This article is sponsored by Turck USA. In this Voices interview, Design World interviewed Aurelio Banda, President and CEO, Turck USA on how connectivity, smart devices, and data-driven decision-making are transforming industry.
Design World: What inspired you to focus on automation as a career. How did you prepare for it?
Aurelio Banda: My interest in automation was sparked by the transformative capabilities of the technology. I found that electrical and mechanical engineering were key to the success of a lot of companies. To prepare for my career in this space, I focused on control systems, robotics, and general industrial automation. The vision back then was streamlining processes, reducing downtime, and improving productivity. That focus still holds true today. And so I really feel a true alignment between the early days of my career and what I do today.
What are the most significant developments in the automation space over the past decade?
Connectivity and data-driven decision-making have had a transformative effect across a lot of industrial processes, improving process efficiency and manufacturing flow. Industrial Ethernet, for example, plays a key role supporting frameworks found in the modern smart factory such as the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). And the influence of connectivity extends beyond factory walls. Cloud-based systems have revolutionized how automation systems exchange data, not just in the production environment, but also across the organization, because the shared data delivers meaningful insights and supports real-time decision making. That has had by far the biggest effect on industry, and the pandemic has just supercharged that trend over the past five years.
You’ve been at the helm of Turck for over a year now. Given that experience, what do you see as the biggest challenges for OEM/machine builders and end-users of automation?
Delivering on customer demand in the face of rapid changes in the marketplace has become increasingly challenging. I think that holds both for OEMs and for end-users. Customized solutions are becoming more of the norm. End-users need them to serve their customers, and OEMs need them to support end-users. The demand for flexible, scalable OEM offerings is becoming ever more top of mind.
What do you think companies should do to overcome those challenges?
That’s where Turck comes in. We have a comprehensive technology portfolio ranging from sensors to distributed I/O to connectivity solutions. Especially with of our cloud offerings, we can help alleviate some of these pain points for our end customers. These systems support greater flexibility in automated equipment, faster integration times, and improved data transparency. Most of all, these solutions help simplify machine design and manufacturing, because the complexity can still be very daunting at times.
Again, these are key points, but OEMs and end-users also don’t want to lose sight of what really put them in a difficult spot during the pandemic, in terms of labor shortages.
How can automation be used to address labor shortfalls and skills gaps?
Automation can take over repetitive or risky steps, freeing operators for tasks requiring more skill. Automation can increase production and quality for better overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). Products enabled with AI can even perform some real-time decision-making without human intervention. But automation systems can also be designed to be very user-friendly. The ramp-up time with new operators can be really challenging. OEMs can create an end product or system or process that allows someone new to ramp up quickly, with minimal specialized knowledge needed. Our goal here at Turck is to simplify a lot of the machine operator and system integration that’s required. If we make it easier for companies to adopt automation in this way, it lets them think differently about their workforces, hiring less skilled individuals who can evolve into their roles, supported by automation.
How can connectivity help OEMs build better machines faster? How can these technologies boost OEE for end-users?
Connectivity delivers more effective communication between devices on the factory floor, which leads to faster and more reliable machine operation. Then, if you’re a machine designer, you can develop a framework with a strong foundational platform that you can build off of using connectivity and fieldbuses to stack up solutions faster and more efficiently. You can make a machine smarter, more adaptable, and more capable to perform some of these highly complex processes.
The level of connectivity that is happening right now is also simplifying integration. Because, as you start to add more intelligence or make data transfer easier, it has to be done in a very consistent and reliable way, but also in a simple way in order to make troubleshooting faster and easier. If we can design an automation solution to more quickly identify the cause of a fault, that improves our OEE.
All of this brings us back to the point of fieldbus products and connectivity being the building blocks needed to make both OEMs and end-users really effective in their environments.
There has been much talk over the past decade about Industry 4.0 – smart, connected facilities, a focus on digitalization, etc. Adoption has lagged predictions, however. Turck’s technology portfolio and customer base give you an insider perspective. What are you seeing now?
The classic OEM model of designing a platform and leveraging it across multiple production series is economically sound, but remember, we’re dealing with a lot of changes in market demand. Machine builders are really having to think about how to design smart equipment with the ability to modify or do changeovers at a faster rate, because end-users want to be able to quickly adapt to changing demand from their customers.
If we think about an OEM embracing this new design approach, what they really want to do is develop a long-term competitive advantage. How can they design a platform that will let them build and grow and create customer value for whatever end product is being manufactured? They need a machine design with a scalable architecture able to address future demands, and this means sensors and intelligence and connectivity.
At Turck, we’ve noticed a lot of customers embracing these technologies. Many of them are still in the early stages of this transition. The important thing is that OEMs and their customers are already reaping some significant benefits in terms of efficiency and predictive maintenance, and, ultimately, better OEE. And that tangible return on investment is how machine builders translate that value to their end customers.
In terms of the big picture – the industry, technology, the economy – what gets you excited about coming into work every day?
Today, as at the start of my career, I see the potential for automation to really solve critical global challenges like the pace of market changes, the labor gap, and the uncertainty of global supply chains. Turck USA is in its 50th year of delivering solutions to meet evolving customer needs. Seeing our solutions contribute to making industry more efficient and sustainable and connected is what gets me excited about the future of the company and our role in creating a better world.
To learn more about how Turck connectivity, sensor, and controls offerings can benefit your next design, reach out to us at (800) 544-7769 or visit us on the web at www.turck.us.
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.