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200 not out
24 March 2022
As Connectivity reaches 200 issues, we take a quick look at where our strategic partners sit in the Industry 4.0 landscape, what factors are driving them forwards, and also what milestones they’ve achieved in getting to where they are today.
ABB (https://global.abb/group/en). Formed from a 1998 merger between ASEA and BBC, software, electrification, robotics, automation and motion make up the core portfolio of ABB, whose history spans more than 130 years. ABB positions itself as a global technology company that energises the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. At ABB, notable milestones include (in 1998) the FlexPicker delta robot for the picking and packing industry, the launch (in 2004) of its Extended Automation System 800xA that has since been installed at thousands of applications delivering continuous productivity improvements, and (in 2017) the launch of ABB Ability™, its digital solutions to connect customers to the Industrial Internet of Things.
Advantech (https://www.advantech.eu/). Enabling Industry 4.0 with integrated automation and cloud innovations is a major focus of what drives IoT intelligent systems and embedded platforms specialist Advantech. The company was founded in 1981, formally starting operations in 1983, and has since achieved multiple milestones, including: launching its first industrial PC, the IPC-600, in 1990; passing ISO 14001 environmental standard certification in 1998; IPO on Taiwan Stock Exchange in 1999; merging with PCS Computer in 2000; establishing Yan Industries, Advantech (Guangzhou Bonded Zone) Co., Ltd., ABR (Advantech Brazil S/A), AAC (Advantech Automation Corp.) and other investor corporations; opening Kunshan Manufacturing Center in China. Also, Advantech was honoured as: "Giant Corporation for Ten Years" and "Leading Enterprise for Ten Years" by Gongkong.com; no.1 Worldwide Industrial PC with 34% WW Market Share (2018); Taiwan Top 4 Global Brands Award (2020); 25th Symbol of Taiwan Excellence Winner for various products; Taiwan Excellence Gold and Silver Awards.
Analog Devices (www.analog.com). In a market that is traditionally slow to change, Industry 4.0 has been embraced at a record pace, and ADI’s states one of its missions as enabling its customers to more rapidly adopt Industry 4.0 solutions by extending the secure edge and making it easier to implement cyber secure systems. Founded in 1965 initially as a manufacturer of high performance operational amplifiers, Analog Devices quickly expanded its portfolio and presence across more industries, locations and innovations. Today, the company designs, manufactures, and markets a broad portfolio of high performance analogue, mixed-signal, and digital signal processing (DSP) integrated circuits (ICs), used in virtually all types of electronic equipment. This includes converters, amplifiers, linear devices, digiPOTs, clocks and switches, among others, to help to build the bridge between the digital and the physical. In the 1970s, its technologies helped with deep space exploration as part of several NASA programmes, as well as powering virtual starships inside the more popular arcade cabinets of all time. By the 1980s, the company rubbed shoulders with Presidents, and pioneered STEM education awareness. It was named in 1998 by Fortune Magazine as “one of the most admired companies in high-tech…of its commanding position in semiconductors…and for humanistic culture”, and by Boston Globe in 2011 as being “way out in front…double nearest competitor…kept focus on higher precision, higher speed products for a very long time…leading the curve”. In 2020, the company was named Forbes World’s Best Employers.
Beckhoff (www.beckhoff.com). While its current direction began in the early 1980s, automation specialist Beckhoff can trace its history back to 1956. Today, new automation technology (industrial PCs, I/O and fieldbus components, drive technology, automation software as well as control cabinet-free automation) and PC-based control technology (Lightbus system, TwinCAT automation software, and EtherCAT) form the platforms for Beckhoff Automation’s product portfolio across IPC, I/O, Motion, Automation and MX-System categories. Technological milestones for Beckhoff included Lightbus in 1989, TwinCAT in 1996, and C2000 all-in-one PC motherboard in 1990.
Dragos (www.dragos.com). Founded by renowned ICS/OT practitioners who have defeated adversaries for the US Government, ally nations, and global firms, Dragos is a cybersecurity expert with a mission to protect critical infrastructure. Devoted to codifying and sharing its in-depth industry knowledge of ICS/OT systems, Dragos arms industrial defenders around the world with the knowledge and tools to protect their systems as effectively and efficiently as possible. Its milestones include Cyber Security Excellence Awards winner 2019, Forbes Cybersecurity Awards 2020 Outstanding Firm, as well as recognition from Frost & Sullivan, Gartner and Deloitte.
