Industrial automation teams aren’t short on technology. What they’re short on is margin for error.

OEMs and system integrators are asked to deliver systems that work across more environments, integrate with more platforms, and remain supportable long after installation. New equipment is introduced alongside controls that have been running for years. Each project brings its own requirements. Protocols, networks, and security expectations add layers that didn’t exist even just a few years ago.

Success in 2026 is less about adding capability and more about managing complexity. Industrial automation decisions are shaped by how well systems fit together, how repeatable they are across deployments, and how reliably they can be supported.

The five shifts that follow highlight how industrial automation expectations are changing and what system integration teams can do differently in response.

Industrial Automation Trends Driving Design and Integration Decisions

Across industrial automation headlines, the same themes keep surfacing:

• Integration challenges.
• Legacy systems that aren’t going anywhere.
• Growing pressure to standardize, secure, and scale solutions without adding complexity.

What matters in 2026 is which integration architectures and gateway-based approaches are sustainable as deployments evolve and requirements change.

Trend 1: Integration is addressed earlier and more deliberately in system design.

Integration has always been part of industrial automation design. What’s changing is how early and intentionally it’s being addressed. As systems become more interconnected and environments more varied, integration considerations are moving from an assumed background task to an explicit part of system architecture planning.

For OEMs and system integrators, this reflects experience in the field. Integration challenges that surface late in a project often lead to rework, custom fixes, and added risk during commissioning. Addressing integration earlier helps teams design systems that are easier to deploy, adapt, and support.

Rather than treating connectivity as something to resolve after controls are in place, teams are increasingly factoring protocol requirements, data flows, and network boundaries into design decisions at the outset.

How this affects system design

System architectures are being defined with clear integration points and responsibilities. Instead of embedding protocol handling or custom interfaces directly into controllers, many teams are choosing to separate connectivity from control logic for a more deliberate system architecture.

Integrating MSA FieldServer gateways into system designs allows protocol translation and connectivity to be handled at well-defined boundaries. This simplifies control logic and helps ensure consistency across multiple deployments.

Integration-readiness checklist

• Are integration requirements explicitly addressed during system architecture and design?
• Are protocol and data exchange needs defined before control logic is finalized?
• Is connectivity and protocol translation handled outside of controllers rather than embedded in custom code?
• Are network boundaries and segmentation considered in the initial design?
• Can the same integration approach be reused across multiple projects without redesign?

Trend 2: Legacy systems are being included in long-term automation strategies.

Legacy systems have always been part of industrial environments. What’s changing is how deliberately they’re being accounted for in new designs. Rather than treating legacy equipment as a temporary constraint, OEMs and system integrators are planning for it as a long-term reality.

This reflects operational truth. Many existing systems are stable, validated, and deeply embedded in production processes. Replacing them outright often introduces unnecessary risk and expense. As a result, modernization efforts are increasingly focused on enabling legacy systems to coexist with newer platforms.

Instead of asking how quickly legacy systems can be replaced, teams are asking how effectively they can be connected, supported, and extended.

How this affects system design

System architectures are being built to accommodate both existing and new equipment without forcing changes to proven control logic. Connectivity and visibility are layered around legacy systems rather than embedded within them. MSA FieldServer gateways are used to bridge older protocols and interfaces to modern applications, allowing legacy systems to remain in service while participating in broader automation and data strategies.

Integration-readiness checklist

• Are existing systems expected to remain in operation long term?
• Can legacy protocols be supported without modifying control logic?
• Is modernization achieved through connectivity rather than replacement?
• Are legacy systems isolated appropriately while still accessible?
• Can the same approach be applied across multiple sites with similar legacy assets?

Trend 3: Protocol diversity is treated as a design condition rather than an exception.

Industrial automation has never been protocol-uniform. What’s changing is the expectation that systems must handle protocol diversity cleanly and consistently across deployments.

OEMs and system integrators are working in environments that combine EtherNet/IP, OPC UA, Modbus, BACnet, SNMP, proprietary protocols, and newer standards. Instead of engineering custom interfaces for each combination, teams are planning for protocol diversity as a design requirement.

