Siemens executives on the future of smart manufacturing

By: Kathryn Gerardino-Elagio

Manufacturing is one of the most important contributors to Asia Pacific’s economy and is going through a rapid digital transformation. With unforeseen pandemic interruptions to factory operations in the past two years, smart manufacturing comes to the forefront in 2022. In fact, Asia Pacific Smart Manufacturing Market is expected to register a CAGR of 7.57% over the forecast period from 2021 to 2026, Mordor Intelligence reported.

On this note, International Metalworking News for Asia was invited to a virtual roundtable where Bas Kuper, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Asia Pacific, Siemens Digital Industries Software, along with Tim Srock, CEO of Mendix, and Vincent Lim, Vice President, and Head of Asia Pacific, Siemens-Mendix shared their perspectives on how the future of manufacturing will evolve in 2022 and beyond.

According to Bas, the company is seeing a big drive for digitalisation as a means for a closer collaboration between different functional domains within a customer. Currently, companies are not just facing a technological challenge, but an organisational one as well. “Customers, once they are convinced about the digital enterprise, must rethink their past investments and application landscape because we have observed that integration is one of their biggest challenges. The big drive for digitalisation means a closer collaboration between the customers’ different functional domains is necessary,” Bas remarked.

Integration is key

During the discussion, Bas, Tim, and Vincent mentioned that integration is key and is one of the biggest challenge customers are facing. They are currently spending more on integration than on application and they are not system integrators. They want to produce something in the end. This is where Siemens have an edge on the competition because of the level of integration they provide in their portfolio.

Bas stated the partnership between Siemens and SAP. Together, the industry leaders deliver integrated end-to-end software solutions across product lifecycle, supply chain, and asset management. He stressed that it is about creating a truly integrated digital thread that unites product and asset lifecycle management with the business that enables customers to optimise production of products.

Tim on the other hand explained how Mendix can connect to many other systems as well, combining data coming from multiple systems too. This all-in-one, low-code application development platform helps organisations build multi-experience, enterprise grade applications at scale. The platform is designed to accelerate the entire development lifecycle, from ideation to deployment and operation, while enabling collaboration at each step. 

“As the digital and physical word converge, people are increasingly turning to applications for solutions. Thus, the need for low-code platforms becomes more urgent and pressing. Mendix essentially provides everyone – both professional and citizen developers – with building blocks in a low-code fashion, enabling people to develop applications and deploy it where needed,” said Tim.

Talking about Mendix, Bas described, “The key for us is that customers usually do not want to change much on their manufacturing solution. But because of these new insights and the benefits that can be achieved, including the pressure with digitalisation and what they are getting from the market, customers are rethinking the entire end-to-end landscape, which gives us the opportunity that we might not have had before.”

A good example of what Bas is talking about is the technology partnership between Siemens and Hyundai and Kia. Like so many of Siemens customers, Hyundai and Kia is undergoing major transformations in its business; and have evaluated and assessed various alternatives. Siemens is providing next generation engineering and product data management through NX™ software and the Teamcenter® portfolio from Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio of integrated software, services, and development platform to embrace the most comprehensive digital twin.

With a traditional “build, test, break” mindset and a siloed approach to manufacturing, carmakers are struggling to keep up and deliver the next-generation car. Not having the necessary insight into real-time manufacturing performance and failure identification will eventually lead to failure, slowing down production and jeopardising their competitive position. They need to adopt a smart manufacturing approach to compete in today’s fast-changing automotive landscape, implementing multiple solutions across the disconnected branches of their manufacturing organisation.

Vincent commented, “Smart manufacturing is one of the key market trends, powered and driven by consumers. As such, Consumer-Driven Manufacturing is a concept within the Mendix value proposition. Many manufacturers are thankful for the very flexible and rapid application development platform that is Mendix – which enabled them to accelerate their digital transformation journey during the pandemic. What used to take years, you can now achieve ten times of that in a year alone.”

Key Highlights

Equal Prioritisation between Product and Process Innovation: To remain competitive in the global manufacturing scene, companies must seek to reduce costs and boost operational efficiency for their customers. To achieve this balance in the current age of digitalisation, businesses should prioritise process innovation as much as product innovation. With both capabilities managed successfully, companies can thrive and ensure business continuity and growth.

