A Future where Data is Fully and Autonomously Leveraged

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division provides solutions that use data from design and engineering, production and metrology to make manufacturing smarter. The company develops the disruptive technologies of today and products of tomorrow. Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence aims to improve productivity by embedding quality throughout the product lifecycle. The digital reality solutions enable customers to harness the rapidly-increasing amounts of data, putting it to work to boost efficiency, productivity, quality and safety across industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, public sector, and mobility applications. During an interaction with Nitisha; Dr. Karthik Sundarraj, Technology Advisor (To MD), Hexagon elaborates Hexagon’s business modules and also share his future plans for business growth. While emphasizing the vision of the company he says, Hexagon’s vision is a future where data is fully and autonomously leveraged so that business, industry and humanity sustainably thrive.

Kindly talk about Hexagon’s sensor, software and autonomous solutions.

Hexagon has long been a leader in delivering smart digital realities that require real-time and autonomous data capture, analysis and visualization. We integrate real-world sensor inputs which combined with software solutions are built to analyze, predict and act to create new and more complete realities that address uncertainty and enable resilient organizations, teams and workflows.

Our digital reality solutions enable customers to harness the rapidly increasing amounts of data, putting it to work to boost efficiency, productivity, quality and safety across industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, public sector and mobility applications. At our very core is a powerful vision of a future where data is fully leveraged so that business, industry and humanity sustainably thrive.

TE Connectivity SMD Resistors Now at TME

Also Read

Hexagon has a unique set of five core competencies critical to fusing the physical and digital worlds and fully connecting and leveraging customers’ data. When leveraged together, they add up to perhaps the most dynamic and powerful use of data in history: The Smart Digital Reality™. It’s what Hexagon aims to deliver with every solution.

Smart Digital Realities introduce autonomy, creating the power to understand what was and what is, and to see what could be, what should be and what will be. They are more than mirror images of the physical world or simulated testing playgrounds — they are living re-creations of reality, the ultimate form of data leverage and the foundation for an autonomous future.

How do you cater to your clients with unique facilities and what will be future Solutions?   

Hexagon’s strategy is focused on the rapidly widening gap between the enormous amounts of data being created, and the world’s ability to harness it. Putting data to work to empower an autonomous, sustainable future is in our DNA, enabled by five core competencies: (1) Reality capture (2) Positioning (3) Location Intelligence (4) Design and simulation and (5). As previously mentioned, these core competencies combine in– perhaps the most dynamic and powerful use of data in history: The Smart Digital Reality™. This is what Hexagon aims to deliver with every solution it provides. This is Hexagon’s strategic advantage and the greatest source of value for its customers.

Hexagon has two major Enterprise solutions through which majority of industrial segments are catered with futuristic technologies.

Industrial Enterprise Solutions

Industrial Enterprise Solutions (IES) includes a world-leading portfolio of metrology solutions incorporating the latest sensor and software technologies for fast and accurate measurements. These solutions include technologies such as coordinate measurement machines (CMM) and laser trackers and scanners for optimizing design, processes and throughput in manufacturing facilities. IES also includes a broad software portfolio, encompassing CAD (computer aided design), CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) and CAE (computer-aided engineering) platforms. Solutions within this segment also include software for optimizing design, improving productivity and creating and leveraging asset management information through the lifecycle of industrial plants and processing facilities.

Geospatial Enterprise Solutions

Geospatial Enterprise Solutions (GES) includes a world leading portfolio of reality-capture sensors — from laser scanners, airborne cameras and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to monitoring equipment, mobile mapping technologies and precise positioning. The sensors are complemented by softwares to create 3D maps and models, which are used for decision-making in a range of software applications, covering areas such as surveying, construction, public safety, mining and agriculture.

Kindly share your journey with Hexagon and what kind of challenges and opportunities you achieved?

My role in Hexagon has been dynamic. It is a combination of being a researcher, an academician and a technology strategist. I am responsible for Technical and Business Development activities of Electronics, Bio-Medical and CFD Solutions and also handle academic, skill development and transformational business initiatives. Navigating business through challenges of COVID, the Industry 4.0 dynamics and the way Data has become the king of doing business has been a great learning experience for me.

Recently, Hexagon has expanded its portfolio in Sustainability solutions. Kindly throw some light on it.

Hexagon’s vision is a future where data is fully and autonomously leveraged so that business, industry and humanity sustainably thrive.

