MDN TEC MODEL
Industrial Automation
The new strategic axis for a safer, more efficient, and connected industry.
Industrial automation is undergoing a profound transformation. It is no longer limited to control and supervision tasks: it has become the axis that articulates operational efficiency, safety, continuity, and digital transformation.
In industrial sectors such as energy, food, mining, oil, pharmaceuticals, and advanced manufacturing, the demand for more integrated, regulatory, and connected systems is steadily growing.
Industrial companies are redefining their plants based on more flexible, virtualized architectures prepared to interoperate with MES, ERP, SCADA systems, and real-time analytics platforms.
Standards such as IEC 61131-3, ISA 95, IEC 61511, and IEC 62443 are no longer just technical references: they have become the new common language of an industry seeking to scale its performance without compromising safety or traceability.
A comprehensive vision: control, safety, digitalization, and analytics.
One of the most relevant changes is the systemic approach. A control system is no longer conceived in isolation, but as part of an integral architecture that must include multiple layers and functional levels:
Control industrial:
The core remains the automation system, made up of PLCs, DCS, and RTUs, operating under principles defined by IEC 61131-3, and increasingly deployed on virtualized environments. These platforms enable redundancy, scalability, and remote operation.
Supervisi�n mediante SCADA:
Modern SCADA systems no longer just visualize variables; they integrate historization, normalized alarms, secure remote access, and connectivity with MES or BI platforms. Their evolution occurs in virtual or hybrid environments, with high-performance graphical interfaces according to ISA 101.
Seguridad funcional:
Standards such as IEC 61511 and IEC 61508 require a risk-based approach (HAZOP, LOPA), SIL level verification and documented maintenance. Emergency shutdown systems (ESD), fire and gas (F&G), and safety process control are no longer designed separately, but as part of an integrated whole.
Ciberseguridad OT:
With frameworks such as IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82, practices such as zoning, access control, industrial firewalls, threat detection (IDS/IPS), and defense in depth from the engineering phase are incorporated. This protection extends to networks, devices, software, and users.
Digitalizaci�n y an�lisis de datos:
Platforms such as Power BI, Grafana, or industrial visualization systems allow the creation of dashboards, calculation of key indicators (OEE, energy consumption, line performance) and enable predictive maintenance, thanks to data coming from the automation system in real time.
Sistemas MES:
The use of Manufacturing Execution Systems, according to ISA 95, allows connecting plant control with corporate management (ERP), digitalizing orders, traceability, quality, maintenance, and efficiency. Vertical integration is essential to achieve a single reliable version of operational reality.
Technological migration as a continuity strategy
Many industries still operate with legacy systems: unsupported controllers, proprietary SCADA, fragile networks, and outdated documentation. In this context, technological migration is not optional, it is strategic.
Current approaches prioritize modular migrations, FAT/SAT testing, early simulation, and hot commissioning, without affecting productive operation.
In addition, the modernization of SCADA platforms involves moving from closed architectures to virtualized environments, with greater availability, centralized backup, and secure access from multiple locations.
This is especially valuable in plants with multiple lines, distributed operations, or contexts that require high availability and rapid recovery from failures.
Hybrid architectures: from edge to cloud
This approach enables flexibility, scalability, and service continuity, while complying with standards such as ISA 99 / IEC 62443, which ensure secure segmentation and protection of critical assets in OT environments.
New industrial automation architectures adopt a hybrid approach:
- Edge computing: local processing on industrial devices that execute logic, analysis, or visualization without relying on continuous connectivity to the data center.
- Industrial cloud: integration with private or public platforms for advanced analytics, remote maintenance, artificial intelligence, or mass storage.
- Virtualization: consolidation of multiple systems (SCADA, MES, historian) on a single managed platform, reducing infrastructure and increasing resilience.
Towards business-oriented automation.
What differentiates current automation is not just its technological level, but its ability to generate tangible impact on business results.
Process control, real-time data capture, vertical integration, traceability, and security are no longer technical attributes: they are strategic enablers.
- Complete traceability of processes and products
- Reduction of unplanned downtime and catastrophic failures
- Reduction of paper use and human errors in production
- Improvement of OEE and energy efficiency
- Regulatory compliance with real-time auditable evidence
- Faster operational and business decision-making
Conclusion: automation as a platform for resilience and growth.
Industrial automation is no longer a technical layer. Today it is a platform on which operational efficiency, functional safety, cyber protection, sustainability, and digital transformation are built.
In an industry that must be increasingly agile, traceable, and safe, the adoption of standardized, virtualized, and connected technologies is the natural path. And those who understand this in time with technical, regulatory, and strategic vision will be better positioned to lead the change.
At MDNTEC we provide comprehensive solutions to accompany this evolution.