholders of the companies creating the automation. This is where policies like universal basic income and universal healthcare come in; in the not-too-distant future, we may see more movement toward measures like these (depending how the election goes) that spread the benefit of automation out rather than concentrating it in a few wealthy hands.

In the meantime, though, some people are benefiting from automation in ways that maybe werent expected. Were in the midst of whats probably the biggest remote-work experiment in US history, not to mention remote learning. Tools that let us digitally communicate and collaborate, like Slack, Zoom, Dropbox, and Gsuite, are enabling remote work in a way that wouldnt have been possible 20 or even 10 years ago.

In addition, Xing said, tools like DataRobot and H2O.ai are democratizing artificial intelligence by allowing almost anyone, not just data scientists or computer engineers, to run machine learning algorithms. People are codifying the steps in their own repetitive work processes and having their computers take over tasks for them.

As 3D printing gets cheaper and more accessible, its also being more widely adopted, and people are finding more applications (case in point: the Italians mentioned above who figured out how to cheaply print a medical valve for coronavirus treatment).

This movement towards a more automated society has some positives: it will help us stay healthy during times like the present, it will drive down the cost of goods and services, and it will grow our GDP in the long run. But by leaning into automation, will we be enabling a future that keeps us more physically, psychologically, and emotionally distant from each other?

Were in a crisis, and desperate times call for desperate measures. Were sheltering in place, practicing social distancing, and trying not to touch each other. And for most of us, this is really unpleasant and difficult. We cant wait for it to be over.

For better or worse, this pandemic will likely make us pick up the pace on our path to automation, across many sectors and processes. The solutions people implement during this crisis wont disappear when things go back to normal (and, depending who you talk to, they may never really do so).

But lets make sure to remember something. Even once robots are making our food and drones are delivering it, and our computers are doing data entry and email replies on our behalf, and we all have 3D printers to make anything we want at homewere still going to be human. And humans like being around each other. We like seeing one anothers faces, hearing one anothers voices, and feeling one anothers touchin person, not on a screen or in an app.

No amount of automation is going to change that, and beyond lowering costs or increasing GDP, our greatest and most crucial responsibility will always be to take care of each other.

Image Credit: Gritt ZhengonUnsplash

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Coronavirus May Mean Automation Is Coming Sooner Than We Thought - Singularity Hub

The Research Report expressed by Orbisresearch, the market has come throughout significant development in the existence and can be anticipated to grow substantially within the period of forecast.Access the PDF sample of the report @https://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/3640967

The study reveals that the global Robotic Process Automation (RPA) market is expected to cross $7,000 million by 2024, at a CAGR of nearly 27% during the forecast period. Due to significant growth in technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive learning, the adoption of business automation technologies by enterprises has also increased. This has led to a rapid increase in demand for the virtual workforce to eliminate repetitive human efforts, on the back of which, the global robotic process the automation market is gaining traction.

Rule-based operations: the global market leader

Rule-based robotic process automation operations have been the largest larger contributor to the global robotic process automation market as compared to knowledge-based operation. This operation uses sophisticated computer software that automates rule-based processes, which are statements pre-defined in a software system, without the need for constant supervision of the human workforce.

The rule-based operation has gained significant interest from all sized enterprises as it enables organizations to configure software robots that effectively automate various annual and highly repetitive tasks. It also helps organizations in saving a lot of time by completing an actual human task within a fraction of seconds. The market for rule-based operations is expected to continue its dominance, during the forecast period, as it can be easily integrated within a business ecosystem without disrupting the traditional or legacy business framework

The market to witness the fastest growth in Asia-Pacific during the forecast periodGeographically, North America has been the largest market for robotic process automation, whereas Asia-Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth among all regions, during the forecast period. The anticipated growth in the market can be attributed to factors such as advancement in new technologies, growing digitalization, growth in the automation software industry, and increasing adoption of business process automation solutions by small and medium scale enterprises in the region. Further, due to increasing demand for automation in major industry tasks such as business process outsourcing (BPO), outbound sales, and other back-office work, industries in the region have high tendency to adopt robotic process automation solutions at a rapid scale in the next few years.

Operational Excellence in the Middle-East is driving the global robotic process automation market

One of the foremost driver due to which the Global Robotic Process Automation Market is gaining traction is considered to be its success in increasing operational excellence in the rapidly developing Middle-East and North Africa (MENA). The regions in line with the global trend have rapidly opened up to embark on the RPA transformation wave. Although in its nascent stage, Robotics process automation has already created significant traction in the GCC region, due to high interest shown by the Middle-East CXOs.

Also, the companies in these regions, allowing software bots handle mundane and low-value tasks, employers are finding it easier to upgrade the skill levels of employees thereby retaining more local workforce, At present, corporates in the Financial services and Telecom space have started their RPA journey as early adopters. However, entities in other sectors as Oil & Gas, Healthcare, Retail, Real estate, manufacturing and Government sector are expected to join the bandwagon very soon

On the basis of User size, the market is segmented into Large Enterprise and SMEs. On the basis of Industry, the market is segmented into BFSI, Telecom & IT, Retail and Consumer Goods, Manufacturing, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals, and Others. BFSI was the largest segment in the global robotic process automation market in 2017.

High competition among key players in the market

The research states that the global robotic process automation market is highly competitive, with players developing new robotic process automation applications. Some of the key players operating in the robotic process automation ecosystem are Nice Systems Ltd., Pegasystems Inc., Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism PLC, Ipsoft, Inc., Celaton Ltd., Redwood Software, Uipath SRL, Verint System Inc., Xerox Corporation, and IBM Corporation.

Most of the major vendors in the global robotic process automation market are actively focused on enhancing their offerings to meet the ongoing demand for advanced business automation solutions. This includes software integrated with artificial intelligence and cognitive learning.

