Engineers today: Multiple levels of expertise

EDITOR'S NOTE: Keith Nosbusch, Rockwell Automation's chief executive, received ISA's highest honor, Honorary Member, at last year's fall President.'s meeting at ISA EXPO. One year later, Nosbusch discussed with InTech editors key industry elements affecting engineers today.

InTech: As the head of Rockwell Automation, how have you seen the industry change over the years?

Keith Nosbusch: I've been with Rockwell Automation for more than 30 years, and I can honestly say that there's never been a more exciting period in the industry and in our company than the present. The traditional drivers in manufacturing-cost, quality and productivity-are being joined by important new -flexibility, compliance, the increased value of plant floor information, and integration with the enterprise and supply chain systems. These changes have influenced our customers and the way we work with them. They don't ask us for the latest controller, drive, sensor, or application software; they ask us "how can you help me make more cars, more candy bars, more medicines?"

InTech: How has the role of the engineer changed over the years, and what will that role be in five years?

Nosbusch: The engineer in manufacturing today needs to be more than a technical expert; he or she needs to truly understand the impact of manufacturing on the overall business strategy. In addition, different engineering departments within many companies have merged, and that's resulted in much more collaboration. In such collaborative environments, engineers will need expertise in multiple disciplines and the ability to take a systems approach to problem solving. For example, when our field engineers meet with customers, they are sitting down in one room with engineers from both discrete and process sides of the operation, as well as people from IT. Five years ago, we'd have had three separate meetings. Over the next five years, I think we'll see the engineering and IT roles continue to merge.

InTech: Process and discrete were two labels given for different types of manufacturing for years. With today's technology, do those labels remain, or have they merged under the automation umbrella?

Nosbusch: It's interesting-while it's important to recognize the unique requirements of process and discrete applications, it's also just as important to recognize these applications no longer require disparate control systems. I recently read a report that identified poor data collection as the number one reason production optimization efforts fail. Manufacturers can improve data collection by eliminating the silos that exist on the plant floor, especially those between process and discrete applications.

InTech: What do you see are the biggest issues facing manufacturers today, and why?

Nosbusch: Manufacturers today operate in an incredibly challenging environment-one where they need to stay on top of industry trends while at the same time making sure they don't hinder productivity gains. It's a little like being asked to upgrade the jet engine without landing the plane. Meanwhile, rapidly changing market demands require faster turnarounds, smaller production runs, greater customization, and higher quality with lower cost. And as if that wasn't enough, regulatory compliance imposes exacting processing, safety, and recordkeeping standards that must be met.

InTech: There is no doubt we work in a global manufacturing environment. With a shift in manufacturing to other countries, such as China and India, how do you see that affecting the industry?

Nosbusch: The growth of manufacturing in emerging economies like China, India, and Eastern Europe has been nothing short of incredible. Many point to the low cost of labor as the primary reason for this growth, but there's a lot more to it than that. First, let's remember that manufacturers-particularly those in automotive, food and beverage, and life sciences markets-recognize the huge base of untapped customers in these regions. Second, the number of degreed engineers and technical experts coming out of these regions eclipses both the U.S. and Western Europe. The bottom line is this-manufacturers today need to have a global view.

InTech: We have been talking about the need to communicate information from the plant floor to the executive suite for years, but the reality is true end-to-end communication hasn't really happened. Are plants now communicating fully throughout the enterprise?

Nosbusch: More and more are actively doing it today, and they're seeing great value from it. The vision of integrating information from shop floor to top floor has been around for quite a while. What's changed is that plantwide integration is no longer a luxury; it's a strategic imperative. The unquenchable thirst for more and better information to accelerate decision-making, coupled with the need to more closely track and trace product genealogy for regulatory compliance, have forced manufacturers to capture and leverage the incredible amount of rich real-time data generated on the plant floor.