SEW is driving the software-defined factory forward
With a clear vision for the future of industry and a concrete product innovation, SEW-Eurodrive reinforced its digital strategy at Interpack 2026. The focus of the press conference at the end of the first day of the trade fair was the new “Orchestration Suite” – a cloud-based platform for managing and orchestrating OT software.
However, the presentation of the tool was only part of the message: SEW is positioning itself as a driver of the “software-defined factory” and sees digitalization as the key lever for productivity, resilience, and competitiveness.
Digitalization as the key to the industrial future
At the outset, it was made clear why digitalization is now much more than just a buzzword. According to the argument, it is the central response to four global megatrends: deglobalization, demographic change, decarbonization, and digitalization itself. In particular, the increasing shortage of skilled workers is forcing industry to automate processes, make them more transparent, and improve efficiency.
SEW emphasizes a perspective that deliberately goes beyond traditional Industry 4.0 concepts. Although the industry has made significant progress in modularization and flexibility in recent years, true end-to-end digitalization has still not been achieved in many areas. The lack of transparency regarding data, inventories, or processes has proven to be a weakness, especially during recent supply chain crises.
The next stage of development is therefore the “software-defined factory”: an environment in which software, data, and IT services take center stage, rather than traditional hardware-driven automation.
IT meets OT – and creates new challenges
A central topic of the presentation was the increasing convergence of IT and OT. While classical automation technology is designed for real-time capability and deterministic processes, the IT world focuses on data processing, scalability, and security. These differing requirements often lead to friction in practice.
However, as data volumes grow, the focus is increasingly shifting toward IT. As a result, factories are evolving from rigid automation pyramids into flexible, layered architectures, in which OT continues to handle real-time processes, while IT systems take over central data and software functions.
Orchestration Suite as a building block for digital integration
Against this background, SEW presented the Orchestration Suite as a key technology. The web-based platform is designed to significantly simplify the management, distribution, and updating of software in heterogeneous automation environments.
At its core, the solution addresses three major challenges:
- Harmonization of data: transparency of conditions and processes on the shopfloor
- Virtualization: decoupling software from proprietary hardware
- Orchestration: efficient management of distributed systems
A particularly relevant aspect is the multi-vendor approach: the platform is deliberately not limited to SEW components, but enables the integration of different manufacturers—an essential factor in real production environments.
The objective is clear: fewer on-site interventions, higher system availability, and significantly simplified management of complex systems.
End-to-end software processes
The Orchestration Suite covers the entire lifecycle of industrial software—from development and commissioning to operation. For machine builders, it provides a collaborative development platform on which teams worldwide can jointly create, manage, and deploy code.
For operators, the focus is on operational reliability and transparency. They gain centralized access to all systems, including version management, updates, and backup functions. Changes to code can be tracked seamlessly—an important step toward greater resilience and compliance.
The platform is particularly strong in existing factories with evolved structures: it is designed to support both traditional automation concepts and future software-defined architectures.
Partnership with Software Defined Automation
The technological foundation of the solution is a collaboration with Software Defined Automation (SDA). Its platform enables even large and heterogeneous installations with thousands of controllers to be centrally managed.
A key advantage lies in scalability: the infrastructure is designed to handle large volumes of data and numerous systems simultaneously. At the same time, the approach emphasizes ease of integration—machines can be connected with comparatively little effort.
Practical examples demonstrate the potential: in one application, updating control software across several hundred automated guided vehicles was reduced from several weeks to just a few minutes.
Artificial intelligence as a “super tool”
Another focus of the press conference was the use of artificial intelligence. SEW does not view AI as a cure-all, but as a tool for processing large amounts of data.
Similar to an electric screwdriver, AI primarily increases efficiency and speed—for example, in analyzing process data or generating and documenting code. However, a clean data foundation is essential: without structured and accessible data, AI cannot realize its full potential.
SEW is therefore pursuing a step-by-step approach. Automated interventions in production processes are carried out only in a controlled manner and with approval, in order to minimize risks.
Cloud usage and security in transition
There is also a shift in industry when it comes to cloud usage. While many companies were previously hesitant, there is growing recognition that cloud infrastructures often offer a higher level of security than local solutions.
At the same time, regulatory requirements—particularly in the areas of cybersecurity and documentation—are driving digitalization forward. Tools such as the Orchestration Suite can help meet compliance requirements, for example through seamless tracking of changes and standardized security mechanisms.
Demographics as an underestimated driver
One aspect ran like a common thread through the event: the shortage of skilled workers. In many industrial companies, knowledge is still tied to individual employees. When they leave, there is a risk of losing expertise that can jeopardize production processes.
Digital platforms are expected to systematically capture and make this knowledge available in the future. SEW anticipates that this factor will become one of the most important drivers for investment in digital solutions.
Conclusion
With the Orchestration Suite, SEW is not only presenting a new product, but also formulating a clear vision for the future of industry. The combination of software-oriented automation, end-to-end data integration, and AI-supported processes is intended to pave the way to the fully digital factory.
Interpack 2026 thus clearly demonstrates that the next stage of automation is less hardware-driven—and increasingly a matter of intelligent software.