Market Segmentation: Global Robotic Process Automation MarketBy Process Automated Solution Decision Support & Management Interaction Solution

By Operation Rule based Knowledge based

By Service Professional Training & Support

By User Size Large Enterprize SMEs

By Industry BFSI Telecom & IT Retail and Consumer Goods Manufacturing Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals Others

In addition, the report provides analysis of the robotic process automation market with respect to the following geographic segments: North Americao U.S.o Canada Europeo Germanyo U.K.o Russiao Franceo Rest of Europe Asia Pacific (APAC)o Chinao Indiao Japano Singaporeo Rest of Asia Pacific LATAMo Brazilo Mexicoo Rest of Latin America MEAo Saudi Africao UAEo Saudi Arabiao Rest of Middle-East

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Research Objective1.1. Objective of the Study1.2. Market Definition1.3. Process Overview1.4. Market Scope1.3.1. Market Segmentation by Process1.3.2. Market Segmentation by Operation1.3.3. Market Segmentation by Service1.3.4. Market Segmentation by User Size1.3.5. Market Segmentation by Industry1.5. Analysis Period of the Study1.6. Data Reporting Unit1.7. Key Stakeholders

Chapter 2. Research Methodology2.1. Research Methodology2.2. Regional Split of Primary and Secondary Research2.3. Secondary Research2.4. Primary Research2.2.1. Breakdown of Primary Research Respondents2.2.1.1. By Region2.2.1.2. By Industry Participants2.3. Market Size Estimation2.4. Assumptions for the Study2.5. Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation

Chapter 3. Executive Summary

Chapter 4. Market Introduction4.1. Introduction4.1.1. Overview by Product4.1.2. Overview by Operation4.1.3. Overview by Service4.1.4. Overview by User Size4.1.5. Overview by Industry4.2. Value Chain Analysis4.3. Market Dynamics4.3.1. Trends4.3.2. Drivers4.3.2.1 Impact analysis of Drivers4.3.3. Restraints4.3.3.1 Impact Analysis of Restraints4.3.4. Opportunities4.4. Porters Five Forces Analysis4.4.1. Bargaining Power of Supplier4.4.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers4.4.3. Threat of New Entrants4.4.4. Threat of Substitute4.4.5. Intensity of Rivalry

Chapter 5. Market Size and Forecast by Process

Chapter 6. Market Size and Forecast by Operations

Chapter 7. Market Size and Forecast by Service

Chapter 8. Market Size and Forecast by User Size

Chapter 9. Market Size and Forecast by Industry

Chapter 10. Market Size and Forecast by Geography10.1. North America10.2. Europe10.3. Asia-Pacific10.4. Middle-East & Africa10.5. Latin America

Chapter 11. Market Competitiveness11.1. Market Landscape11.2. Market Player Analysis11.3. Recent Activities of Major Players11.3.1. Partnerships11.3.2. Product Launch11.3.3. Others

Chapter 12. Company Profiles12.1. Nice Systems Limited12.2. Pegasystems Inc.12.3. Automation Anywhere Inc.12.4. Blue Prism Limited12.5. Celaton Limited12.6. Redwood Software Inc.12.7. Ipsoft Inc.12.8. UiPath12.9. Zerox Corporation12.10. IBM Corporation

Chapter 13. Appendix

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Global Robotic Process Automation Market 2020 by Process, by Industry, Forecast and Opportunities 2024 - Skyline Gazette

Global technology major ABB Ltd has been helping companies in their digital transformation journey through industrial automation and robotics since many decades. In an email interview with Mint, Sami Atiya, president of Robotics and Discrete Automation at ABB, shares his thoughts on the evolution of robots and the adoption of robotics in India.

ABB will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 26 March as planned, though shareholders will not be allowed to attend in person and instead vote via independent proxy as precautionary measures against the coronavirus (COVID-19). Edited excerpts:

How has robotics evolved over the years at ABB from its simplest forms to the sophisticated AI-driven robots we see today?

ABB has shipped more than 400,000 robots worldwide since introducing the first micro-processor-controlled robot in 1974. In the meantime, a lot has changed. ABB now makes a wide variety of robots to fit a variety of customer needs, from large robots that can lift a car body to very fast ones for packaging food, to the latest generation of collaborative robots including our YuMi family.

In addition, we offer software, controllers, advanced connected services and offline programming and simulation tools. With our solutions, we support our customers as they transition to the factory of the future with a complete digital ecosystem. Already today, processes can be optimised through real-time data analysis. Machine learning allows the system to remember challenges and continuously improve item recognition and identification of optimal picking vectors for example.

In the future, machine-learning and AI will increase the bandwidth of data and analysis and enable robots to self-learn and self-adjust. This will make the handling of the robots easier and enable improved performance.

What is the appetite among Indian CIOs to adopt robotic automation in their organisations? What are the growth drivers?

The fundamentals driving investment in robotics and automation are common to a large number of markets around the world. Theres a need for greater flexibility to support the trend of mass customisation. Product life cycles continue to shorten, and manufacturers must launch new products quickly up to full speed in days, not weeks. India, in particular is one of the strongest growing economies of the world despite recent subdued market conditions.

The manufacturing sector has accounted for around 17-18% of the countrys GDP over the last few years. Programs such as Make in India are further expanding the sector. Also, the recently announced plan to make India a hub for electronic manufacturing is a promising signal. The success of these initiatives in the long run largely depends on improving the competitiveness of the manufacturing segment in India. This is where robotics and automation can play a crucial part. Our customers are aware of this and are eager to embrace robotic automation. Between 2013 and 2018, robot installations in India saw a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20%.

How large is your robotics division in India and what is their role?

We have several hundred employees, including professionals working in business development and R&D as well as in our engineering delivery team in our Indian Operations Centre. Our R&D team in India works closely with our global R&D team to develop next-generation embedded software applications and digital solutions such as remote monitoring of 8,000 robots in 40 countries. With our engineering delivery center, we are supporting our global business lines with operations such as sourcing, engineering, project management, installation and commissioning. The Indian market offers us great growth perspectives. The countrys industrial automation market is expected to grow more than 10% per year until 2023.

Which sectors in India are adopting robotic automation more than the others?

Today, the automotive industry is the largest adopter of robotic solutions in India. We are also seeing segments including food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, electronics and the logistics industry starting to adopt robotics at a much faster pace. Indias growing middle-class population is fuelling new consumption patterns, such as a shift towards packaged food for example, and this is creating a need for flexible robotic solutions in these segments. ABB is very well positioned to meet these needs.

