“The next big thing we are going to see is the emergence of Industry 4.0, where we are able to bring a number of digital technologies together whether it is the Internet of Things, machine learning, deep learning, energy storage, additive manufacturing, or for that matter, enhancing renewable energy into the overall energy mix,” says Dr. Ravindra Utgikar, Vice President, Wilo Group
By Neha Basudkar Ghate
1. Can you elaborate on the role of the tool and die industry in enabling sustainable water transportation, especially within the pump manufacturing segment?
When it comes to the dyes and tools industry, especially for the pump industry, there is a lot that is in play here. Many of the pumps, particularly those used in river joining projects and in transporting water from surplus areas to water-starved regions, require a high level of customization. These efforts are aimed at bringing more land under agriculture by ensuring efficient water delivery.
For that kind of customization, you need to have patterns to make the casings, and these casings are very complex in nature. Tolerances matter a great deal in this context because they have a direct implication on pump performance affecting water throughput, water pressure, and overall efficiency.
So, therefore, the tool and die industry has a big role to play in enabling sustainable water transportation.
2. How are emerging technologies like AI, ML, IoT, quantum computing, and digital twinning transforming the future of manufacturing, especially in the context of sustainability?
Integration of AI, ML, and the Internet of Things and in addition to that, we are also looking at harnessing quantum computing and new emerging technologies like digital twinning—is making manufacturing even more efficient, more environment-friendly, and more sustainable.
Whether it is about minimizing energy footprints, water footprints, or utility footprints, I think sustainable manufacturing is here to stay, and technology has a big role to play in this regard.
From planning our product development in the form of simulation and digital twinning, we will be able to achieve tolerances and application engineering a lot better in that digital simulation instead of doing it physically, which will not only collapse timelines but also minimize wastage.
3. How can smart technologies improve synchronization in supply chains and energy optimization within the production environment?
When we talk about integrating supply chains, the Internet of Things, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence will help us synchronize real-time demand-supply situations. This, in turn, will connect our ecosystem with the manufacturing industry so that downtime is reduced and inventory management becomes much more efficient.
When it comes to processes, Artificial Intelligence will continuously monitor energy consumption and energy demand-supply patterns. It will also facilitate the integration of renewable energy into the overall energy mix of the manufacturing plant, thereby helping improve sustainability.
We will also see that machines, working in synchronism through Artificial Intelligence, will be able to adjust their speed, tolerances, and capabilities to maximize throughput. That’s in the production process.
Even in the aftermarket or so to say, the maintenance and services, Artificial Intelligence has a big role to play. With the help of sensors and IoT, it will be able to accurately predict maintenance cycles through predictive maintenance and schedule them when production or market demands are not at peak, thereby minimizing downtime.
4. What are your views on the progression from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0, and what kind of impact will it have on manufacturing processes and job creation?
The next big thing we are going to see is the emergence of Industry 4.0, where we are able to bring a number of digital technologies together whether it is the Internet of Things, machine learning, deep learning, energy storage, additive manufacturing, or for that matter, enhancing renewable energy into the overall energy mix.
This will help improve energy efficiency substantially, cut down wastage, and improve the overall energy utility footprint. Not to mention, the quality is top drawer something you will seldom be able to achieve using manual operations. So, in the times to come, we are going to see a lot happening in Industry 4.0.
Eventually, we are also talking about moving to Industry 5.0, which is about integrating the human element into automation. In this phase, humans and machines will work together in the form of collaborative robots. There will be a co-existence, and we will also be able to use more sustainable materials and harness more renewable energy so that we can conserve our environment and care for the climate.
So, overall, I see that the automation industry is coming of age. People can straight away see the business case from the automobile industry in terms of enhanced throughput, increased efficiency, and stepped-up product quality. Therefore, more and more assembly line manufacturers are harnessing more automation.
There is always a concern about whether increasing automation and robotics will take away human jobs. That apprehension, to some extent, is true. But on the other hand, there will be the creation of many more jobs which will need special expertise to work on the upkeep of systems, to protect data, for information security, and for the constantly evolving digital technologies. There will have to be specialists who can work in this sector.
And overall, going forward, although some jobs will definitely be lost to automation and robotics, there will be new job creation in the areas of artificial intelligence system development, their upkeep, their enhancement and obviously, the decision-making process will continue to rest with human beings.
5. What is the role of the pump industry in ensuring sustainable water resource management in India, and how does your company contribute to this mission?
The pump industry has a big role to play in sustainable water management and water resource management in our country. We know from historical studies and research that India is one of the most water-scarce resource countries. Our groundwater tables are depleting, and the quality of water is also getting polluted. Therefore, sustainable water transportation is extremely important.
That’s where Willow’s sustainability vision of Creating, Caring, and Connecting harnesses the most sustainable water transportation solutions. Whether it is pressurized water systems, drainage water, sewage water, storm water, effluent plants, or sewage treatment plants we have pumping solutions for both the business-to-consumer space and the business-to-business space.
Our pumps work 24×7 and 365 days a year to ensure that the water supply continues to be of high quality. The pumps continue to deliver high performance at lower energy footprints. The advanced electronics and VFD drives ensure that the pump performance is of the highest order, minimizing the energy requirement.
Therefore our customers often find that our pumping solutions give them an edge when it comes to delivering the final product.
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