control platform for building services, which can also interface with supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems for monitoring and management. Engineers can use it to collect and act on data from environmental sensors, occupancy detectors and energy meters alongside their standard control logic. Process automation is a staple of modern production, but manufacturers should not stop here if they truly want to optimise their facilities. Energy, air quality and occupancy are just some of the parameters that should be tracked, and this data must be readily available in a meaningful format, not siloed. Using this information, manufacturers can implement solutions like dynamic controls to ensure spaces aren’t being lit, heated or ventilated unnecessarily. For further information please download Beckhoff’s white paper: https://www.beckhoff.com/media/downloa ds/information-media/beckhoff-industrybuilding-automation.pdf *Mark Richards is Sales Manager UK at automation specialist Beckhoff UK Focus on: HVAC Energy & Environmental Management maintenance activities occur outside of working hours and production can intensify and vary across departments and shifts. Nevertheless, many building systems are still operating on fixed schedules, meaning spaces are being heated, ventilated and lit regardless of who’s around and what’s happening in that area. This is where dynamic control becomes essential. Unlike static timers, which operate building systems based on fixed schedules regardless of actual conditions, dynamic systems respond in real time to changes in occupancy or environmental factors, making them far better suited to industrial settings. Air quality is a good example of why dynamic control is so important. If a rise in CO 2 or volatile organic compound (VOC) levels is detected in an occupied zone, such as the factory’s offices, automated ventilation can kick in immediately. Similarly, if the space is unused for several hours, lighting and airflow can scale down. These adjustments may seem small, but over time, they contribute to significant energy savings and better working conditions for those onsite. Beyond the production line In most industrial facilities, automation is focused on the line. Manufacturers invest in sophisticated systems to ensure their machines operate at peak efficiency, with smart diagnostics, predictive maintenance and dataled optimisation. However, it’s important to look beyond the factory floor and to the wider facility. Here, you’d be surprised how much lighting, HVAC and energy infrastructure still use basic, schedule-based controls, disconnected from the intelligent systems driving production. The most efficient, future-proof factories are those where process automation and building automation are treated as part of the same ecosystem, not as silos. By unifying control at the facility level, manufacturers can improve energy performance, reduce operational waste and create safer, more comfortable working environments. This isn’t about gathering more data — it’s about acting on it meaningfully. Using open, modular platforms, manufacturers can integrate building functions directly into their automation infrastructure. For example, Beckhoff’s TwinCAT suite of automation tools can transform almost any PC-based system into a powerful real-time Join us on Facebook Plant & Works Engineering Follow us on LinkedIn Plant & Works Engineering Follow us on Twitter @PWEmagazine1 For the latest news visit the PWE website www.pwemag.co.uk PWE Plant & Works Engineering
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