Hyperconnectivity in a Digital-first World: With the ongoing transition towards a hyperconnected and a digital-first world, companies are undergoing a digital and business transformation — but this is challenging for manufacturers with manual processes, legacy systems, siloed operations, and data. To address this, companies can tap on solutions like Siemens’ Xcelerator or the Mendix Low Code platform that can easily integrate into existing systems and data, modernising core systems and improving overall operational efficiency.

System Integration and Automation amidst the Talent War: Customers in the manufacturing industry are battling a talent war. The challenge of finding skilled workers reinforces the urgency for system automation and a reduction in manual mundane processes. Attracting skilled talent is not enough. Companies should pay attention to integrating connectivity, data, digital processes, and applications into their operations to optimise efficiency while addressing labour challenges at the same time.

The Rise of Low-Code: The popularity of low-code platforms is on the rise, as it allows companies to build on and modernise existing core and legacy systems, automating tasks within workflows. Companies may run their core systems, of any shape or form, and deploy it wherever necessary. In addition, they may launch new business models and products quickly, enabling the best-in-class customer experience while adapting to a rapidly evolving market.

Alfred Lee to drive Schaeffler’s industrial business strategy in APAC

By: Kathryn Gerardino-Elagio

Leaders of any big business at the moment are focusing on Industry 4.0 and localising the production footprint to prevent supply chain disruptions and support local job creation -- especially if the company continues to expand its presence into emerging market sectors across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.

Global automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler announced late last year the appointment of Alfred Lee, as the President for Industrial Asia Pacific. In an interview with International Metalworking News for Asia (IMNA), Alfred details his goals and what he can offer to help the company and customers to fulfil this goal.

Prior to joining Schaeffler, Alfred was the vice president for sales & marketing at IMI Norgren. Bringing close to 30 years of professional experience in the process and automation industry, Alfred also worked at organisations including ABB, Emerson Process Management, and McDermott International.

Alfred’s role will see him spearheading the company’s growth across various industrial sectors in APAC, including two-wheelers, off-road, rail, aerospace, raw materials, industrial automation, power transmission, and wind.

KEY MARKETS

As the new Industrial President for Asia Pacific, Alfred shared the markets in which he will focus on, and why. “We have presence in all sub-regions in Asia Pacific focusing on high-growth markets like India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and mature and innovating markets like Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Over the years, we have built excellent market positions, customer relationships, and technology footprint in the region. Countries in the region are also emerging as development hubs and hotspots for areas like Robotics, Industry 4.0, new mobility, Digitalisation, and Clean Energy like Wind, Solar and Hydrogen. We look to leverage our industrial expertise to bring innovative solutions and grow our business in these markets,” he said.

INDUSTRY 4.0, LOCAL SUPPLY CHAIN

With an emphasis on Industry 4.0 and localising the supply chain, Alfred explains how it can take the the industrial division from where it is to where you want it to be, “We will scale our existing Industry 4.0 product portfolio to expand our Industry 4.0 competence. Globally, we have partnered with leading industry leaders and companies to build a network of innovation and excellence in developing digitalisation and industry 4.0 solutions. This includes drive train 4.0, machine tool 4.0, comprehensive condition monitoring solutions and predictive maintenance for wind power. We have also rolled out our award-winning condition monitoring system OPTIME in the region.”

He added, “As a global company with a local presence worldwide, we work closely with our customers to develop solutions that fulfil their unique requirements and needs at the local level. To further refine our competitive edge, we are strengthening our regional manufacturing footprint and expanding our local development to improve our competitiveness in Asia Pacific.”

MOBILITY, ENERGY, AND ROBOTS

IMNA asked Alfred about the future of mobility, energy, and robotics be in APAC, and what are some predictions he can make.

“Asia Pacific is one of the key drivers of the global economy and is becoming a key development hub for technology and innovation,” remarked Alfred.

He mentioned, “We are witnessing an increase in the automation of value-added processes, leading to a higher demand for robotic solutions. An example of this is the market growth for collaborative robots or Cobots especially in South Korea and Japan, where we offer a diverse product portfolio that ranges from bearings to integrated system solutions. In light of this growth, we expect that the demands for automated digital services such as condition monitoring and intelligent lubricators will grow in the years ahead.”