A world where economic growth does not come at the expense of the planet and people. As a global leader in sensor, software and autonomous solutions, Hexagon is an enabler of sustainability, with solutions that improve efficiency, quality and safety across a broad array of industries and societies.

Our sensor and software portfolios create smart digital realities that can be leveraged in almost any industry, business or organization to support their journey towards sustainability. A smart digital reality can be utilized to visualize and prepare an entire city for environmental change, plan a country’s transportation system and optimize its infrastructure maintenance schedule to minimize delays. It can also be used to design and enhance the batteries and range for electric vehicles, automate production lines and lessen waste, as well as to monitor and protect critical infrastructure and natural resources. In 2021 we noted an increased demand for all such solutions and are confident the need for our sustainability supporting solutions will continue to grow. This puts Hexagon in a rare position on the market: by doing well in business we also do good for the planet.

While Hexagon’s greatest impact lies within our solutions and how they are used by our customers, we also always look within our organization on how we handle and support our own operations and culture. In 2021, we took great strides ahead in our sustainability program, pursuing several activities in support of our focus areas.

The Hexagon story is about customers doing well, and this in return will lead to doing good things for the planet. Efficiency, productivity, quality and safety, are the antidotes to a planet under siege—helping to minimize waste, pollution, cost and risk. Hexagon’s solutions empower customers to turn data into a sustainable, competitive advantage, and to make factories more productive, cities safer, industrial facilities more efficient and construction projects more profitable. To further drive its sustainability mission, Hexagon launched a dedicated sustainability program and R-evolution in early 2021. R-evolution is a business venture focused on accelerating the world’s transition to a sustainable economy by running profit-driven investments in green-tech projects where Hexagon’s technology can be applied. Today and beyond, Hexagon is committed to ensure continued sustainability solutions at an increasingly faster pace. Hexagon will drive sustainability, growth and shareholder value well into the future by providing businesses and industry with the freedom to do good– by doing well.

What kind of digital transformation Hexagon is planning to introduce and what will be the key areas?

Hexagon is committed to empowering an autonomous future

Hexagon’s offerings are accelerating and empowering an autonomous future — where data is fully leveraged so that business, industry and humanity sustainably thrive.

The shift from automation to autonomy is so important, so critical to our collective future, that this simple notion of ‘putting data to work’ is our singular goal at Hexagon. There’s no other company better positioned to “autonomize” the future for our customers and the industries we serve – from manufacturing to mining, from urban infrastructure construction to the city governments that plan them.

Smart Manufacturing

Each year, Hexagon manufacturing technology touches 90% of aircrafts produced, 85% of smartphones produced, and 75% of cars produced.

Could a factory think for itself? Can it autonomously produce a better car or aircraft? Can we put data to work to eliminate waste? Hexagon’s solutions are being applied extensively across industries such as automotive, aerospace, electronics, heavy industry, medical, power & energy, and more to usher in an age of sustainable Smart Factories that have fewer inputs, zero waste, and perfect quality.

Manufacturers today are looking for smarter ways to improve quality and productivity. Hexagon is a global leader in digital solutions that create Autonomous connected ecosystems where data is connected seamlessly, converging the physical and digital worlds, and building intelligence into all processes. Xalt, Hexagon’s framework for using IoT data to accelerate digital transformation, provides a base of technologies like Cloud computing and Artificial Intelligence, which enable our smart manufacturing solutions. Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division is digitally transforming manufacturing by converging design & engineering, production and metrology solutions to make our customers’ factories smarter. Our design & engineering solutions use computer-aided engineering techniques to simulate reality, so quality is embedded into product design and manufacturability is guaranteed. Our production solutions include CNC simulation and computer-aided manufacturing software that ensure design intent is maintained through the production process, improving productivity and delivering high-quality components. Our metrology sensors capture real-world data for positioning and inspection, while metrology software provides actionable information through advanced analytics and intuitive reporting. Hexagon’s expertise in sensor technologies, software and data orchestration enables autonomous connected ecosystems for suppliers and customers, improving quality and productivity by making factories smarter.

How was the year 2020-21 in term of business? What will be your future marketing strategy?

2020-21 has been an exceptional growth period. With COVID lockdown, the dependance of businesses on technology increase, giving every tech led companies a window to grow. For the first time, businesses were leaning on data driven analysis for expansion and investment exclusively rather than on-ground facts. If we go by figures, revenues in 2020 is around 3.8bn Euro as compared to 2000 at 500 mn Euro, with business expansion in 50 countries today as compared to presence in only 17 countries back in 2000.

