off introduction:

Industrial control systems (ICS) are systems, connected hardware devices and production controls used to automate industrial machinery and processes. They play a pivotal role in the digital manufacturing domain as they implement the large-scale fabrication process after prototype production and single-item production with 3D printing have run their course. These systems include programmable (logic) controllers (PLC), distributed control systems (DCS), supervisory control and data acquisition systems (SCADA). Control systems are implemented in many industrial sectors such as manufacturing, the chemical, electrical, pharmaceutical and oil / gas industries, power plants, logistics or food production. Control systems are essential to most critical infrastructures: energy and water networks, traffic control, postal service and telecommunication because they allow manufacturers to create the complete definition of a manufacturing process as they implement Digital Manufacturing in assembly sequencing and factory layout. Digital manufacturing enables companies to foster their productivity in both manufacturing planning and production processes – industrial control systems cover the production part and allow for real-time access to production data.