According to Alfred, renewable energies will play a significant role in the energy mix on the energy front with strong developments within the region’s wind sector. “We expect demands for renewables to increase as governments look to commit towards green energy and conversations around climate change take centre stage. Furthermore, countries like India are emerging as a global production hub for many OEMs, gearboxes and complete wind systems. Schaeffler is ideally positioned to provide comparable services in this sector through our extended portfolio of friction-optimised bearings for maximum energy efficiency and predictive maintenance for wind systems for reliable energy production,” he commented.

Alfred noted, “As the world looks to recover from the effects of the pandemic gradually, the return of mass mobility and individual mobility, coupled with the rising demand for food production will also drive growth towards the rail, two-wheelers, and off-road sectors in the region.”

SUCCESS FACTORS FOR AN EFFECTIVE LEADER

Successful businesses rely on effective leadership. Thus, ensuring that your business has strong leaders with the correct leadership skills is crucial to being successful.

IMNA asked Alfred what are the success factors for an effective leader in his experience.

“An effective leader should have a clear vision for the future and communicate that vision to team members and employees. While it is crucial to remain goal-oriented, effective leaders focus on achieving results openly and cooperatively by empowering their teams to deliver excellence and performance. Similarly, effective leaders understand the importance of building an environment that encourages and acknowledges creativity to enable teams and employees to reach their full potential,” he declared.

At Schaeffler, Alfred disclosed that their leadership principles are rooted in transparency, trust, and teamwork, in which an open culture of feedback and empowerment of employees is vital for our success.

CHALLENGES IN 2022

Challenges are precursors to corporate crisis situations. Some are universal, and pose a threat to every company, while others are relative and depend on the nature of an organisation’s business or industry.

According to Alfred, supply chain-related constraints and microprocessor shortages will continue to pose challenges in 2022.

“With high inflation for prices of raw materials leaving companies in a profit margin squeeze, we will continue to take a cautious and calibrated approach towards the entire value chain in tackling these challenges. This means working closely with our customers to develop creative and collaborative solutions to overcome these challenges in our dynamic business environments,” he revealed.

Schaeffler OPTIME is an easily scalable Condition Monitoring solution, developed for various purposes in industry, recommended for a range of rotating machines with a speed of 120 rpm*-5000 rpm.

International Metalworking News for Asia February 2022

The February issue of International Metalworking News for Asia is now out! Beyond the stories mentioned in the teaser, nearly every piece of content in this issue is about finding new ways forward. Despite the challenges we are facing, 2022 is a fresh start and acts as a reminder that we must keep moving forward. Happy Reading!

Hypetherm: Helping shape the world

By: Kathryn Gerardino-Elagio

All over the world manufacturers struggle to find skilled operators for open positions. Even experienced operators can have difficulty with identifying consumables and assembly. Not to forget, errors in system setup can be costly and reduce productivity.

 

International Metalworking News for Asia recently attended Hypetherm's virtual press event to witness the unveiling of its brand-new generation of air plasma systems — Powermax SYNCTM air plasma cutting and gouging systems in Asia and Oceania. Hypetherm executives. Mr. Israel Gonzalez, Director for Distribution Sales in Asia, Mr. Wagner Turri, Director for OEM Sales in Asia, and Mr. Lester Lee, Marketing Program Manager for Asia, explained the journey to SYNC and the development of Powermax technology. There was also a live cutting demo, which boasted Powermax SYNC’s features and a Q&A at the end. Here's what we learned.

Powermax technology

The new Powermax technology was developed to answer the challenges customers face, the high cost of production delays and setup errors to a manufacturer, and what consumables to change and when.

 

This next-generation of Powermax is unlike any plasma you’ve seen before. Featuring built-in intelligence and revolutionary single-piece cartridge consumables, Powermax SYNC simplifies system operation, streamlines consumable inventory, lowers operating costs, and maximises performance for customers in the shipbuilding, construction & machinery, structural steel, or transportation industries.