Festo (www.festo.com). Founded in 1925, German family-owned multinational industrial control, automation and technical education company Festo has presence in 61 countries, around 20,700 employees worldwide, looking after 300,000 customers in 176 countries. With a headline portfolio of pneumatic, servo-pneumatic and electric automation technology, Festo’s extensive product range includes drives, handling systems, valves and valve terminal, sensors, motors and controllers, compressed air preparation, vacuum technologies, and machine vision for customers in automotive, biotech, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, chemical, electronics, food manufacture, packaging, water, life sciences, machine tools, textile, process industry, amongst others. Over the years, Festo has won a comprehensive number of awards, including most recently artificial intelligence (AI) Champion for the company’s project ‘Intelligent Pneumatic Runtime Monitoring’ at the inaugural Baden-Württemberg awards ceremony in 2020, and a raft of supplier awards from its key customers. Milestones include its pneumatic series-produced cylinder (in 1955), its first pneumatic ISO cylinder (in 1975), and the world’s first valve terminal (in 1989), among many others.
igus (www.igus.com). Founded in a double garage in Cologne in 1964, igus is an innovative polymer materials specialist making use of tribologically-optimised polymer blends to make self-lubricating plastics. Having started off supplying complex technical polymer components, igus subsequently formed its reputation on reinforced plastic energy chain systems and injection moulded polymer bearings, broadly across the focus areas of cables and cable carriers, linear motion technology, bearing technology, and low cost automation. It has global presence in 35 countries, and partners in another 80 countries. Milestones include: iglidur® G , the first plain bearing material (in 1983); 3D printing service (2016); and RBTX (lean robotix Low Cost Automation market place) in 2019.
KUKA (www.kuka.com). KUKA recognizes that the increasing digitisation of production and the cooperative networking of human workers and machines are set to change the world of work fundamentally. The focal point of the factory of the future is the human worker, with the robot as the decisive component, and this robot-based automation is a key driver for KUKA’s Industry 4.0 strategy. Founded in 1898, the intelligent automation solutions company prides itself on its “Made in Germany” ideas and innovations, designing robots and cells to fully automated systems and their networking in markets such as automotive, electronics, metal and plastic, consumer goods, e-commerce and retail, and healthcare. Notable and multiple milestones during its long and illustrious history include: (in 2007) a Guinness Book of Records recognition for the KUKA KR 1000 TITAN as the world’s strongest six-axis industrial robot at that time, exceeding the magic 1000kg payload capacity mark; and (in 2013) the world’s first series-produced sensitive robot approved for direct human-robot collaboration.
Schneider (www.se.com). Through its wide portfolio of products and solutions, Schneider Electric states its purpose as empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bringing progress and sustainability for all. Through end-point integration to connect products, controls, software and services, the company is driving digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies to realise the full efficiency and sustainability opportunities for companies. Notable historical milestones include: the acquisition (in 1975) by The Schneider Group of an interest in Merlin Gerin, a leader in electrical distribution; development of Installation, Systems and Control (in 1999) with the acquisition of Lexel and adoption of its current name; period of organic growth from 2000-2009 with acquisitions in the new market segments of UPS, movement control, building automation and security; and from 2010 to the present day the further reinforcement of its position in software, critical power, and smart grid applications.
Stone Junction (https://www.wechangeminds.com/). Staffordshire-based tech PR agency specialises in working with companies in the STEM sector, and is ranked in PRWeek’s top 150 PR agencies, and top 40 technical agencies. The company boasts a combined 100 years of PR experience under its belt, spread among its almost 40-strong team, with skills and interests ranging from media communications and international relations, to linguistics and astrophysics. Based upon the numerous awards won, both for itself and for its clients, it’s doing fine work. A small selection of accolades includes: regular recognition as finalist in PRCA DARE Awards, CIPR PRide Awards, CIPR Excellence Award, as well as The Sentinel Business Awards; and various industry awards for its clients, including Inspekto, REO, Cressall, EU Automation, Renishaw, Accutronics, and Cressal Resistors.
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