Digitalization in the Process Industry: How NOA and the Asset Administration Shell Are Redefining Efficiency, Safety, and Transparency

The process industry faces a unique challenge: plants often consist of decades-old systems equipped with numerous sensors and field devices. These devices generate valuable data, but in traditional automation systems, this information is often isolated and difficult to access. This is precisely where modern digitalization technologies such as the Asset Administration Shell and NOA come into play—solutions that not only simplify operations but also enhance safety and compliance across the plant.

NOA, short for NAMUR Open Architecture, is a system that securely transfers information from automation systems to external applications without affecting ongoing production. Its key feature: data is extracted from the plant without any feedback impact, ensuring that core automation remains stable. Sensor data, diagnostics, and maintenance information are thus available in real time and can be directly integrated into higher-level applications.

This is particularly advantageous when replacing devices in the plant. In many chemical facilities, sensors and devices operate for 20 to 30 years before being replaced. Previously, any manual replacement required changes to be documented on paper, recorded by service providers, and later transferred into plant management systems—a process that could take weeks or even months. With NOA, changes are detected automatically: serial numbers, device types, and models are identified, and the relevant data is immediately available for documentation and further processing.

This is where the Asset Administration Shell comes into play. It standardizes device information and provides it in a digital data model. As a result, certificates such as ATEX compliance or intrinsic safety verification can be retrieved and calculated automatically. This means plant operators can instantly obtain full proof of safe operation for a newly installed sensor—without time-consuming manual calculations or paper documentation.

The benefits are substantial:

• Time savings: Processes that once took weeks can now be completed in minutes.
• Error reduction: Automated data capture minimizes human error.
• Compliance: All necessary documentation and certificates are available at any time and can be accessed instantly during audits.
• Scalability: The standardized structure works for both small and large plant operators.

A practical example can be seen at the IDEA demonstration plant in Höchst. Six different control systems have been integrated here. When a sensor is replaced, its new identification data is read via NOA and transferred to the Asset Administration Shell. The digital shell for the new device is downloaded directly from the manufacturer. An application then calculates intrinsic safety verification within seconds using the latest Ex parameters from the shell—including cable parameters such as length and inductance. What once required manual paperwork and waiting times is now fully digital and traceable.

For maintenance and engineering teams, this means fewer manual steps, increased safety, and a reduced risk of documentation gaps—a critical factor in chemical and pharmaceutical plants where operating permits depend on complete documentation.

These technologies are highly flexible and can be implemented in both greenfield and brownfield plants. NOA supports interfaces such as OPC UA, while the Asset Administration Shell standardizes data regardless of manufacturer or device type. This also makes the technology attractive for smaller companies with limited IT resources.

Another advantage: the same structure used for intrinsic safety verification can also be applied to maintenance cases or other use cases. This creates a holistic approach, enabling consistent data availability from the field device level through documentation to engineering tools.

The combination of NOA and the Asset Administration Shell creates a digital infrastructure on which future developments can build—such as APL field devices or AI-based analytics tools. New devices can be seamlessly integrated, safety verifications are generated automatically, and the process industry moves one step closer to fully digital plants.

The integration of NOA technology and the Asset Administration Shell demonstrates how digitalization in the process industry can be implemented in a practical, efficient, and secure way. Automated data extraction, standardized data models, and intelligent interfaces save time, reduce errors, and improve compliance.

For plant operators, this means greater transparency, less effort, and safer plant operation—while making it easier to integrate innovations and new technologies. NOA and the Asset Administration Shell are therefore key enablers of digital transformation in the process industry, from small facilities to large chemical parks.