How long have you been at ERNI and what kinds of projects have you been working on?

I started with ERNI in August 2021 and my main focus lies in Consulting and Supporting projects related to any kinds of aspects of IoT. Besides supporting quotations for projects, I have so far tuned into workshops, come closer together with ERNI Developers for an IoT Showcase and actually have been consulting for an IoT Ecosystem for one of our customers for a company delivering end-to-end security solutions for smartphones.

 

What led you to the Manufacturing domain and what is your educational background?

I started my career as a specialist in communication electronics. Early on, we developed circuit boards. That was the point that led me to scaling manufacturing as a topic. I very much liked this part of manufacturing.

At first, I was blinded by the illusion of countless repetitions without any further efforts. Soon, it became clear that the process of planning and optimising never ends. Even if you think you have achieved a truly lean and rationalised setup, it is necessary to rethink again. This somehow led to something I would call an occupational disease. Regardless of where I am, I automatically try to figure out what the process is and how it can be further optimised.

You can speak to my family, friends or relatives; it can be very exhausting just to go for dinner with me to a, let’s say, mediocrely functioning restaurant.

 

What is your expertise based on mainly?

Most of the time something starts with sensing something that is not possible to be articulated. I usually start with talking to the customer about how they deal with challenges, expectations, hidden struggles and objectives. I’m curious about what people try to achieve and how they do it. These conversations form something like a feeling (I know this may sound strange, but very often I know without articulable evidence whether something is really good or not). The more details I get to know, the crisper and clearer the picture becomes. Sometimes you look at a perfect process, or at a very nice piece of machinery. Of course, then there is always the question of how these two fit together. Or if there is room for improvement on one side or the other. If so, how did that go in retrospect? What were the reasons for this or that? And now the endless game of optimisation can start.

 

What do you consider as the major Manufacturing project of your career so far?

One of my favourites was the completion of one of the most modern galenic production facilities in Europe at the time. Due to space limitations, the line needed to be fitted in an existing building that originally was planned in 1927.

The requirements were kind of delicate since the use case was to manufacture High-Potency Material there (for example 30 kg of material was manufactured into millions of pills). On top, the outer shell was applied. All dependencies in regard to IT and energy were, let’s say, somewhat challenging.

At the end of the project, we not only managed to fulfil the requirements but we also managed to connect all package units of the line to the Enterprise Active Directory. That made a huge difference in User Management and ease of use of the facility at the time. Additional areas like Audit Trail, Equipment Monitoring and Remote Access and User Management were ahead of their time.

 

What do you see as the major trend in Manufacturing? Why?

Of course, I feel that somehow – behind the hyped buzzwords like IoT or Digital Twins – AI and ML will make their way to reality. But honestly, behind all that I sense something else. I personally believe that with the empowerment of digital native people, things will change even more. A classical engineer will take decisions differently than a digital native who rescued thousands of digital ape babies in Nintendo’s Donkey Kong. For the digital natives, Informatics is no longer something to prevent failure. For the digital natives, IT is just something that takes you places.

 

How do you think this trend will influence companies active in Manufacturing?

This new and fresh perspective is bringing fun back into the game of optimisation. Dead ends will be resolved, and new forward thinking will make the current status quo look old starting from tomorrow on.

News from ERNI

In our newsroom, you find all our articles, blogs and series entries in one place.

  • 06.12.2023.
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    Streamlining software development: The journey from multiple to unified requirements management tools

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  • 22.11.2023.
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    Recognising trends: An insight into regression analysis

    Data plays a very important role in every area of a company. When it comes to data, a distinction is made primarily between operational data and dispositive data. Operational data play an important role, especially in day-to-day business. However, they are not nearly as relevant as dispositive data. This is because these data are collected over a longer period of time and provide an initial insight into the history or the past.

  • 08.11.2023.
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    Why do we need digital transformation for medical devices?

    For hospitals, it is not up for discussion as to whether they want to digitalise. The increasing age of the population in western countries and the progressive shortage of medical professionals mean that without digitalisation, the healthcare system will not be able to provide the quality that patients want in the future.

  • 25.10.2023.
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    Mastering the challenges of mobile app testing: Strategies for efficient quality assurance

    Discover the unique challenges faced in testing mobile applications and learn how to overcome them effectively. From selecting suitable devices and operating systems to leveraging cloud-based test platforms, test automation and emulators, this article provides seven essential strategies for optimising your mobile app testing process.

  • 11.10.2023.
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    Incorporating classical requirements engineering methods in agile software development for a laboratory automation system

    Traditional agile methodologies can sometimes struggle to accommodate the complexity and regulatory requirements of laboratory automation systems, leading to misalignment with stakeholder needs, scope creep, and potential delays. The lack of comprehensive requirements documentation can result in ambiguous expectations and hinder effective communication among cross-functional teams.

  • 27.09.2023.
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    Unveiling the power of data: Part III – Navigating challenges and harnessing insights in data-driven projects

    Transforming an idea into a successful machine learning (ML)-based product involves navigating various challenges. In this final part of our series, we delve into two crucial aspects: ensuring 24/7 operation of the product and prioritising user experience (UX).

  • 13.09.2023.
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    Exploring Language Models: An overview of LLMs and their practical implementation

    Generative AI models have recently amazed with unprecedented outputs, such as hyper-realistic images, diverse music, coherent texts, and synthetic videos, sparking excitement. Despite this progress, addressing ethical and societal concerns is crucial for responsible and beneficial utilization, guarding against issues like misinformation and manipulation in this AI-powered creative era.

  • 01.09.2023.
    Newsroom

    Peter Zuber becomes the new Managing Director of ERNI Switzerland

    ERNI is setting an agenda for growth and innovation with the appointment of Peter Zuber as Managing Director of the Swiss business unit. With his previous experience and expertise, he will further expand the positioning of ERNI Switzerland, as a leading consulting firm for software development and digital innovation.