How are you leveraging the startup ecosystem in India to innovate in the robotics space?

ABB Robotics takes a global, collaborative approach to innovation, including partnerships with universities, industry leading companies and startups to enable further leaps in innovation and growth. Startups have an important role, and we are keen to work with innovators large and small worldwide. Last year, for example, we opened a new healthcare research hub at the Texas Medical Center (TMC) innovation campus in Houston, Texas to work closely with startups in the healthcare sector. We are of course very open to collaboration in India.

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Indias industrial automation market to grow over 10%: Sami Atiya, ABB - Livemint

Maintaining quality at scale isnt easy.

When the first McDonalds restaurant opened in 1940, their milkshakes were made from ice cream and milk. With over 36,000 locations,those milkshakes include corn syrup and preservatives to maintain a consistent flavor according to the company website.

Scaling tech companies experience both cultural and technical challenges, and many (quite literally) cannot afford to makemistakes. Iterating quickly while still writing quality code and managing technical debt areof utmost importance forfast-growingengineering teams. At fintech company OppLoans, maintaining quality requires incorporating automation into nearly every aspect of their operations.

Credit-challenged consumers trust Opploans to obtain funding and personal loans. Staff Engineer Buc Rogers said customers expect security and regulatory compliances to always be met, no matter how big the company grows. By investing in the automation of their software delivery pipeline, Rogers said the business can handle more customers while maintaining a high level of security.

And its not just software builds and deploymentgetting automated: Because OppLoans is hosted by the cloud, theyve been able to heavily automate the construction of entire environments.

How is your company leveraging automation to streamline or simplify specific tasks or areas of the business?

As a lender, we hold ourselves to very high standards for security and regulatory compliance. Without proper automation, those standards can really slow down a development process. Weve invested heavily to automate as much of our software delivery pipeline as possible. The hard part of a development project should be getting that first version working. Unfortunately, sometimes it can be even harder to just get the system up and running in production. Were investing in the automation required to make deployment painless for our developers.

This starts with CI orchestration of automated builds, tests and static analysis checks, culminating in a deployment-ready artifact. From there, a CD pipeline is used to automate auditable rolling or blue-green style deployments, supporting fast roll-forward or rollback. Data and ETL pipelines are managed by a workflow management tool.

We ensure rapid notification and speedy recovery from any issues in production or test environments by deriving automated alerts from metrics, logs, error analysis, security scanning and threat-detection tools.

Weve invested heavily to automate as much of our software delivery pipeline as possible.

What tools or technologies have you implemented to drive automation in your business?

Because OppLoans is hosted by the cloud, weve been able to heavily automate not just software builds and deployments, but also the construction of entire environments. We dont spend much time on traditional scaling concerns such as scaling with an increase in user or business volume. Instead, we think about scaling in the sense of maintaining the simplicity of the overall environment while the complexity of the deployed services continues to increase. We want to make sure that it is as easy to roll out the 60th microservice as it is to rollout the 3rd microservice.

We use Terraform to define and deploy version-controlled static AWS infrastructure, GitHub Actions and Jenkins for CI/CD pipelines. We typically deploy to EKS, ECS/Fargate, Lambda and Salesforce.

Test-automation tools and frameworks utilized include RSpec, clojure.test, Apex Unit Tests, Python unittest, Cucumber and Selenium. There is automatic linting and other static analysis applied during CI/ CD pipeline stages using Rubocop, bikeshed, TFLint and others.

We also use many automated security checkers, such as AWS Config, prowler, Cloud Custodian and others. Theres an entire ecosystem of monitoring tools and alerts that help our teams move faster and more safely. Weve made big strides in making it easy to verify our software is performing as expected in production.

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How Automation Is Transforming OppLoans - Built In Chicago

Pop culture is rife with striking imagery of robots becoming imbued with artificial intelligence, learning from humanitys past mistakes, and eventually taking over the world in a grim apocalypse.

As AI and machine learning experts continue to research and improve on automated processes, is this scenario actually at play? Conspiracy theorists might think so, but the automation of business operations can actually go a long way in helping human workers too.

Automating various manual and mundane operations will allow workers to get more done and, eventually, prepare them mentally to do more high-level tasks, as their time becomes increasingly freed from menial, mind-numbing work.

Automating business processes can help to standardize company procedures, carry the load of reporting duties, even help enhance customer experience by offering quick automated responses and feedback to their queries.

But what are some of the benefits for the human workforce itself?

One of the core functionalities of business process automation (BPA) is the aligning of appropriate tasks and data sets to the automated system software.

Many industries feature their own specialized software, or will use third-party solutions that can be used across multiple industries. Business accounting and reporting software are good examples of this.

Once those parameters are set within the system, a handy users guide would be sufficient to educate a new user of the same system, without having to train them from the ground up. Reporting and decision making from higher up the chain will likewise be streamlined according to the appropriate task and the available insights to make the best decision.

This could also lead to a clearer understanding of the entire workflow, the responsibilities of various departments, and will ideally lead to faster turnaround times moving forward.

Menial tasks take up much more of an employees time than one would traditionally think. These tasks might be necessary, but if they are repetitive and ponderous, automating them might be the way to enable your employee to focus on higher-level jobs, such as research and self-improvement.

Menial tasks will take time for a person to complete, but is more than likely instantaneous for a machine to execute. In addition, when people are hurrying to complete tasks, the chance for human error increases exponentially. BPA can remove this headache altogether, and the process can be streamlined further as now extra employees are not needed to vet the first workers mistakes.

Always forgetting to execute that small, but critical function? Automation tools can help send reminders hourly, daily, weekly, or as often as the need may arise.

Many industries might have to answer to regulatory bodies, or oversight committees which would have their own compliance guides and procedures. BPA tools can make sure that once the compliance requirements are entered into the system, you do not have to worry about not adhering to the mandated requirements anymore, at least until the next compliance update.

Streamlining processes will lead to faster response times, as well as more accurate responses to customer tickets. Being on top of their needs should lead to happier customers, and will help the company maintain a consistently high standard of quality service.