 

Israel Gonzalez said, "It took us nearly 20,000 hours to develop the new Powermax SYNC air plasma systems. We're not bringing this into the market to satisfy our engineering pride. Customers were telling us how difficult it is to constantly train people to manage the changing of consumable stacks. With 5 different amperage options (30, 45, 65, 85, and 105 amps) for 5 separate applications, operators have to deal with up to 25 part numbers daily. In essence, the traditional consumable stack-up requires you to have a very skilled team of operators that perform consistently across time. Otherwise, your product quality won't be consistent and rework becomes a constant, which translates to extra costs and delays — all because of a bottleneck in the cutting operations."

 

The new Powermax SYNC technology is designed to eliminate common operation errors and reduce service calls. Israel added, "Hypetherm is first in the industry to innovate something like that. We believe it's going to bring the benefits of easy set-up and lower operation costs. It will give our customer a chance to say 'yes' to offering a new product — which may involve new engineering and features, but won't require more training because the machine is going be ready to start in one go. It eliminates common operator errors and reduces expensive rework. Powermax SYNC is a game changer for the industry."

Revolutionary single-piece cartridge consumable

Consumables are the parts in the torch that wear out over time; they are slowly damaged by heat or by contact with the plasma arc. The Powermax SYNC and its SmartSYNC torch replaces the traditional five-piece consumable stack-up with an easy-to-identify single-piece cartridge consumable that is colour coded by process to eliminate confusion and simplify consumable inventory management.

 

Lester Lee, Marketing Program Manager, explained, "There are many factors that affect the consumable life. Prior to this launch, we ran extensive tests with some customers and observed that the cartridge for Powermax SYNC systems can last up to twice as long. Simply because the Hypertherm cartridge for Powermax systems is manufactured as a single piece to ensure that all parts are perfectly aligned and optimised for the best possible performance. With this, the cartridge will deliver cleaner cuts when compared with traditional consumables. It can even track data, such as start and arc-on time, in order to identify trends, enhance the efficiency of cutting processes, and to improve end-of-life detection."

 

The technology embedded in each cartridge automatically sets the correct amperage, air pressure, and operating mode and displays a prompt when a new cartridge is needed. Additionally, controls on the SmartSYNC torch allow operators to adjust the amperage and change the cartridge without returning to the power supply.

 

Fostering innovation

Hypertherm dedicates more resources to industrial cutting research, development, and testing than any other manufacturer in the world. Its engineers are always reshaping people's perceptions of plasma. Every year, the company introduces patented new technologies to improve performance and extend consumable life.

 

Wagner Turri, Director for OEM Sales in Asia, remarked, "Hypetherm is a pioneer in industry innovation. While we respect and acknowledge our competitors, we've always taken a leadership role within the market, and innovation remains a cornerstone of our business."

Kim Union rolling beyond product features and benefits

Manufacturers of different industries have their own preferences about which processing method best suits their needs. However, there has been a growing interest in thread rolling for more reasons than one.

Having been in the industry since 1972, Kim Union Industrial Co., Ltd. is a pioneer in the manufacture of both thread rolling machines and thread rolling dies.

 

Along with creating new products and adding features to old ones, Kim Union's product advantage includes a unique type of product service. The company understands customers’ needs and is willing to dig deeper with clients to move beyond the obvious features and benefits of a product and understand the true principle of its request.

According to Kim Union, customers come to them with their requirements for workpieces; and from there, they try to identify the workpiece and explain to the customer what they must do in order to create the workpiece.

 

Kim Union believes that there is a benefit for having both production lines for thread rolling machines and thread rolling dies because they are well experienced and ready to share their knowledge with customers.

 

One example is Kim Union's new thread rolling machine models that are designed based on customer’s prerequisite. The UM-120 hydraulic thru feed type thread rolling machine is a new model in the market. This type of machine is suitable for bigger wind fan screws -- the larger diameter screws.

 

Another case is the UM-50H serration gear rolling thread rolling machine. This machine is apt for serration gear-type workpieces for creating car parts or motorbike parts. The designs of these machines are made by Kim Union team and consulting partners.

For thread rolling machines, Kim Union does trial run and customers must approve the samples before shipment. For thread rolling dies, 100% testing and inspection is done before delivery. The company also does the thread rolling process inside the factory for some design parts. All these efforts lead to an improved type of business process that makes Kim Union confident that their products will not encounter any problems when they arrive the customers' factory.

