Asia Pacific Safety I/O Modules Market

APAC Safety I/O Modules Market Analysis

The Asia Pacific Safety I/O Modules Market is expected to register a CAGR of 3.97% during the forecast period.

• The importance of safety IO modules arose from the immediate need for efficient and reliable infrastructure in hazardous environments. These modules decrease the installation time and expense, as they are an integral part of the IO control system, which decreases the need for third-party relays and mapping equipment.
• The increasing demand for safety IO modules is a direct consequence of the number of hazardous areas. The rising frequency of accidents in these hazardous areas has led to the establishment of industrial regulatory standards, which drove the demand for safety infrastructure, thereby steering the market growth.
• Asia-Pacific is expected to emerge as a manufacturing hub for various products. Japan is a significant exporter of automobiles, electronics, semiconductors, and India and China, with their robust production sector. Thus, the region is expected to shift to Industry 4.0 and automation robustly.
• The recent trends include smaller PLCs being introduced in the micro and nano classes, providing features previously found only in the larger systems. In response to market demands, many functions and features are now offered by lower-end PLCs. Small PLCs are expected to evolve to include many of the features associated with higher-level PLCs. These factors are anticipated to propel the growth of safety IO modules.
• Further, the growing demand for distributed I/O is increasing the market. Distributed input/output modules create distributed control systems for technological objects and expand PLC functionality by increasing the number of I/O signals in the region.

APAC Safety I/O Modules Market Trends

Automotive is Expected to Hold Significant Market Share

• The region is also one of the largest automotive markets globally and is home to around 11 major auto manufacturers. Moreover, the industry in the region is experiencing a paradigm shift with the increasing integration of technology. PLC has been adopted at the manufacturing stage to handle the ever-growing demands of the automotive industry. It was initially used as a relay replacement equipment in the automotive industry. This is expected to result in higher demand for automobiles, pushing companies to increase their manufacturing capabilities and establish plants.
• The automotive industry is experiencing a paradigm shift with increasing technology integration. Autonomous car technology is rapidly advancing, with companies investing heavily in this technology. The demand for electric cars is also growing, introducing affordable electric vehicles. This is expected to result in higher demand for automobiles, pushing companies to up their manufacturing capabilities and establish plants.
• Further, many automotive manufacturers are either establishing new manufacturing infrastructure or moving the processes in automotive manufacturing, from manual labor to robotic machinery. Thus, with the increase in the number of industrial robots and automation, there is a need for interfacing these systems with centralized controllers. The automotive industry is thus deploying IO modules for monitoring, data collecting, and controlling these systems.
• Automotive manufacturers across the region understand that the next generation of robotics and automation technologies is a revolutionary opportunity to upgrade automotive manufacturing in terms of productivity, quality, safety, and cost metrics. Moreover, increased yearly robotic automation expenditure is projected to impact the demand for robot automation systems positively.
• Further, Safety IO models offer increased reliability and safety without compromising operational efficiency, so the industry is moving towards safety IO systems. Thus, the automotive industry is expected to be the fastest-growing market for safety IO modules during the forecast period.

China Accounts For the Largest Market Share

• With the increasing modernization of vehicles, the demand for Safety I/O Modules is gaining an upsurge, particularly in applications like airbags and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) solutions. ADAS systems use electronic technology, such as microcontroller units (MCU), electronic control units (ECU), and power semiconductor devices that help the vehicle driver drive or during parking.
• Singulato, an emerging Chinese automaker, indicates that conventional automotive design is highly different. When it comes to intelligent driving capabilities, separate data cannot be combined for multi-scenario applications. The company has a set of sensors, and another automated parking company also uses different sensors from others. Singulato further adopts an integrated design initially, using the same sensors to implement more than a dozen ADAS functions.
• Furthermore, such a design makes subsequent OTA (over-the-air) updates easier. With the advent adoption of integration by the company in the ADAS platform, the demand for microcontrollers is expected to increase.
• Moreover, healthcare device and pharmaceutical companies in the country are also making strategic expansions to maximize their revenue by increasing production. The formation of the “Advanced Manufacturing Partnership” is an initiative undertaken to make the industry, and the federal government, invest in upcoming technologies. This has helped the country gain a competitive edge in the global economy. The National Network for Manufacturing Innovation comprises developing regional hubs, which are likely to develop advanced manufacturing technologies for making innovative products that are likely to be implemented in the sector over the forecast period.
• Further, Safety IO models offer increased reliability and safety without compromising operational efficiency, so the industry is moving towards safety IO systems. Thus, the automotive industry is expected to be the fastest-growing market in the country for safety IO modules during the forecast period.

APAC Safety I/O Modules Industry Overview

The safety IO modules market is consolidated due to a few significant players having a considerable market share. Key players include ABB Ltd., Siemens AG, Rockwell Automation Inc., Schneider Electric, Honeywell International Inc., Advantech Co.Ltd.l, Parmley Graham Ltd., Lumberg Automation, among others. Some of the recent developments are:

• September 2021 - Schneider Electric has an EcoStruxure Foxboro DCS Input / Output (I / O) sub, including the 2022 Edge I / O launch, as the 100 Series Fieldbus Modules (FBMs) still make up a significant proportion of the installation base. As Schneider Electric shifts its customers to 200-series priority products, the continued support of the 100-series will gradually diminish.
• August 2021 - NewTek has announced the NewTek NC2 Studio Input/Output Module, delivering connectivity solutions for media production professionals and broadcasters alike. Supporting 12G-SDI and 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections, the NC2 Studio I/O Module breaks down barriers to visual storytelling by uniting traditional SDI equipment and infrastructure with the flexibility of IP networks. The NC2 Studio I/O Module offers up to 8 channels of dynamic I/O, including media file playback and recording in a 1 RU chassis - all underpinned by its connectivity with the revolutionary NDI 5.

APAC Safety I/O Modules Market Leaders

APAC Safety I/O Modules Market News

• October 2021 - Sfera Labs announced the "first" industrial programmable I / O module based on the new Raspberry Pi microcontroller. The Iono RP is a compact programmable I / O module that combines the ease of use of the Raspberry Pi with a wide selection of digital and analog I / O interfaces. The Iono RP incorporates the RP2040, the first high-performance microcontroller chip designed by the Raspberry Pi for industrial and enthusiast markets.
• July 2020 - Rockwell Automation has launched the new Allen-Bradley 1718 Ex I/O modules to connect to devices in hazardous areas. The safe distributed I/O modules provide EtherNet/IP connectivity to field devices in Zone 0 and Zone 1 hazardous areas.