Happier customers in tandem with the removal of tiresome grunt work should in turn result in a happier, more empowered workforce.

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Time the machines took over? Let's talk Business Process Automation - TechHQ

The Valhall complex in the southern Norwegian North Sea.

(Courtesy Aker BP)

Offshore staff

OSLO, Norway The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has identified three improvement points from its audit of Aker BP and the modification, digitalization, and automation of the drilling installation on the Valhall IP platform in the southern Norwegian North Sea.

According to the PSA, the audit, performed between April 2019 and January 2020, was conducted to verify the robustness of processes linked to the qualification of new technology, equipment and systems, and to identify and address any potential risks associated with the planned modification of the drilling installation and relocation of the drillers cabin at Valhall IP.

The Valhall IP Performinator project entails the following planned changes at the platform:

Although the audit revealed no new non-conformities, the PSA has requested three improvements concerning decision support and decision-making criteria for sub-deliveries in the project; preparation of required documentation for barrier functions and safety-critical equipment; documentation of criteria for qualification of new technology and equipment.

03/23/2020

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Petroleum Safety Authority audits North Sea Valhall drilling automation measures - Offshore Oil and Gas Magazine

At the ARC Industry Forum in Orlando, ARCs Peter Reynolds, Contributing Analyst, discussed the macro trends that are affecting automation today, changes in project execution, and new technologies with Joe Bastone, Director, Experion Product Management at Honeywell Process Solutions. This blog focuses on the highlights and quotes of the interview. You can watch the interview here and/or on Youtube.

Honeywell sees a lot of customers really focused on how they're going to deploy ever increasing systems, both in terms of size, complexity, and even remoteness. And it's those kinds of macro trends that are really begging for more of a modular and standardized approach in how they deploy those automation systems, said Joe.

Over the last 40 years or so, projects are being executed in more efficient ways. Until about 10 years ago, the core principles behind why projects were being executed in a certain manner were never really challenged, explained Joe. Around 2013, Honeywell introduced LEAP, which is the companys lean execution philosophy for implementing automation projects, and that challenged some of the core tenets to enhance efficiency and reduce some of the non-value-added tasks that are associated with implementing these projects.

Fast forwarding to today, the company is introducing new solutions, such as Experion PKS HIVE, which is made up of the IO HIVE, the Control HIVE, and the IT HIVE. And that further pushes the envelope in how we can deploy automation projects and further decouple the system; this helps to achieve the more modular approach that customers are looking for, while simultaneously being able to deploy a more standardized approach, said Joe.

When Experion PKS HIVE was introduced eight months ago, the main focus that customers gravitated towards was on the IO HIVE standpoint, said Joe. Customers immediately saw the benefits of deploying their systems in a flexible manner, and adjusting to late changes on the system. He explained that if the customer needed to deploy more IO to the HIVE, they could do that incrementally. When we started taking a look at Control HIVE and how that fits on top of it, it became much more efficient to be able to do that in a more piecemeal fashion, he said. That is done by decoupling the elements of the system so the IO is no longer bound to a specific controller. Instead, the IO is seen as an extension of that modular equipment. From the control side, instead of dedicating a certain control strategy to a specific controller, all the controllers can be seen virtually, and a set of controllers can operate as a HIVE/Control HIVE.

The IT HIVE allows the Experion system to be deployed either fully on-site or as a combination of on-site resources and IT deployment in a customer's data center. This enables much more flexibility with how the systems are deployed and centralizes administration techniques, such as deploying Windows updates or antivirus updates or security patches to the underlying system. The main advantage of centralization is that specialized expertise is not required at every facility, so resources can be kept to a minimum. You also get the side benefit of being able to dedicate the control system engineers to focus on optimizing the control system instead of performing the IT functionality on-site, added Joe.

ARC looks forward to watching Honeywells progress over the next several months.

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Macro Trends Impacting Automation and New Technologies - ARC Viewpoints

Food Automation market worldwide is projected to grow by US$5. 1 Billion, driven by a compounded growth of 6. 6%. Motors & Generators, one of the segments analyzed and sized in this study, displays the potential to grow at over 6.

New York, March 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Food Automation Industry" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05798615/?utm_source=GNW 7%. The shifting dynamics supporting this growth makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the changing pulse of the market. Poised to reach over US$6.5 Billion by the year 2025, Motors & Generators will bring in healthy gains adding significant momentum to global growth.

- Representing the developed world, the United States will maintain a 7.5% growth momentum. Within Europe, which continues to remain an important element in the world economy, Germany will add over US$236 Million to the regions size and clout in the next 5 to 6 years. Over US$238.1 Million worth of projected demand in the region will come from Rest of Europe markets. In Japan, Motors & Generators will reach a market size of US$544 Million by the close of the analysis period. As the worlds second largest economy and the new game changer in global markets, China exhibits the potential to grow at 6.3% over the next couple of years and add approximately US$882.3 Million in terms of addressable opportunity for the picking by aspiring businesses and their astute leaders. Presented in visually rich graphics are these and many more need-to-know quantitative data important in ensuring quality of strategy decisions, be it entry into new markets or allocation of resources within a portfolio. Several macroeconomic factors and internal market forces will shape growth and development of demand patterns in emerging countries in Asia-Pacific. All research viewpoints presented are based on validated engagements from influencers in the market, whose opinions supersede all other research methodologies.