This shift reduces friction during deployment and makes solutions easier to adapt as customer environments vary.

How this affects system design

Protocol handling is being externalized from controllers and applications. Rather than embedding translation logic into control code, teams are using dedicated infrastructure to manage protocol differences.

For Modbus-based equipment, solutions such as the FieldServer Modbus IoT Gateway support this approach by enabling secure data exchange between Modbus devices and higher-level systems without modifying existing controls.

MSA FieldServer gateways manage protocol translation externally, allowing control logic to remain focused on process behavior while connectivity is handled separately.

Integration-readiness checklist

• Are all required protocols identified early in the design process?
• Is protocol translation handled outside of controllers?
• Can protocol support be updated without touching control logic?
• Does the architecture avoid custom, one-off interfaces?
• Can the same protocol strategy be reused across customers?

Trend 4: Security expectations are shaping automation architecture decisions.

Security has long been a major consideration in industrial automation. What’s changed is how early and explicitly it’s being addressed in system design.

As automation systems connect to enterprise networks, remote access tools, and analytics platforms, customers increasingly expect clear network boundaries, controlled access, and predictable data flows.

OEMs and system integrators are responding by designing architectures that make security easier to implement and maintain.

How this affects system design

Automation systems are being designed with defined connection points rather than exposing controllers directly to broader networks. Connectivity is structured so access can be controlled and segmented. MSA FieldServer gateways are used as controlled interfaces between automation systems and external networks, reducing the need to expose control devices directly.

Integration-readiness checklist

• Are network boundaries clearly defined in the system architecture?
• Is access to control systems limited to necessary interfaces only?
• Can connectivity be segmented without redesigning controls?
• Is security addressed during design rather than after deployment?
• Can security requirements be met consistently across projects?

Trend 5: Repeatable integration solutions are replacing one-off fixes.

Custom integrations have always existed in industrial automation. What’s changing is how sustainable those approaches are proving to be.

OEMs and system integrators are under pressure to deliver systems that can be deployed across multiple customer environments without starting from scratch each time. One-off integrations increase engineering effort, complicate support, and make long-term maintenance harder.

As a result, repeatability is becoming as important as flexibility in automation design.

How this affects system design

Integration patterns are being standardized wherever possible. MSA FieldServer gateways support repeatable connectivity approaches that can be adapted across customers and sites without redesigning core control logic.

Integration-readiness checklist

• Can the integration approach be reused across multiple deployments?
• Does the design minimize customer-specific customization?
• Can changes be made without reengineering the entire system?
• Is the integration approach documented and supportable long term?
• Does the architecture scale as customer requirements evolve?

Do’s and Don’ts for Industrial Automation in 2026

As these shifts take hold, a few practical patterns are becoming clear. Some approaches make it easier to design, deploy, and support systems. Others tend to create friction as environments evolve.

DO

• Design integration as part of system architecture, not as a final step.
• Plan for legacy systems to remain in service longer than expected.
• Treat protocol diversity as a normal design condition.
• Separate connectivity concerns from core control logic.
• Build security considerations into system design early.
• Favor repeatable integration approaches that can be reused across projects.

DON’T

• Assume integration issues can be resolved late without impact.
• Force full system replacement when incremental modernization will work.
• Rely on custom, one-off interfaces that are hard to support.
• Embed protocol handling deep inside control logic.
• Expose control systems directly to broader networks.
• Optimize for a single deployment at the expense of long-term support.

What This Means for Industrial Automation Teams

These shifts point to a broader change in how industrial automation success is measured. It’s less about whether systems can be connected and more about whether the chosen architecture continues to work as deployments evolve and requirements change.

For OEMs and system integrators, that means making deliberate design decisions early, planning for variability, and choosing integration approaches that support long-term flexibility rather than short-term convenience.

If you’re evaluating how your industrial automation systems can better support evolving requirements without adding unnecessary complexity, contact us to start a conversation about integration approaches designed to hold up.