A Sensual Experience With Sensors……….ifm electronic GmbH, together with the Chocolate Museum, Cologne, received the 2007 Prize in the competition organized by the German Government and Industry, and known as “365 Landmarks In The Land Of Ideas”.

The Certificate of Award was presented by the Federal President, Mr. Horst Kohler, to Mr. Martin Buck, Managing Director of ifm electronic GmbH, and Maria Mrachacz, Curator of the Chocolate Museum, Cologne. Mr. Felix von Schemeling, Director of Deutsche Bank, the Main Sponsor, was present at the Awards Ceremony.

A casual visitor to the Chocolate Museum can see, taste, touch, smell and hear the whole manufacturing process of chocolate, and also savour the delicious end product. Amongst the items provided by ifm electronic to make this sensual experience a success, were photoelectric sensors, diagnostic sensors and cylinder sensors.

History……….The German Company, ifm electronic, was founded in 1969 by Gerd Marhofer and Robert Buck, with the launch of inductive sensors under the “efector” name. This was the start of a long line of innovative products introduced by the Company to the world of industrial automation. Right from the beginning, the Company operated as two separate entities, one focusing on the technical aspects and production, and headed by Robert Buck, whilst the other, led by Gerd Marhofer, focused on marketing.

Once the business had gone through its’ birth pains, it started to produce many innovative products for the market. In 1972, capacitive sensors were introduced, followed by photoelectric sensors and systems in 1980. The first flow sensors made their debut in 1983 and three years later, control systems for industrial use and mobile machines became part of the Company’s arsenal of products. 1992 saw the introduction of the Fieldbus System AS-I (Actuator Sensor Interface) and within two years, ifm vacuum and pressure sensors made their mark on the market. Temperature sensors, which complemented fluid sensors, were developed in 1997, followed by the turn of the century introduction of the first level sensors.

More 21st Century innovations followed in 2003, with the arrival of the vibration diagnosis system, efector octavis. 2004 saw the marketing of the first optical (data matrix code reading) and radio (RFID technology) identification systems, whilst a year later, ifm electronic won the HERMES award for its’ optical distance sensor, efector pmd. 2006 saw the launch of ifm connection technology, with its’ revolutionary ecolink technology. Another step towards condition-based monitoring was taken in 2007, with the advent of the compact sensor for pump diagnosis, efector PIM.

ifm electronic today……….Headquartered in Essen, Germany, the Company today has a global footprint, operating in 38 countries, but with a presence in 70 countries. Where it does not have a branch, ifm operates through local trade partners, who have been thoroughly vetted to ensure that the integrity and corporate ethos of ifm electronic is not compromised.

The Company has a global staff roster in excess of 3,000, with fully ten percent of them being graduate engineers dedicated to research and development. Latest figures indicate that the Company enjoys a turnover in excess of four hundred million euros, an astounding figure, considering that the Company has not even reached its’ fortieth birthday !

Management……….The Company is currently managed by a Board of Directors consisting of five Directors. Martin Buck (Technical) and Michael Marhofer (Marketing) are the Joint Managing Directors of the Company. These two sons of the Founders of the Company, Robert Buck and Gerd Marhofer, are assisted by fellow Directors Bernd Busch, Horst Jeruschke and Dr. Thomas May.

Below this level, ten Senior Managers manage different sectors of operational activity such as Research & Development, Manufacturing, Finance and Human Resources. Each country branch has a Manager, with Regional Managers looking after the different regions.

Corporate Citizenship……….ifm electronic takes its’ role as a global Corporate Citizen seriously. To this end, for example, it refuses to develop products and processes which may be used for military purposes. Furthermore, corruption and unethical business practices are strictly forbidden.

For at least two decades, ifm has carried out measures to protect the environment. To this end, it has published a brochure containing extracts from the Company’s Corporate Philosophy, Environmental Protection Measures Taken, and an abridged version of the Company’s Ecological Balance Sheet as well as information about Critical Substances.

ifm's Corporate Philosophy expounds that the key to successful growth is environmental sustainability. For example, although the Company’s production quantities have increased tremendously over the last ten years, its’ usage of water, and subsequent generation of waste water, has been reduced by eighty per cent.

ifm electronic Goals……….In terms of products, the Company plans to continue developing products for applications which have large markets or which can lead to new markets worldwide. The objective is to develop processes which lead to high quality and long-lasting products at competitive prices. The Company stands for the optimization and solution of technical processes by means of sensors, networking and control systems. Growth is encouraged, but not at the expense of risks to finances or to the staff.

Applications……….Even though ifm electronic manufactures and innovates products for the many applications listed below, its’ Core Competencies rest with providing solutions for the Metal and Food Industries.

