As process and discrete manufacturers implement enhanced digitalisation, they encounter challenges at the edge due to multi-vendor and multi-technology devices, apps and orchestration environments that do not easily integrate. The Margo initiative is said to address these challenges through the creation of practical reference implementation, open standards and testing toolkits.
According to Emerson, this approach will help remove obstacles and simplify the process of building, deploying, scaling and operating complex, multi-vendor industrial edge environments, helping manufacturers of all sizes build new and better digital operations or modernise existing ones.
“The modern OT edge is the backbone of our next-generation automation architecture, enabling the availability of data and computing closest to where it is needed,” said Peter Zornio, Emerson's chief technology officer. “Successful implementation will require open edge standards that will enable scalable, simplified and seamless interoperability among applications, edge devices and orchestration software – no matter the vendor technology.
“Emerson is pleased to join the Margo initiative to help create a unified and cohesive edge management ecosystem. Our collective progress will make it easier, faster and less costly for our customers to develop digital transformation programs that realize the full potential of AI, machine learning and analytics at the edge.”
Margo is supported by automation providers globally. Emerson joins Margo as a steering member along with industry peers to develop open and secure edge interoperability standards for industrial automation ecosystems.