Traversing the new normal

After the economic blockade caused by the epidemic, on-site meetings between customers has decreased, so Kim Unions' regular overseas visits and services were suspended. The company is finding ways to compete all odds and act quickly. Therefore, it uses apps such as LINE and WhatsApp, which are very convenient to use in order to communicate with customers. In this way, any questions from clients can be answered immediately.

 

Looking beyond the current crisis-imposed moment, Kim Union says that the quality of their products and customer satisfaction will definitely be their focus. In the next five years, the company plans to set up another plant in Bangkok, Thailand. However, thread rolling machines will only be produced in Taiwan in the future. Kim Union deems it right for the machines to be closer to the local market.

IMI: Your global electronics solutions partner

By: Kathryn Gerardino-Elagio

Strategically positioned right in the middle of technological and digital transformations, Integrated Micro-Electronics (IMI) is a Filipino-owned global company with revenues of US$1.2 billion. Mr. Sherwin Nones, Head of Strategic Planning and Marketing, shared with International Metalworking News for Asia how the company is continuously raising invaluable human inputs in design, innovation and creativity, to provide solutions and value to its customers.
 
IMNA: Tell us something about IMI and what do you do for the company?
 
Nones: IMI provides EMS (electronics manufacturing services) and power semiconductor assembly. We have 22 factories in more than 10 countries globally. IMI puts together components needed for the manufacturing of electronic devices. We do advanced manufacturing and engineering, and of course assembly. In the early 2000, we decided to go into automotive and industrial; and a few years ago we bought an EMS company in the UK that specialises in aerospace and defence. Right now, the bulk of our revenues is in automotive electronics. I think about 50% of that bulk revenue is from Europe. Since we are heavily entrenched in that segment, we are currently the 6th largest electronics manufacturing services company in the automotive space globally.
 

I'm currently the head of strategic planning for global corporate operations. This is now my 13^th year with IMI. I work with top management, coming up with strategies for mid- to long- term growth, so that we will be able to grow sustainably.

IMNA: Do you have any particular requirement when purchasing materials and processing equipment?

 

Nones: We do have an extensive procurement group or supply chain group. They're divided into different areas and they have an extensive network from mostly major regions; and because of our activity, we're able to leverage on the competitiveness of the things that we’re able to buy. Yes, we’re definitely purchasing machines and also procuring production systems that could help us in the manufacturing process.

 

IMNA: How have you set the points in the past to ensure that the company has developed in such a positive manner?

 

Nones: What we have in the electronics industry is quite different from any other industry because we're very much familiar with disruptions. Over the last four years, there have been so many social political and economic disruptions that basically affected the business. Whether it may be a new technology to global financial crisis or disruptions in trade, including shortage of cheap semiconductor components that is really affecting supply chains globally.

 

One of the things that we were able to do is set up a risk management system to help mitigate the threats.

The risk management system allows us to be able to put things in autopilot once incidents happen. For example, when the pandemic struck and there were several lockdowns, we were not that surprised because we had the system in place. Though of course the pandemic affected us negatively, it didn't affect us so much that it will be difficult for us to recover. We also heightened our risk management systems to be one step ahead of possible things that can happen. This is also brought by our desire to become a sustainable business over a long period.

IMNA: What can you say about the profit situation in the Philippines?

Nones: Early this year, we had a problem with recommendation shortages and it's not only impacting IMI. In fact, this is impacting globally and basically all OEM's, and not only the automotive. Supply cannot keep up with the demand because of shortage of major components that will be used. This happened because of the pandemic. A lot of automotive factories started to close and production was affected. The number of vehicles that were to be shipped in 2020 went down significantly by 22%, which manufacturers especially the ones that are doing components did not foresee.

 

When the automotive was down, manufacturers shifted their inventory to the computing sector. As you know, people were staying at home and doing home school and working from home. There's demand for more laptops more storage devices so that's where it's been, and so what happened was they thought that the automotive sector would be recovering over a longer period of time. But it did recover right away because of the demand for electric vehicles; and because of that, manufacturers of semiconductors and components didn't have any more inventory for the automotive sector. Given the state that we are in, it would take a few more months probably by middle of 2022 when things would be able to normalise, and the shortage would be minimised. Everyone is affected, profit levels of companies are affected. For IMI, we are doing our best to be able to minimise or at least mitigate the effects that are happening to us on the supply chain.