The Company has many solutions for the Automotive Industry, specifically in the areas of Transport, Welding, Selection and Assembly. In Transport, the applications include sensing ranges, position monitoring of cylinders, and monitoring of transport systems. For all Welding processes, safe process flow is the main concern. In the Selection process, the three important applications are the integration of pneumatic components, process monitoring and precise object detection. In Assembly processes, the applications include position monitoring on overhead conveyors, high sensing ranges and position monitoring using photoelectric sensors.

In the Conveying field, applications can be found in almost all industries. For example, in the Packaging Of Bottles, reliable detection of colour marks, easy control of conveyor belts, use of pre-set counters and the integration of a free-programming small control system are all important applications. Applications for transport and handling are important in Application With Brickworks. Ifm provides systems solutions for motor control in the Sorting of Pasteboard Boxes, with the other necessary applications being decentralized control of independent modules of a conveying plant, control of pneumatic cylinders and cost effective wiring systems. Exact Positioning of Complex Parts requires the applications related to precise detection of pallets, proximity detection and monitoring, power supply with data de-coupling and I/O modules for field applications.

In the Food Industry, ifm is at its’ best as this is one of its’ Core Competencies. Storage / Tank Monitoring needs products to be utilized for hydrostatic level monitoring, temperature and level monitoring, and proximity elements. In Bottling / Sealing operations, monitoring continuous flow and counting applications are vital. For Mixing / Processing, feedback systems for quarter turn actuators, valve and pressure monitoring of mechanical parts subject to high stress levels are important. Monitoring of heat exchangers is required in Cooling And Heating Processes. CIP installations are monitored for flow in the Cleaning function. As for Packaging, low cost wiring systems, socket adapters and control function systems are necessary.

In the application Level Measurement and Alarm Indication, the Company excels in wear-free electronic sensors, a boon for end users worried about maintenance and parts-replacement problems. These items have no moving parts and therefore, they are more reliable with long-lasting stability. In the measurement of Hydrostatic Levels, it is important to determine the pressure proportionate to the level. Continuous Level Measurements in a container are important and are facilitated by sensors using the capacitive principle. The same methods are used to measure the levels of media similar to water, such as oils and coolants. Alarm Level Sensors switch when immersed in the medium, thus they can be used as protection against overflow problems. Level monitoring of solid, liquid and viscous media in the food industry is carried out using Continuous Hydrostatic Level Measurement. Binary level indicators are used in the Level Measurement of oils and coolants, whilst level and temperature monitors are used for Continuous Level and Temperature Measurement.

Easy set-up and high resistance to shock, vibration and oily environments, make ifm products ideal for the Machine Tool Industry. Sensors for the monitoring of Hydraulics in areas such as hydraulic pressure, temperature, levels and hydraulic clamping pressure monitoring, can all be found in ifm’s arsenal of products. Pneumatic Parts Seated Verification can also be carried out using the Company’s products, as can the monitoring of factors affecting Coolants such as temperature, flow, levels and vacuum filters.

Mobile Applications are basically about the provision of control systems for use in mobile machines. In Construction Machinery, the need is for applications used under extreme conditions in stone crushers and mobile cranes. As far as Transport and Logistics are concerned, control systems are needed in barless aircraft tractors, shunters and mobile harbour cranes. Applications for Municipal Vehicles such as wood shredders, fire engines and refuse trucks, include decentralized i/o modules, distributed function modules, and sensors together with i/o modules respectively. In Agriculture and Forestry Machines, diagnosis and service are the necessary applications, whilst that for a forestry machine is soil cultivation. Parameter setting and control of equipment plus rotational speed monitoring of a seed shaft are other necessary applications.

The diversity of the Plastics Industry makes it paramount that a great degree of automation is present in all, if not most, of its’ processes and equipment. In Hydraulics, it is important to monitor hydraulic fluid levels and, hydraulic oil temperature and pressure. For the Pneumatics, it is important to measure the consumption of compressed air. Whilst the Drying Process is taking place, level and temperature monitoring are critical, and in Vacuum Generation, monitoring of the negative pressure is essential. Level monitoring and detection are vital applications in the Dosing and Mixing of material, at the Loading Station, and within the Crystallization System.

ifm electronic is eminently suited to providing solutions for the Robotics, Assembly and Material Flow sectors. In Robotics, for example, there is a need to assemble structural components for mass produced vehicles. Assembly of cable harness plugs is another necessary application. In Assembly processes, the important applications are fitting a cover onto a plug-in module and the monitoring of : (a) gripper positions for the removal of plastic parts, (b) the position of pneumatic cylinders, (c) insertion depths, (d) position of assembly parts in a rotary indexing table, and (e) the position of a workpiece in an assembly line. Monitoring of position for material supply and workpiece carriers, and the control of motors, pneumatic stoppers, shunts and cylinders are all important Material Flow applications.

