(1) Industrial automation industry definition and product classification

Industrial automation control technology is a use of control theory, instrumentation, computers and other information technology, the industrial production process to achieve detection, control, optimisation, scheduling, management and decision-making of a comprehensive high-tech, and industrial automation control system refers to the use of industrial automation control technology for industrial production process and its electromechanical equipment, process equipment for detection and control of industrial automation technology tools General term. As an important part of high-end equipment, industrial automation control system is the key to the development of advanced manufacturing technology, and an important foundation for the optimisation and upgrading of industrial structure.

Industrial automation control system contains a wide range of sub-products, usually can be functionally divided into control layer, drive layer and execution layer.

(2) The development of industrial automation industry

Since entering the 21st century, industrial automation control system has been widely used in machinery manufacturing, power electronics, information technology, artificial intelligence, communications and many other fields, and has become the main means to improve the safety of the production process, improve production efficiency and product quality, as well as reduce energy consumption. In recent years, the development of artificial intelligence, robotics, electronic information technology and other cutting-edge technologies has accelerated the integration of mechanical and electronic systems, and the intelligent, flexible and unmanned manufacturing industry has become a development trend.

Benefiting from the improvement of industrial automation technology, the global industrial automation industry has gained a broad space for development. According to the research data of Zion Market Research, the worldwide industrial automation market reached US$207.17 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach US$321.93 billion by 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of about 6.5%.

Industrial automation control products with high technology content, strong professionalism, wide range of applications, fierce competition in the industry, the industry after decades of development and survival of the fittest, has formed the world's most famous brands such as ABB, Siemens, Mitsubishi Motors, Anchor Electric, etc., which have high market awareness and a large customer base by virtue of their technologically advanced and fully functional products and years of marketing layout.

China's industrial automation industry, although a late start, but the development momentum is strong, and its development path is mostly in the introduction of complete sets of equipment and a variety of industrial automation systems at the same time as the secondary development and application; there are also some manufacturers through the introduction of foreign technology, and foreign joint ventures with the production of industrial automation control products, and gradually achieve the localisation of industrial control products.

After years of practice and accumulation, China's industrial automation in technology, industry and application have developed greatly, especially in recent years, with the continuous improvement of domestic enterprises to invest in research and development as well as the state has launched to encourage advanced manufacturing policies, China's industrial automation industry development has made significant progress, the domestic substitution process accelerated.

Industrial automation control products have a wide range of applications, almost all industrial areas, in the context of the transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing industry, China's traditional industrial technology transformation, factory automation and enterprise informatisation require a large number of industrial automation control systems, the market potential is huge. According to the data of China industrial control network, from 2015 to 2022, China's industrial automation market size continues to grow, the market size in 2022 has reached 264.2 billion yuan, and it is expected that the market size in 2025 will reach 322.5 billion yuan.

Although there is still a gap compared with international famous brands, domestic brands continue to narrow the gap with international famous brands in terms of product performance and technology level by virtue of quick response, cost, service and other localisation advantages. Manufacturing is China's economy to achieve innovation-driven, transformation and upgrading of the main battlefield, industrial automation as the hub of intelligent manufacturing, with long-term development prospects, will benefit from long-term industrial policy support.

In the future, domestic manufacturers will continue to strengthen their cost advantages and localised service advantages, and further promote import substitution through independent innovation to increase the market share of domestic brands of industrial automation products.