Machine builders must embrace technological innovations

Draad BV is a member of FHI as of November 1, 2024 and will be at the Machinebouw event in 's-Hertogenbosch on December 3. During this event, Jeroen De Bleecker, owner of Draad BV, will give a presentation on working smarter.

Draad BV is a manufacturer of wire and cable harnesses for panel and machine building applications. Their slogan sums it up nicely: “wire as a service”. Draad BV follows the developments within the industry towards standardization, specialization and modular working. They supply customized wiring packages that completely unburden the customer. Jeroen claims that even I – 'a journalist', as he puts it – could completely wire a cabinet. No prior training or knowledge required. Just follow the instructions. “The wire is printed and completely finished.” A child could do the laundry.

The mechanical engineering industry is a world known for its wait-and-see attitude towards innovations and developments. For manufacturers of machines that have to last for years and on which production lines depend, this is a very sensible attitude. Jeroen has years of experience in the industry and tells me why the mechanical engineering industry should embrace technological innovations.

Jeroen states that machine builders must now say goodbye to their wait-and-see attitude. The interesting, or perhaps surprising, thing is that the need is not driven by economics, but by a shortage of people. Jeroen is no longer talking about technically trained personnel – they are no longer available – but about people in general. The shortage is so dire that the red carpet is being rolled out for anyone who wants to work. “You have to adapt your process to the people who are there.”

A surprising effect is that the unskilled man or woman who connects the wiring in the cabinet with the pre-assembled wiring package works twice as fast as the 'old-fashioned' professional. The condition is that the wire package is produced from a 'virtual twin' or a previously made and measured package. The traditional electrician has to read a diagram, cut all the wires to size, finish and connect them himself. With wire confection, the wiring can now be connected according to a fixed instruction. And not according to the 'taste' of an electrician. The experienced electrician is now free to do other work in the development and maintenance phase.

The traditional machine builder wants to be able to do everything himself. “Have everything in-house,” as Jeroen puts it. And he is very adamant about this: “This is impossible. On the one hand because the market demands high-quality products and on the other hand because of the shortage of personnel.”

“We are moving away from linear production. One company that develops and produces a product from A to Z,” Jeroen explains. “There is clearly a shift towards a network of companies that produce the various components of a product in parallel, next to each other. Specialised companies that excel in quality, flexibility and efficiency.” He predicts that this development will continue. The advantages are so great that resistance is pointless. The flexibility that machine builders can offer the customer with this is unprecedented and Jeroen also states that this way of producing gives the innovative power of machine builders a huge boost. Forced by individual requirements and questions from the customer, but also by standardisation and norms, he is convinced that technical developments will follow each other in rapid succession. The risk for machine builders who miss the boat is that they will never catch up.

Jeroen compares it to the automotive industry. “They already work completely modularly here. The mechanical engineering sector has no choice. Short assembly, just-on-time delivery, low stock; the sector must and will make a leap forward.”