 

IMNA: In your opinion, what is your edge among your competitors?

 

Nones: In terms of our size and client base, we really don't have any competitors. In fact, I think this is the misunderstanding that most people have in terms of our industry; we don't really compete with other companies. In fact, we encourage more EMS companies to relocate or to establish in the Philippines, whether they are local or foreign. Why? So that the local supply chain would be built or would be attractive enough for global supply chains to source from us. This will also support workers and provide them with the necessary education and skills.

IMNA: Can you tell us about your career, and how do you deal with pressure?

 

Nones: I make sure that I'm exposed to different environments so that I'll be able to learn and apply many principles in my area of work. I love looking at other industries and see the different ways of how they do things. In this way, I will have an idea on how to deal with challenges. Progressive companies in Europe or in the US require about 15% of the worker's time to be able to spend on things that have no relation to their work.

 

I enjoy my work. If you cannot handle pressure that means maybe you're not enjoying. So it depends on how one person would be able to enjoy his work. In my case, meeting a lot of people, seeing different industries and learning current technology -- those things to me are fun. You can say that those are the factors behind my success. It's also about the environment. If you work in an environment where you are not supported, and they only want you for what you provide; those things hamper satisfaction or even success however you define it.

 

IMNA: Finally, how do you see the future, with special reference to IMI?

 

Nones: With special reference to IMI, I see a future that involves a lot of technology. But the danger here is that if we allow technology to rule over us, we will lose our humanity. We will lose our ability to choose and we will let AI choose for us. We need to be able to strike that balance. The things that we're exploring right now, it's really exactly above and beyond what is currently around us. So it's not only technology but the people driving and not the other way around. You have all these technology but there's a gap that has to be filled. Apart from hard skills, we need soft skills, such as critical thinking, decision making and designing that's what we are trying to build.

Click for E-zine link: International Metalworking News for Asia 12-2021 issue

Int'l Metalworking News for Asia December 2021 issue now Online

2021 has been a year of transition. Industrial manufacturing businesses began shaping their futures rather than just grinding through the present as result of the COVID-19 crisis. Industrial manufacturers should take the opportunity to learn from the pandemic on how to redesign workplaces, build healthier work environments, and invest effectively in employee health.
As the transition to digitalisation picks up speed, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have a lot to gain from embracing digital technologies (digitalisation) into their existing business models, which would improve productivity while opening up new revenue streams. International Metalworking News for Asia features companies and agencies around the world with their predictions and technology insights in order to give a clear vision and gain a competitive edge to thrive in the year ahead. Find out more in this month's Outlook 2022 report.
 
For most of us, the word downtime conjures images of relaxation. For plant managers however, downtime is a word that triggers concerns about lost production and lower revenue. That's especially true for unplanned downtime and there is growing evidence that manufacturers are still unaware of the full impact of the problem. In the Smart Factory section, John Young, APAC sales director at automation parts supplier EU Automation, assesses some of the latest research on manufacturer downtime and the steps manufacturers are taking to address the problem.
 
The Lasers & Welding section confirms that many companies rely on manual welding, which is both costly and time-consuming. Companies need low-cost solutions to get a foothold in this business – but these are few and far between. TRUMPF unveiled a new solution that aims to help sheet-metal fabricators make the jump into automated laser welding.
 
In machine shops that work with metals and alloys, factors such as thickness, parallelism, and surface condition are often dictated in the specifications. Grinding is also often utilised to remove significant amounts of material to bring a stock sheet or plate to precise dimensions. This issue of Tooling & Workholding shows advanced rotary surface grinders that deliver endless possibilities and tighter tolerances.
 
e-mobility, digitalisation and automation: these are just some of the key trends in the grinding technology sector at present. Machine Tool presents research experts and the companies exhibiting at the new GrindingHub trade show. They will be providing insights into the latest technologies and processes in this rapidly developing industry.
 
Lastly, you need to evaluate what is missing in your company to remain competitive in 2022. Changes will also mean a different focus of your workforce, and you might find a professional shortage of technicians and experts, so start training inside talent to keep up with the new trends in demand.

 

Read E-zine: http://edms.industrysourcing.com/ezine/21/12/imna.html#/