{"id":4098,"date":"2021-08-30T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-31T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mhisolutionsmag.com\/?p=4098"},"modified":"2021-09-22T10:14:30","modified_gmt":"2021-09-22T15:14:30","slug":"tech-convergence-leading-to-transformations-in-controls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mhisolutionsmag.com\/index.php\/2021\/08\/30\/tech-convergence-leading-to-transformations-in-controls\/","title":{"rendered":"Tech Convergence Leading to Transformations in Controls"},"content":{"rendered":"
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BY MICHAEL SENECAL<\/span><\/div>\n
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Link to digital version of article in MHI Solutions.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I<\/span>f supply chains are what make the world work, then electrification and control devices are what make supply chains function. In fact, it\u2019s not an exaggeration to say that more than 90% of MHI member companies rely on some form of electrification or control technology in order to operate.<\/p>\n

In an economy that is powered to ever greater degrees by the supply chain technologies represented within MHI, there is more opportunity as well as more responsibility to effectively manage growth in the sector on behalf of all stakeholders, including workers.<\/p>\n

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As the ANSI-accredited standards developer for electrification and controls, the Electrification and Controls Manufacturers Association (ECMA) is the MHI Industry Group charged with creating and managing that opportunity and growth. Under the leadership of Jason Looman, chair, and Wayne Goodspeed, vice chair, ECMA is poised to take on even more responsibility.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s doing so because technological change demands it\u2014automation, sensors and the systems that integrate them and make them work together are bringing new efficiencies and insights to supply chains that have traditionally been siloed from each other and from other aspects of production and warehousing processes.<\/p>\n

“Controls are so much more integrated now,” said Looman, president of radio remote control manufacturer and MHI member Scanreco. “With overhead cranes, for example, not only do we have the capability to know what we\u2019re moving from point A to point B, the crane can do it on its own and then feed that information back to a central control system for the entire facility.”<\/p>\n

That transforms the control function from a reactive to a proactive operational component. “We can see how many movements are made on a crane, or from a radio standpoint, how many times a worker pushes a joystick or lever,” Looman said. “How do we then share such information with the entire plant or central control system, and how can this information be used elsewhere in the facility to signal or adjust downstream processes?”<\/p>\n

Companies that may not have thought of themselves as falling under the ECMA umbrella therefore have a role to play in how the industry evolves. Given the rapid speed of change, work is already underway within ECMA to broaden its representation by encompassing additional industry categories.<\/p>\n

“Whether it\u2019s motors, drives, sensors, radio controls, displays, switches or even integrators, we\u2019re in the right spot inside of MHI for that whole ecosystem,” Looman said. “Because at the end of the day we want to provide safe and reliable controls for people.”<\/p>\n