Industry 4.0 connecting machine, processes and people

I foresee demand growth for Industry 4.0 level products and processes in leaps and bounds. This will be witnessed not just in the large sector.
Soeb Fatehi, Immediate Past President, Control Panel and Switchgear Manufacturers’ Association

Discussing the significant emergence of Industry 4.0, Soeb Fatehi, Immediate Past President, Control Panel and Switchgear Manufacturers’ Association, talks about bringing home the functional advantages for power monitoring and utilisation of equipment.

What are your views about the gateway opportunities provided by ELECRAMA?
I have been at ELECRAMA from 1990 through 2016, except one in 1993 that I missed attending. I have marvelled at the manner in which the expo has grown and evolved. From what was a showcase for products for the Indian electrical equipment market, it has become a world-class giant fair for products, technologies, and services. ELECRAMA provides an opportunity for manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment from all over the world to come, meet and share opportunities. The beauty of the manner in which ELECRAMA is conducted by IEEMA is in the inclusiveness it is built on. Micro-organisations use ELECRAMA as a platform alongside global giants. The range of interest spans from LV to UHV products. IoT and smart products occupy a special focus. Special care is taken to also include university students of engineering.

How do you view the rise of IoT and Industry 4.0 in transforming the sector?
Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) open up opportunities for electrical and electronic manufacturing in multiple ways. Deployment of SMART devices and technologies will enhance productivity, quality, and profitability. Machines, processes and people will be able to talk to each other. Huge volumes of data will be available for enhancing informed and appropriate decisions. Better process definition will decentralise decision making and largely reduce unnecessary vertical movement decision making in the organisation.

What kind of opportunities do you see in smart electricity for India?
Smart electricity is the way of the future. Higher efficiencies through optimal utilisation of all resources will mean affordable costs of power.

What are the latest innovations and additional range of switchgear solutions?
Smart switchgears will deliver unmatched value to every customer at every level. Smart switchgears make it possible to bring home functional advantages for power monitoring and utilisation of equipment. It also delivers the advantage of real time in line diagnostics by monitoring use, and predictive analysis will help maintenance and refurbishment with minimal downtime and costs.

What are your plans and projections for the next two years?
Over the next two years, I foresee demand growth for Industry 4.0 level products and processes in leaps and bounds. This will be witnessed not just in the large sector. I see many companies in the SME segment also working on offering smart solutions for manufacturing, and many service providers are stepping up with solutions for smarter management of production shops for switchgear assemblies. I foresee a scenario of large-scale churning wherein many players will emerge as leaders of the pack and others will be sucked into the current to move forward.

Where do you see COSMA members on the curve?
Many SME manufacturers of switchboards and control panels have already deployed many intelligent systems and are working very fast to develop design and manufacturing processes for defect proofing and speed of production. They are also selling services related to products to spread the use of more intelligent automation. I can easily foretell extremely exciting times ahead for the industry.