Look for the Red Hat

ABB gets a foothold in the process automation sphere

ABB and Red Hat, a company that develops open hybrid cloud technology, have announced an extended collaboration to develop automation systems for industrial IT, designed to enable more secure and modular deployment of control applications for process industries.

The collaboration builds on ABB’s automation acumen and Red Hat’s enterprise open source platforms, combining industrial innovation and digital capabilities – including data analytics and artificial intelligence – to help pave the way towards autonomous operations.

ABB’s process automation system architecture consists of two interconnected yet distinct environments: a robust and secure control environment that helps ensure stable, real-time management of critical processes, and a digital environment designed for flexible and scalable introduction of digital solutions.

Previously, ABB and Red Hat collaborated on the digital environment infrastructure for a more rapid scalable deployment of advanced analytics, artificial intelligence and cloud-based applications, without disrupting core control operations. Now, the two companies are expanding their collaboration to include the control environment, delivering enhanced operational consistency and stability to meet the most demanding security and process requirements.

Built on Red Hat platforms such as Red Hat Device Edge and Red Hat OpenShift, this dual approach expects to help customers "introduce innovations incrementally," ABB said in a press release, "also protecting operational integrity and existing investments while maintaining high levels of cybersecurity."

“Ongoing industry collaboration is essential to shaping the future of automation. Together with Red Hat, we’re advancing modular, scalable solutions that align with global frameworks and deliver long-term value to customers across process industries,” said Stefan Basenach, Senior Vice President, Process Automation Technology, ABB. “The dual-layered architecture, built on open source platforms, creates a robust foundation for the industry to progress towards autonomous operations. We look forward to building on this momentum together as we continue to drive open, resilient and secure automation that supports industry both now and in the future.”

“This extended collaboration with ABB marks a significant milestone for the industry at large, as we empower manufacturers with the tools and solutions they need to transform to better meet the demands of today’s increasingly complex industrial landscape,” said Francis Chow, vice president and general manager, Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System and Edge, Red Hat. “Red Hat platforms, including Red Hat Device Edge and Red Hat OpenShift, provide a durable and consistent foundation for process automation and industrial controls, helping to address the strict security and uptime requirements of industrial use cases. We look forward to continuing our work with ABB to deliver modern automation powered by open source technologies.”