- Competitors identified in this market include, among others,

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05798615/?utm_source=GNW

I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & REPORT SCOPE

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. MARKET OVERVIEW

Global Competitor Market SharesFood Automation Competitor Market Share Scenario Worldwide(in %): 2019 & 2025The Growing Need for Automation in the Food Industry

2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS

3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

Food Companies Prioritize Automation at Plants to Stay competitivePreventive Maintenance Drives Adoption of IIoTUse of Artificial Intelligence on Rise in Food and BeverageIndustryCompanies Focus on Automation of Process Control for LargelyManual ProcessesFlexibility Recognized as an Important Requirement in FoodAutomationMachine Innovations in Food Manufacturing

4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE

Table 1: Food Automation Global Market Estimates and Forecastsin US$ Million by Region/Country: 2018-2025Table 2: Food Automation Global Retrospective Market Scenarioin US$ Million by Region/Country: 2009-2017Table 3: Food Automation Market Share Shift across KeyGeographies Worldwide: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 4: Motors & Generators (Type) World Market byRegion/Country in US$ Million: 2018 to 2025Table 5: Motors & Generators (Type) Historic Market Analysis byRegion/Country in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017Table 6: Motors & Generators (Type) Market Share Breakdown ofWorldwide Sales by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 7: Discrete Controllers & Visualization (Type) PotentialGrowth Markets Worldwide in US$ Million: 2018 to 2025Table 8: Discrete Controllers & Visualization (Type) HistoricMarket Perspective by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2009 to2017Table 9: Discrete Controllers & Visualization (Type) MarketSales Breakdown by Region/Country in Percentage: 2009 VS 2019VS 2025Table 10: Rotary & Linear Products (Type) Geographic MarketSpread Worldwide in US$ Million: 2018 to 2025Table 11: Rotary & Linear Products (Type) Region Wise Breakdownof Global Historic Demand in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017Table 12: Rotary & Linear Products (Type) Market ShareDistribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS2025Table 13: Other Types (Type) World Market Estimates andForecasts by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2018 to 2025Table 14: Other Types (Type) Market Historic Review byRegion/Country in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017Table 15: Other Types (Type) Market Share Breakdown byRegion/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 16: Packaging & Repackaging (Function) World Market byRegion/Country in US$ Million: 2018 to 2025Table 17: Packaging & Repackaging (Function) Historic MarketAnalysis by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017Table 18: Packaging & Repackaging (Function) Market ShareDistribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS2025Table 19: Palletizing (Function) World Market Estimates andForecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2018 to 2025Table 20: Palletizing (Function) Market Worldwide HistoricReview by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017Table 21: Palletizing (Function) Market Percentage ShareDistribution by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 22: Sorting & Grading (Function) Market OpportunityAnalysis Worldwide in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2018 to2025Table 23: Sorting & Grading (Function) Global Historic Demandin US$ Million by Region/Country: 2009 to 2017Table 24: Sorting & Grading (Function) Market ShareDistribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS2025Table 25: Processing (Function) World Market by Region/Countryin US$ Million: 2018 to 2025Table 26: Processing (Function) Historic Market Analysis byRegion/Country in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017Table 27: Processing (Function) Market Share Breakdown ofWorldwide Sales by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 28: Other Functions (Function) Potential Growth MarketsWorldwide in US$ Million: 2018 to 2025Table 29: Other Functions (Function) Historic MarketPerspective by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017Table 30: Other Functions (Function) Market Sales Breakdown byRegion/Country in Percentage: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 31: Dairy (Application) Demand Potential Worldwide in US$Million by Region/Country: 2018-2025Table 32: Dairy (Application) Historic Sales Analysis in US$Million by Region/Country: 2009-2017Table 33: Dairy (Application) Share Breakdown Review byRegion/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 34: Bakery (Application) Worldwide Latent DemandForecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2018-2025Table 35: Bakery (Application) Global Historic Analysis in US$Million by Region/Country: 2009-2017Table 36: Bakery (Application) Distribution of Global Sales byRegion/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 37: Beverages (Application) Sales Estimates and Forecastsin US$ Million by Region/Country for the Years 2018 through2025Table 38: Beverages (Application) Analysis of Historic Sales inUS$ Million by Region/Country for the Years 2009 to 2017Table 39: Beverages (Application) Global Market ShareDistribution by Region/Country for 2009, 2019, and 2025Table 40: Fruits and Vegetables (Application) GlobalOpportunity Assessment in US$ Million by Region/Country:2018-2025Table 41: Fruits and Vegetables (Application) Historic SalesAnalysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2009-2017Table 42: Fruits and Vegetables (Application) Percentage ShareBreakdown of Global Sales by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS2025Table 43: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (Application) Worldwide Salesin US$ Million by Region/Country: 2018-2025Table 44: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (Application) Historic DemandPatterns in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2009-2017Table 45: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (Application) Market ShareShift across Key Geographies: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 46: Other Applications (Application) Global MarketEstimates & Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country:2018-2025Table 47: Other Applications (Application) Retrospective DemandAnalysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2009-2017Table 48: Other Applications (Application) Market ShareBreakdown by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025