Products……….ifm electronic prefers to be a leader in its’ field, and thus develops and offers many innovative products to its’ global customers.

Amongst these are Position Sensors and Object Recognition products such as Proximity Sensors, Actuator Sensors, Photoelectric Sensors, Encoders, Evaluation Systems, Power Supplies Systems, Object Recognition Systems and Safety Technology Systems.

Then, there are products associated with Fluid Sensors and Diagnostic Systems, which monitor fluids and vibrations. These include Sensors connected with Valves, Fluid Levels, Fluid Flow, Pressure, Vacuums and Temperatures. All of these are allied to Diagnostic Systems developed by ifm.

For easy communication up to the control level, the Bus System AS-interface provides the decentralized and intelligent systems for the connection of sensors and actuators. Products found under this heading include Controllers / Gateways and Network Extensions, Power Supplies and Earth Fault Monitors, I/O Modules for Control Cabinets, I/O Modules for Field Applications, Safety At Work Systems, AS-I Sensors, Pneumatic and Actuator Solutions, and Accessories.

Control Systems for Mobile Applications provide a complete system designed to perform in the most extreme of conditions. To achieve the best control mechanisms, ifm products utilized include Mobile Controllers, I/O and Dialogue Modules, Diagnosis and Service Systems, Mobile Sensors, Signal Converters, Connection Technology and Accessories.

ifm electronic Identification Systems provide reliable tracking and coding of manufacturing parts at very good price-to-performance ratios. The products offered here are Optical Identification Systems (Data Matrix Code – 2D) and RF Identification Systems, both supported by Power Supply Systems.

ifm electronic offers sensible Accessories for all their installations under the Connection Technology and Systems Components umbrellas. Included are products ranging from Mounting Adapters to Connectors, and from Process Adapters to Thermowells.

An exciting application for which ifm electronic has already developed the products, is Predictive Maintenance. The idea here is to use sensors to inform the operator of the condition of the plant and equipment. These sensors monitor the plant continuously. As a result, down time is reduced, operational time increased, and better maintenance planning can be instituted.

The “efector pmd 3D” is a Product of the Future. Although it is still in the development phase, it will be capable of object identification, shape definition and volume calibration. This product will be suitable for many applications, and represents a very exciting future for ifm.

ifm electronic in Malaysia……….The Company set up a branch office in Johore ten years ago. In the process, all the distributors the Company was associated with at the time, were bought over. IA News met up with the Regional Manager of ifm electronic, Mr. Mark Jones, in Bandar Sunway recently, to get his views on local issues.

On the Financial front, he reported that turnover for the Malaysian operation had reached RM28 million per annum, and that he was very pleased with the growth the Company had experienced so far.

He stated that Marketing activities were mainly conducted through the Company’s website and personal contacts. The Company employed Graduate Engineers to act as Sales Engineers, and this had proven to be a successful formula. To aid in the marketing process, clients had access to professional staff, who were located close to the clients concerned.

Disappointingly, he informed IA News that the Company did not have any Manufacturing or R & D facilities in Malaysia, nor were any planned for the ASEAN region.

As far as Human Resources were concerned, the Company had 20 members of staff located in Sngapore, with 10 based in Johore Baru.

Even though the Company was fairly large in Size, with a global turnover close to RM2 Billion, Mark felt that this did not adversely affect the Company’s reaction time to rapidly changing market conditions. He anticipated that the Company would experience further growth, but explained that the underlying philosophy of the Company was one of conservative and sensible growth.

Regarding Ownership, Mark stated that the Company is wholly-owned by the Marhofer and Buck families, although this fact has little effect on operations. Financial stability is paramount and, unusually for a Company of this size, it had no bank borrowings.

The Company is hierarchical in Structure, and there are no profit centres as such. It operates as a single unit, focusing on its’ core competencies in the Metal and Food Industries.

From a Culture point of view, his opinion was that Malaysians had a very strong work ethic, although the diverse languages being spoken did have an impact on business. He personally supported the concept of racial integration and harmony, and was pleased to see it working in Malaysia.

He was very upbeat on the Economy, believing that there are opportunities for everyone, even in a downturn.

As for local Labour, Mark was happy to report that the Company found it easy to find the right calibre of staff, with good qualifications and the right work attitude.

On the subject of Technology, Mark did not see any threats to ifm electronic, and stated that remote wireless sensors were the future. The products currently available, however, were not reliable enough.

Mark ended the interview by stating that ifm electronic would make it even through tough economic conditions, mainly because of the Company’s philosophy. He felt that if you make your customers happy with your products and services, they will keep you in business.

IA News would like to take this opportunity to wish Mark Jones and ifm electronic all the best for the future, and to thank Mark personally, for taking the time and trouble to meet with us.

Courtesy of ifm