Looking through performance—following are the highlights of Hexagon’s performance. For future growth we are expecting a 5-7 % organic growth and 8-12% average total growth per year between 2022-2026.

• Operating net sales increased by 15 per cent to 4,347.4 MEUR. Using fixed exchange rates and a comparable group structure (organic growth), net sales increased by 12 per cent
• Industrial Enterprise Solutions (IES) operating net sales amounted to 2,146.0 MEUR. Using fixed exchange rates and a comparable group structure (organic growth), net sales increased by 11 per cent.
• Geospatial Enterprise Solutions (GES) operating net sales amounted to 2,201.4 MEUR. Using fixed exchange rates and a comparable group structure (organic growth), net sales increased by 13 per cent.
• Manufacturing Intelligence recorded 15 per cent organic growth, driven by a strong recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic, especially in electronics, automotive and manufacturing.

Kindly talk about your upcoming project.

Focus on Academic Collaboration and Skill Development:

The jobs of the future are increasingly technology-driven and highly skilled. Unfortunately, current and future demands far exceeds supply, creating what is now commonly known as the “skills gap.” The impending workforce crisis created by the skills gap can’t be overstated. According to the education commission, it is predicted that by 2030, more than half of the nearly 2 billion youth worldwide will not have the skills or qualifications necessary to participate in the emerging global workforce. In practical terms, this translates to more than 50 percent of tomorrow’s human capital being potentially unprepared to enter the workforce.

It is a well-known fact that India has the largest working population in the world. Nearly two-thirds of Indians are under 35, half are under 25. If properly trained, this supply of young workers could propel future economic growth and capitalise on the productivity gains from Industry 4.0. It is estimated that 37% of the workforce will be employed in jobs requiring radically different skill sets by 2022. With the advent of Industry 4.0, companies not only face challenges in finding skilled employees but also face challenge with existing workforce and have to adapt to programs that shall up-skill and re-skill existing workforce, promote continuous learning and mindset change. Industry 4.0 and future mobility trends will create new roles requiring additional skilled workers, while existing jobs will be vulnerable to automation.

It is precisely to overcome this gap; Hexagon group has created a special Technology Advancement Division to support countries around the world address their challenges of generating employable technical manpower. The intent of Technology Advancement Division is to provide the state of art Hexagon solutions to students and help them acquire new skills through various programs, making them future ready and employable, in-turn contributing to propelling future economic growth.

Focus on eMobility:

With environmental concerns never greater than today, electro mobility – better known as eMobility – promises a new era for transportation. From mild-hybrid electric vehicles (MHEVs) to all-electric battery electric vehicles (BEVs), electrification offers new potential for sustainable, low-emission transportation. Hexagon is supporting the automotive industry – from OEMs to suppliers and mobility providers – in designing and producing this next travel evolution, with manufacturing technologies equipped for the challenges of ramping up and commercializing eMobility.

EVs are predicted to represent a third of the automotive market by 2025 and 51% by 2030. But we believe the automotive industry can make this shift even faster, and we want to support those efforts. This is why Hexagon has created 100%EV – to help accelerate electrification. Hexagon offers industry an integrated approach to improve, speed up and simplify the development of electric vehicles by targeting key challenges listed below faced by designers, engineers and manufacturers.

• As the eMobility race progresses, leaders will grapple with and overcome complex thermal challenges.
• Range anxiety?  Tackle the biggest perception issue for EVs head on and create more efficient electric vehicles.
• 100%EV is not about being ‘as good as’ combustion. It’s about creating a new class of vehicle that outperforms the old at every turn.
• Tackling noise and vibration intelligently to improve EV cabin audio experience.

Electronics Focus:

Whether our customers in the electronics sector are manufacturing next-generation smartphones, 5G networking equipment, micro-electronic components, white goods, automotive and avionics systems, or industrial robots, Hexagon delivers the simulation, production and inspection solutions to help them excel in design, quality, cost-effectiveness and productivity. Electronics manufacturers are improving design, production, and quality with Hexagon through:

• Focusing on NPI processes on the designs and manufacturing operations that count in the real world
• Capturing materials data from integrated design, production and inspection processes to ensure full traceability throughout a product’s lifecycle.
• Making new product designing easier through simulation software that shows the future
• Optimising use of materials and machine capacity gives electronic equipment manufacturers an important competitive edge.
• Dimensional inspection hardware and software that helps electronic manufacturers capture, analyse and act on the data that drives quality excellence.
• Delivering the open, interconnected systems that drive sustainable electronics manufacturing