III. MARKET ANALYSIS

GEOGRAPHIC MARKET ANALYSISUNITED STATESMarket Facts & FiguresUS Food Automation Market Share (in %) by Company: 2019 & 2025Market AnalyticsTable 49: United States Food Automation Market Estimates andProjections in US$ Million by Type: 2018 to 2025Table 50: Food Automation Market in the United States by Type:A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2009-2017Table 51: United States Food Automation Market Share Breakdownby Type: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 52: United States Food Automation Market Estimates andProjections in US$ Million by Function: 2018 to 2025Table 53: Food Automation Market in the United States byFunction: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2009-2017Table 54: United States Food Automation Market Share Breakdownby Function: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 55: United States Food Automation Latent Demand Forecastsin US$ Million by Application: 2018 to 2025Table 56: Food Automation Historic Demand Patterns in theUnited States by Application in US$ Million for 2009-2017Table 57: Food Automation Market Share Breakdown in the UnitedStates by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025CANADATable 58: Canadian Food Automation Market Estimates andForecasts in US$ Million by Type: 2018 to 2025Table 59: Canadian Food Automation Historic Market Review byType in US$ Million: 2009-2017Table 60: Food Automation Market in Canada: Percentage ShareBreakdown of Sales by Type for 2009, 2019, and 2025Table 61: Canadian Food Automation Market Estimates andForecasts in US$ Million by Function: 2018 to 2025Table 62: Canadian Food Automation Historic Market Review byFunction in US$ Million: 2009-2017Table 63: Food Automation Market in Canada: Percentage ShareBreakdown of Sales by Function for 2009, 2019, and 2025Table 64: Canadian Food Automation Market Quantitative DemandAnalysis in US$ Million by Application: 2018 to 2025Table 65: Food Automation Market in Canada: Summarization ofHistoric Demand Patterns in US$ Million by Application for2009-2017Table 66: Canadian Food Automation Market Share Analysis byApplication: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025JAPANTable 67: Japanese Market for Food Automation: Annual SalesEstimates and Projections in US$ Million by Type for the Period2018-2025Table 68: Food Automation Market in Japan: Historic SalesAnalysis in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2009-2017Table 69: Japanese Food Automation Market Share Analysis byType: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 70: Japanese Market for Food Automation: Annual SalesEstimates and Projections in US$ Million by Function for thePeriod 2018-2025Table 71: Food Automation Market in Japan: Historic SalesAnalysis in US$ Million by Function for the Period 2009-2017Table 72: Japanese Food Automation Market Share Analysis byFunction: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 73: Japanese Demand Estimates and Forecasts for FoodAutomation in US$ Million by Application: 2018 to 2025Table 74: Japanese Food Automation Market in US$ Million byApplication: 2009-2017Table 75: Food Automation Market Share Shift in Japan byApplication: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025CHINARise in Adoption of Automation in Food IndustryMarket AnalyticsTable 76: Chinese Food Automation Market Growth Prospects inUS$ Million by Type for the Period 2018-2025Table 77: Food Automation Historic Market Analysis in China inUS$ Million by Type: 2009-2017Table 78: Chinese Food Automation Market by Type: PercentageBreakdown of Sales for 2009, 2019, and 2025Table 79: Chinese Food Automation Market Growth Prospects inUS$ Million by Function for the Period 2018-2025Table 80: Food Automation Historic Market Analysis in China inUS$ Million by Function: 2009-2017Table 81: Chinese Food Automation Market by Function:Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2009, 2019, and 2025Table 82: Chinese Demand for Food Automation in US$ Million byApplication: 2018 to 2025Table 83: Food Automation Market Review in China in US$ Millionby Application: 2009-2017Table 84: Chinese Food Automation Market Share Breakdown byApplication: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025EUROPEMarket Facts & FiguresEuropean Food Automation Market: Competitor Market ShareScenario (in %) for 2019 & 2025Automation Picks up PaceMarket AnalyticsTable 85: European Food Automation Market Demand Scenario inUS$ Million by Region/Country: 2018-2025Table 86: Food Automation Market in Europe: A Historic MarketPerspective in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Period2009-2017Table 87: European Food Automation Market Share Shift byRegion/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 88: European Food Automation Market Estimates andForecasts in US$ Million by Type: 2018-2025Table 89: Food Automation Market in Europe in US$ Million byType: A Historic Review for the Period 2009-2017Table 90: European Food Automation Market Share Breakdown byType: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 91: European Food Automation Market Estimates andForecasts in US$ Million by Function: 2018-2025Table 92: Food Automation Market in Europe in US$ Million byFunction: A Historic Review for the Period 2009-2017Table 93: European Food Automation Market Share Breakdown byFunction: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 94: European Food Automation Addressable MarketOpportunity in US$ Million by Application: 2018-2025Table 95: Food Automation Market in Europe: Summarization ofHistoric Demand in US$ Million by Application for the Period2009-2017Table 96: European Food Automation Market Share Analysis byApplication: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025FRANCETable 97: Food Automation Market in France by Type: Estimatesand Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2018-2025Table 98: French Food Automation Historic Market Scenario inUS$ Million by Type: 2009-2017Table 99: French Food Automation Market Share Analysis by Type:2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 100: Food Automation Market in France by Function:Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period2018-2025Table 101: French Food Automation Historic Market Scenario inUS$ Million by Function: 2009-2017Table 102: French Food Automation Market Share Analysis byFunction: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 103: Food Automation Quantitative Demand Analysis inFrance in US$ Million by Application: 2018-2025Table 104: French Food Automation Historic Market Review in US$Million by Application: 2009-2017Table 105: French Food Automation Market Share Analysis:A 17-Year Perspective by Application for 2009, 2019, and 2025GERMANYTable 106: Food Automation Market in Germany: Recent Past,Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Type for thePeriod 2018-2025Table 107: German Food Automation Historic Market Analysis inUS$ Million by Type: 2009-2017Table 108: German Food Automation Market Share Breakdown byType: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 109: Food Automation Market in Germany: Recent Past,Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Function for thePeriod 2018-2025Table 110: German Food Automation Historic Market Analysis inUS$ Million by Function: 2009-2017Table 111: German Food Automation Market Share Breakdown byFunction: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 112: Food Automation Market in Germany: Annual SalesEstimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Application for thePeriod 2018-2025Table 113: German Food Automation Market in Retrospect in US$Million by Application: 2009-2017Table 114: Food Automation Market Share Distribution in Germanyby Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025ITALYTable 115: Italian Food Automation Market Growth Prospects inUS$ Million by Type for the Period 2018-2025Table 116: Food Automation Historic Market Analysis in Italy inUS$ Million by Type: 2009-2017Table 117: Italian Food Automation Market by Type: PercentageBreakdown of Sales for 2009, 2019, and 2025Table 118: Italian Food Automation Market Growth Prospects inUS$ Million by Function for the Period 2018-2025Table 119: Food Automation Historic Market Analysis in Italy inUS$ Million by Function: 2009-2017Table 120: Italian Food Automation Market by Function:Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2009, 2019, and 2025Table 121: Italian Demand for Food Automation in US$ Million byApplication: 2018 to 2025Table 122: Food Automation Market Review in Italy in US$Million by Application: 2009-2017Table 123: Italian Food Automation Market Share Breakdown byApplication: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025UNITED KINGDOMTable 124: United Kingdom Market for Food Automation: AnnualSales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Type for thePeriod 2018-2025Table 125: Food Automation Market in the United Kingdom:Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Type for the Period2009-2017Table 126: United Kingdom Food Automation Market Share Analysisby Type: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 127: United Kingdom Market for Food Automation: AnnualSales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Function forthe Period 2018-2025Table 128: Food Automation Market in the United Kingdom:Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Function for thePeriod 2009-2017Table 129: United Kingdom Food Automation Market Share Analysisby Function: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 130: United Kingdom Demand Estimates and Forecasts forFood Automation in US$ Million by Application: 2018 to 2025Table 131: United Kingdom Food Automation Market in US$ Millionby Application: 2009-2017Table 132: Food Automation Market Share Shift in the UnitedKingdom by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025REST OF EUROPETable 133: Rest of Europe Food Automation Market Estimates andForecasts in US$ Million by Type: 2018-2025Table 134: Food Automation Market in Rest of Europe in US$Million by Type: A Historic Review for the Period 2009-2017Table 135: Rest of Europe Food Automation Market ShareBreakdown by Type: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 136: Rest of Europe Food Automation Market Estimates andForecasts in US$ Million by Function: 2018-2025Table 137: Food Automation Market in Rest of Europe in US$Million by Function: A Historic Review for the Period 2009-2017Table 138: Rest of Europe Food Automation Market ShareBreakdown by Function: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 139: Rest of Europe Food Automation Addressable MarketOpportunity in US$ Million by Application: 2018-2025Table 140: Food Automation Market in Rest of Europe:Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by Applicationfor the Period 2009-2017Table 141: Rest of Europe Food Automation Market Share Analysisby Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025ASIA-PACIFICTable 142: Food Automation Market in Asia-Pacific by Type:Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period2018-2025Table 143: Asia-Pacific Food Automation Historic MarketScenario in US$ Million by Type: 2009-2017Table 144: Asia-Pacific Food Automation Market Share Analysisby Type: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 145: Food Automation Market in Asia-Pacific by Function:Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period2018-2025Table 146: Asia-Pacific Food Automation Historic MarketScenario in US$ Million by Function: 2009-2017Table 147: Asia-Pacific Food Automation Market Share Analysisby Function: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025Table 148: Food Automation Quantitative Demand Analysis inAsia-Pacific in US$ Million by Application: 2018-2025Table 149: Asia-Pacific Food Automation Historic Market Reviewin US$ Million by Application: 2009-2017Table 150: Asia-Pacific Food Automation Market Share Analysis:A 17-Year Perspective by Application for 2009, 2019, and 2025REST OF WORLDTable 151: Rest of World Food Automation Market Estimates andForecasts in US$ Million by Type: 2018 to 2025Table 152: Rest of World Food Automation Historic Market Reviewby Type in US$ Million: 2009-2017Table 153: Food Automation Market in Rest of World: PercentageShare Breakdown of Sales by Type for 2009, 2019, and 2025Table 154: Rest of World Food Automation Market Estimates andForecasts in US$ Million by Function: 2018 to 2025Table 155: Rest of World Food Automation Historic Market Reviewby Function in US$ Million: 2009-2017Table 156: Food Automation Market in Rest of World: PercentageShare Breakdown of Sales by Function for 2009, 2019, and 2025Table 157: Rest of World Food Automation Market QuantitativeDemand Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2018 to 2025Table 158: Food Automation Market in Rest of World:Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million byApplication for 2009-2017Table 159: Rest of World Food Automation Market Share Analysisby Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025

