Processing's Weekly Mixer: How visual intelligence is reshaping chemical operations, and more

A look at recent coverage of the process industries from across EndeavorB2B brands.

April 3, 2026

7 min read

69cc164a373075bc0cbd6a36 Weekly Opener 4326

Welcome to the latest installment of Processing's Weekly Mixer, which highlights recent content from EndeavorB2B brands relevant to process manufacturers.

This week's entry features content from Automation World, Pharma Manufacturing, Control Design, Plant Services and IndustryWeek, as well as this week's content from Processing.

How visual intelligence is reshaping chemical operations

From Automation World: Visual intelligence combines real-time dashboards with AI-powered insights to help operations teams turn fragmented data into faster, safer decisions.

eschbach founder and CEO Andreas Eschbach writes.

Here’s a common chemical plant scenario: A night shift operator notices unusual vibration in compressor 3B. It's nothing that trips an alarm but it’s noticeable enough to mention in the shift log.

The day shift supervisor scans these handwritten notes during morning rounds but doesn't flag it for immediate action. Two weeks later, the compressor fails during peak production, triggering an unplanned shutdown that costs the plant in lost production and emergency repairs.

This wasn't a failure of diligence or expertise. It was a failure of visibility.

Chemical plants run on continuous processes managed by sophisticated control systems: distributed control systems (DCS), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and historians that capture thousands of process variables every second. Critical information that often matters most, such as a subtle observation or a recurring anomaly or the context that explains why a deviation happened is often contained in shift notes, maintenance logs and verbal handovers.

When that knowledge stays trapped in silos, even the most capable teams are flying blind.

Amid all the ongoing discussions about industrial data, it’s clear that what industry needs most is visual intelligence powered by an intelligent operations platform (IOP) that unifies operational data, contextual insights and human observations into a single, intuitive view. By connecting roles, shifts, and systems, an IOP ensures that critical signals are never lost and decisions are made with full visibility.

Thermo Fisher continues to invest in pharma services capabilities in 2026

From Pharma Manufacturing: The company is strengthening development and manufacturing offerings, says Anil Kane, global head of technical and scientific affairs for Thermo Fisher’s pharma services.

Greg Slabodkin writes:

Thermo Fisher Scientific is making targeted 2026 investments in capacity, integrated development and manufacturing, and digital enablement to ensure customers of its pharma services reap the benefits of a global network with local access.

The company’s global network includes over 60 pharma services sites across 24 countries employing a workforce of more than 2,700 scientists and engineers. Pharma services is a high-single-digit growth business for Thermo Fisher, which contends it is making progress with its investment strategy to better support customers.

“We continue to invest in our capability and capacity expansion with the aim of strengthening development and manufacturing services to support our customers,” said Anil Kane, global head of technical and scientific affairs for Thermo Fisher’s pharma services.

Podcast: Drive technology — servo motors, inverters and more

From Control Design: In the most recent episode of the Control Intelligence podcast, editor in chief Mike Bacidore speaks with Mark Arisman, manager of business development for control products at Nord Drivesystems, about Nord's advancements in drive technology and the digital twin.

Listen to the episode below.

How to use OEE and TEEP to calculate plant losses

From Plant Services: Understanding these metrics is essential for identifying improvement opportunities and maximizing the potential of manufacturing assets.

ReliabilityX COO Joe Anderson writes:

Two metrics that help plant teams measure and improve the equipment performance are Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and Total Effective Equipment Performance (TEEP). While both provide valuable insights into equipment performance and capacity utilization, they differ in focus and application.

Edge AI in predictive maintenance: A look at workflows, challenges and outcomes

From IndustryWeek: Algorithms analyze vibration patterns, temperature anomalies and pressure fluctuation locally, triggering alerts before damage escalates.

Bhanu Handa of Dell Technologies writes:

As edge AI becomes more sophisticated, predictive maintenance will evolve into prescriptive maintenance—systems will not only predict failures but also recommend and automate optimal interventions based on real-time conditions and supply chain dynamics. For CIOs, investing in resilient edge architectures and private 5G partnerships will be critical to unlocking agile, self-optimizing operations and maintaining a competitive edge in the era of smart manufacturing.

Edge AI is more than a technological trend. It’s a strategic imperative for predictive maintenance and long-term operational resilience. Organizations that start with focused pilots on critical assets, then scale with robust governance, are best positioned to unlock transformative value by reducing downtime, optimizing costs and future-proofing their operations.