Industrial Automation Magazine India

Murrelektronik systems are simple to install, reduce installation time

Published on : Thursday 07-09-2023

Chetan TA, Managing Director, Murrelektronik India.
How long is the Murrelektronik association with the Indian industry and how has the company performed after establishing a direct presence in India in 2017?

Murrelektronik India has been in India indirectly since 2005 onwards and has a direct presence as a wholly owned subsidiary since 2017.
 
Our CAGR has been 25% except in 2020 due to Covid. But 2021 and 22 has seen an average CAGR at 54%
 
We have been considered now as the top solution provider for IP67 products along with our connectivity portfolio.
 
How do the product offerings of Murrelektronik help in decentralisation and digital transformation?
Decentralisation has always been a priority for Murrelektronik. We have created an end-to-end solution from the Control Panel to the field level as a system solutions expert. By doing this, we can create a comprehensive automation portfolio that combines the physical and digital worlds.
 
Additionally, Murrelektronik supports every protocol and interface that is accessible to New Standards and digital transformation.
 
Murrelektronik caters to almost all industry sectors. What are the advantages it brings to the logistics and warehousing segment?
Murrelektronik provides automation solutions in all the areas – Inbound to Dispatch – Sections –Conveyor Systems, ASRS, Sortation, AGV, and Robotic areas. IP67 I/O modules from Murrelektronik are designed to cater the demands of logistics applications.
 
Murrelektronik systems are simple to install. This contributes to cost savings, and reduces installation time and effort by up to 40%, and guarantees error-free, dependable connections.
 
Extensive diagnostic functions allow errors to be found more rapidly. This reduces downtime. Murrelektronik components are proven to last – withstanding high or low temperatures and strong vibrations – even for deep freeze applications.
 
What are the highlights of the connectivity solutions offered?
Murrelektronik guarantees quality. All the connectors offered are 100% tested and have high IP 67 protection with shock and vibration resistance and highly flexible cables have full 360° shielding so that data transmission is not affected by electromagnetic influences.
 
Under the connectivity solutions offered, some take care of data, others signal, and still others power. Connectors are designed to support Industrial Protocols, servo motors, sensors, and valves.
 
How does the Vario-X with the digital twin technology help simplify the various automation functions in a typical installation?
Vario-X achieves 100 per cent decentralised automation without control cabinets and solves increasingly complex production challenges. Vario-X is a modular system with solutions for every machine need imagined down to the smallest detail. You can plan and expand your system according to all the rules of the art – flexible, scalable, machine mountable, and compact.
 
Murrelektronik’s Vario-X shortens commissioning by an average of 40 per cent based on a digital twin and its innovative installation concept. In addition, the overall system supports modular and transparent processes, higher value creation, and greater cost-effectiveness and sustainability.
 
The plant automated by VARIO-X has a digital twin right from the start. A movable 1:1 image of the real plant, which contains all functions and parameters of the later system – and this, already in the project phase before even the first mechanical component has been ordered or assembled. During operation, the digital twin provides the data for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. In this way, production anomalies can be detected and remedied before quality suffers. Long-term analyses enable statements to be made on energy efficiency and simulations of process changes, which provide information on possible savings potentials.
 
With all the connectivity and data on the cloud or edge, cybersecurity is a major area of concern. What is the Murrelektronik approach here?
EU data protection law brings in a lot of challenges in terms of data protection and transfer from EU to abroad. Similarly, the upcoming Indian Data protection law is also in the offing and needs to be reviewed in detail to see how it affects the industry as a whole
 
Murrelektronik is on a path of increasing digitisation and data protection is paramount in terms of our planned growth. We work with SAP and Azure Solutions to increase our data security. Also, the diagnostics functions in our IP67 modules have enhanced features to prevent any data theft.
 
Lots of investment is planned at the R & D level to include the latest cutting-edge technologies for ML data that passes through our products.
 
How do you see the Indian operations growing? Is it just sales & service operation or any kind of value addition taking place?
 
Right now, Murrelektronik India is a Sales & Service subsidiary. We are in talks with the German Board to look at starting assembly and manufacturing set up within a period of 5 years.
 
The PLI Scheme by Government of India is also attractive for local investments into manufacturing and we think it’s the right time to look into the same.
 
We began with just 10 employees and a turnover of Euro 1 million in 2017, and have in the past 5 years grown to nearly 50 employees and a turnover of Euro 7 million. The Indian market is extremely promising for our Group and is being keenly watched.
 
The Indian subsidiary in coming years will be a key contributor to Group’ top line revenues and will be in top 5 subsidiaries worldwide by 2027.