IV. COMPETITION

ABB GROUPEMERSON ELECTRICFORTIVE CORPORATIONGEA GROUP AGMITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONREXNORD CORPORATIONROCKWELL AUTOMATIONSCHNEIDER ELECTRIC SASIEMENS AGYASKAWA ELECTRIC CORPORATIONYOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORPORATIONV. CURATED RESEARCHRead the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05798615/?utm_source=GNW

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Global Food Automation Industry - Yahoo Finance

If theres anyone who knows about network automation, its Rakuten Mobile CTO Tareq Amin. Hes leading the charge to build a greenfield LTE network in Japan that will launch commercially in early April.

In advance of FierceWireless'virtual panel about network automation on Tuesday, March 24,Amin spoke with FierceWireless about Rakutens network automation work.

Rakuten has worked with a bevy of vendors, and its also orchestrated open source software to build this fully virtualized network, which currently has about 188 virtual network functions and 6,000 virtual machines. Amin said, The truth is this was not easy, but I have never, ever felt for a moment of my life this will not work.

Automation: Take the fast lane on the path to 5G

Automation will play a critical role in helping operators meet these challenges to speed the delivery of 5G networks and derive new revenues.

He added, We stumbled quite a bit, not in the areas I thought we would be most challenged. I thought RAN would be most complex. But of all my challenges I have faced, I attribute 10% to radio and 90% to everything else.

Amin said Rakuten acted as a systems integrator for its own network. And it had to orchestrate all the pieces and parts together from the virtualized core to the virtualized RAN, to the back-office systems. It was taxing. We really had to become the glue for everybody.

It was the little things that caused some of the biggest headaches. For instance, working with the new BSS/OSS system for policy and charging was a challenge. The company is actually planning to acquire a start-up BSS/OSS company that it worked with on the project. Amin refused to name the company at this point because the deal is in final negotiation stages. But he said to look for an announcement in about three weeks.

BT

Neil McRae, BTs managing director and chief architect, will be participating in Tuesdays panel on network automation. BT belongs to the O-RAN Alliance, which is developing standardized open interfaces for the radio access network (RAN). But the British operator isnt all that enamored with commercial solutions that use O-RAN, yet.

RELATED: BT develops Ultra MIMO radio, taps O-RAN for insights

BT isnt religiousabout virtualization for its own sake. We think sometimes youre increasing the complexity of operations, McRae said. Today I talk to my supplier, and they resolve it. In a disaggregated network, I have to talk to more than one supplier; I have to have a programmer on my own staff to de-bug it. Weve got a lot to learn how to operate the infrastructure. We will use the best solution for customer experience and that allows us to make a return. When you look at O-RAN its still not clear to me thattheres a really strong single direction for the parties involved.

Amin acknowledges that its a lot of work to manage multiple vendors and open source software and act as your own systems integrator. He said Rakuten Mobiles engineering organization is very flat, and he has a lot of direct reports, which makes his job even more demanding. But he wanted to make sure Rakuten was in charge of its own destiny.

