Polski
Pricier Controllers, Smarter Lines: Automation in September 2026
This September, the industrial automation market is showing two faces. On one hand, a global memory shortage is driving up prices and stretching delivery times for PLC controllers and inverters; on the other, giants like Siemens are proving that artificial intelligence in quality control is no longer an experiment but is already running at full production scale. We take a look at what both trends mean for companies buying and deploying automation equipment in Europe — because although the news comes from across the Atlantic, its effects will also be felt by Polish system integrators and maintenance teams.
01 · Supply Chains
Memory pricier than ever: PLCs and inverters stuck in the queue
According to an analysis published on September 8, 2026 by American Industrial Parts Group, contract prices for DRAM and NAND memory rose 80-90% in a single quarter [1]. The effects are being felt across the entire automation industry: lead times for key components — processors for PLC controllers, HMI panels, and inverters — from manufacturers such as Allen-Bradley, Siemens, ABB, and Schneider Electric are now reaching 40 weeks or more [1].
The situation is made worse by tariffs of 25 to 60% on imported automation equipment, compounded by manufacturers phasing out older models based on DDR3 and DDR4 memory en masse, further narrowing the range of products available on the market [1]. The report's authors advise plainly: it's worth securing a stock of proven, well-known processors and HMI panels now, before distributors' allocation queues get even longer [1]. For procurement departments, maintenance teams, and integrators, this is a clear signal to review critical inventory items — the issue concerns components without which it's hard to imagine a functioning production line. It's also worth keeping a close eye on manufacturers' announcements about phasing out older platforms — a last-minute replacement made in the middle of a breakdown could turn out to be far more expensive than a planned stock purchase today.
02 · Machine Vision & AI
When component shortages don't get in the way of investing in AI
While some are counting the weeks they'll wait for controllers, others are pressing ahead with AI deployments directly on production lines. In mid-September 2026, Siemens and Procter & Gamble announced the expansion of their Visual Inspection Cockpit (VIC) platform rollout to further manufacturing plants worldwide [2].
This AI-based edge vision system inspects products with variable, soft textures in real time — and at full production line speed [2]. The results of this deployment are measurable: a 10-20% reduction in defects and a new-product changeover time up to 5-10 times faster compared to traditional vision systems [2]. Inspection data is processed locally via Siemens Industrial Edge, and the system can automatically trigger the removal of a defective product from the line without operator involvement [2]. This is concrete, measurable proof that machine vision combined with artificial intelligence is no longer an extra for early adopters but is becoming a standard quality control tool in mass production — a benchmark that smaller players in the European market will sooner or later have to match.
Summary
Summary
This week in automation reveals two faces of the industry: rising costs and lengthening delivery times for control equipment on one hand, and increasingly bold, increasingly well-documented AI deployments that are genuinely improving production quality and speed on the other. Both threads — the supply of PLCs and inverters, and modern AI-supported visual inspection — will undoubtedly be a hot topic in the hallway conversations at Control & Drives Poland – Branżowe Targi Napędów i Sterowania. We invite you to visit the booths of automation manufacturers, component distributors, and vision system integrators to see firsthand how they're tackling these challenges and what solutions could help your production lines today.
Invitation
Wondering how to secure your supply of PLCs and inverters, or how to implement AI-based quality control? Visit Control & Drives Poland – Branżowe Targi Napędów i Sterowania and talk directly with automation manufacturers, component distributors, and vision system integrators. See live the solutions that can help your company reduce downtime risk and improve production quality.
Control & Drives Poland 2026Footnotes
[1] American Industrial Parts Group (AIPG) — https://americanindustrialpartsgroup.com/blogs/news/industrial-automation-news-september-2026[2] AIwire (HPCwire) — https://www.hpcwire.com/aiwire/2026/09/18/siemens-and-procter-gamble-roll-out-ai-based-quality-inspection-worldwide/