For its part though, BT must deal with an old, established network. McRae said Rakuten doesnt have to worry about 20 years or more of legacy equipment. In cost terms, do we see any benefits of disaggregation in the mobile core? No, we see the opposite is true, McRae said. Its more costly to run and with greater likelihood of problems.

Vodafone, however, also must deal with a legacy network. But its become an early adopter of open RAN technologies. In November 2019, Vodafone announced that it would issue a request for quotes for open RAN technology for its entire European footprint.

RELATED: Vodafone leads the early adopter phase of O-RAN

Mostafa Essa, an AI and data analytics distinguished engineer with Vodafone, said, If you use a specific vendor for the RAN and ask him to carry some new features for something you are needing that is impacting your customers, they have to go back to their R&D and build up features. Then well test and give feedback. Right now, by using the open RAN concept, you can build up whatever you want whenever you want. Its not connected to vendors roadmaps.

Open RAN gains momentum

DellOro analyst Stefan Pongratz has said, Given the current progress and the overall readiness with both the open RAN and non open RAN virtualization tracks, we anticipate that the benefits with purpose-built RAN will continue to outweigh the benefits with virtual RAN over the near-term.But he adds that open RAN momentum is accelerating as the ecosystem develops, as partnerships are formed and as operators experiment with trials.

Rakutens Amin said, When you deal with software, life is slightly a bit easier. I know I can fix software. Were getting really good at isolating and fixing the problems."

Among its many leading-edge (or perhaps bleeding-edge) innovations, Rakuten has changed the process of how a vendor partner delivers software to Rakuten. It created a lab management platform in which its cloud and the R&D cloud of the vendor partners are tightly linked so that software development can go much faster. Amin said the dev/ops processes that in the past typically took sixmonths have been sped up to a matter of days.

Original post:

Rakuten Mobile's CTO says RAN wasn't as troublesome as other things: Special Report on Automation - FierceWireless

There are no downsides to getting on board with the right software.

March19, 20206 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

By now, most business leaders and marketers fully understand the importance of having amarketing-automation software. However, that doesnt mean all of us are actually using one.Being an entrepreneur means you have your hand in basically everything happening within your company. This gives you little time to research enabling tools and products. But if you want your teams to save time, nurture leads effectively, track success from their effortsand consolidate materials and strategy into a comprehensive, linear space, its time to take the plunge.

Entrepreneurs, in particular, need to maximize every effort, every second and every person on the payroll. That makes marketing automation a critical tool when running a tight budget.Whether your marketing is account-based, B2B or B2C, you can almost certainly implement a few more automated marketing perks into your cycle. Here are a few that I find especially useful.

Related: Digital Marketing Hacks for 2020

This is one of the very basic perks that every marketing automation software offers. That aside, it caters to a very specific concern most entrepreneurs have: acquiring leads. These two facts alone are why this perk is probably the most important.Every one of your website visitors should have a simple way to learn more about your company. Whether its a sidebar contact form, a recurring email newsletter pop-upor a call to action at the end of every blog post, the main goal of your site is to convert visitors into leads.

Your software should help you set up these various lead-capturing capabilities pretty easily. You must check your landing pages, formsand blog posts at least monthly to see how well theyre doing with conversions. If improvements are needed, tweak their design or wording and check back again. A/B test the heck out of them, so by the time theyre hitting conversion numbers youre happy with, you can focus on other matters while still bringing in leads.

A good CRM will offer form actions to segment your leads into distinct categories, corresponding to a different drip campaign. By that point, half the work is already done.

Every company is sitting on loads of lost leads people who seemed interested and dropped off the radaror customers who stopped using your product actively, but havent necessarily signaled that they dont want to hear from you again. Many dont know what to do with these leads or havent fully figured out how to use them in a beneficial way. These lostleads are just waiting for you to turn them into an opportunity.

As entrepreneurs, we dont like the feeling of hopelessness, and the simple truth is that if youve still got lost leadsdata, then theres still hope. Re-engagement campaigns are not only useful for reigniting old flames; theyre also cost-effective ways to find new leads. Better yet, automation is perfect for these types of initiatives, since you can reach out to these leads on a wide scale while still personalizing your outreach. You can easily create campaigns that can spark re-engagement and incentivize them to either start using your product againor start a conversation about your product.

Drip campaigns are a given.You want to keep in touch with people whove bought your product, and youll obviously segment your lists because no list is worth maintaining without proper segmentation for a personalized experience.But with marketing-automation software, you dont have to stop there. You can convert standard customer-engagement drip campaigns, including calls for reviews or feedback in exchange for coupons, into greater drip campaigns, such as occasional newsletters or mailing lists.

For entrepreneurs spearheading new businesses, keeping their brands top-of-mind is critical, and well-organized drip campaigns are a big part of that. You dont have to spend tons of time manually segmenting leads and assembling series of emails. Your automation tool does it all for you so you can focus on other important things, like keeping your business thriving.

Going from meeting to meeting to meeting is just another reality for most entrepreneurs. We dont have much time to organize a follow-up, but we all know how much we need a reminder. Your software allows you to set up alerts so that your follow-ups dont become a casualty of your hectic schedule. Whats more, these alerts are configured to hot leadsbuying behavior, so you can be sure only to approach them when youve got a hint that theyre interested.

A good CRM will let you set up alerts for leads, such as when they hit specific tag scores, click a particular link, download a product demo, attend a webinar or visit a unique URL on your site.

Related: 4 CRM Hacks Every Entrepreneur Should Be Using

Spending money on ads that dont deliver isnt something new businesses can afford (literally). This is why having an analytics dashboard that shows exactly where your marketing efforts are succeeding is a major perk of marketing-automation software.

When you have automated marketing in place, aside from creating efficiencies, you can see all the data that comes from each effort. Your software lets you check each landing page, gated content and forms to determine which are converting well and generating more leads. Being able to easily decipher which pages of your site are performing best is a great way to inform your ad spend and digital-marketing strategy.

The beauty of automation is not merely in how it enables you and your teams.Its in the tech that comes with it. Automation, by definition, means you also get the latest digital integrations and analytics data, which can help boost your company and help you avoid wasting time and money.

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The Top 5 Perks of Marketing Automation - Entrepreneur