Omron's 'Integrated Robotic Controller' for fully automated robotic production systems enables real-time synchronization between robots, vision components, drives and safety technology.

© Omron

It's not all rosy in 90 years - what do you think was the most difficult time for the company?

Omron has grown continuously in the 90 years since it was founded - today we would say as a Japanese "start-up" company - and now employs around 30,000 people worldwide. I think it's quite normal for there to be ups and downs over the course of 90 years.

The Lehmann crisis and then, of course, the coronavirus pandemic have certainly been among the most challenging events in recent times. In the case of Lehmann, it was the simultaneous collapse in demand on virtually all international markets that presented us with considerable challenges. This had never happened before for Omron. But we mastered this time together and saved all jobs despite the dramatic slump in sales, and so we were able to get going again quickly after the crisis. This welded us together and made us more resilient to crisis situations. This was good, because with Corona we were then faced with the completely new challenge for all companies of having to handle all business processes 'from home'. In addition, there were slumps in sales, short-time working and, of course, concerns about how the pandemic would develop. But even in this crisis, we worked together as a team and stuck together. This has strengthened mutual trust and makes us confident that we will successfully overcome new crises together.

The manufacturing industry is currently struggling with various difficulties such as a shortage of skilled workers, unstable supply chains, rising costs and profit margins squeezed by inflation - with no end in sight. This is where our solutions come in and where we want to provide relief with the help of technology and expertise. Climate change is also a huge challenge: we all need to take action! For us, sustainability is part of our basic principles and we want to make a contribution to society by solving various social problems with our solutions. For example, we are a member of the Climate Group's EP100 initiative - the first Japanese manufacturing company and the fourth Japanese company in general to join this sustainability initiative. With the Industrial Automation and Healthcare divisions joining the initiative, Omron is committed to doubling its energy productivity.

Based on AI (Artificial Intelligence), the FH image processing system enables optical inspections without existing bad patterns.

© Omron

What does the Omron roadmap look like for the next ten to 15 years?

Our roadmap is clearly focused on industrial automation, AI, sustainability and holistic support. The development of relays, timers, switches and other components that are essential for the automatic operation of manufacturing machines 50 years ago was the beginning of a long-term commitment to accelerating and advancing industrial automation. In recent years, the focus has shifted to manufacturing automation and we have made great strides in the development of sensors, controllers, robots and other devices that help improve manufacturing processes. This has led to several world firsts, including the first intelligent high-performance camera with multi-color light, a Scara robot with predictive maintenance capabilities and an integrated robot controller.

Production automation can help industrial companies to tackle a wide range of current problems. The integration of technologies and devices via the Internet of Things (IoT) helps manufacturers to reap the benefits of Industry 4.0. Examples include greater efficiency through data monitoring and analysis and better collaboration between people and machines. At the same time, the introduction of AI helps to automate decision-making processes and optimize production plans, resulting in improved efficiency and less waste. This is exactly where we come in with our solutions and technologies.

What technological trends do you see that are or will be important for Omron?

We are combining core automation platforms such as robotics, controls, sensors and vision with new technologies such as AI and 5G to provide the manufacturing industry with creative solutions to challenges they face due to macroeconomic factors. Innovations such as Omron's AI-powered solutions for predictive maintenance and collaborative robotics are helping to accelerate data-driven operations through digitalization and create a blueprint for the next generation of smart factories. This is how we address key trends. We are convinced that automation will play an even more important role in industry in the future in order to work more sustainably, efficiently and profitably. The world is currently witnessing a far-reaching transformation in the field of production and manufacturing. A decade ago, China was still the 'Factory of the World', mass consumption was the main driving force, and little attention was paid to raw material consumption or the environment. Today, we are moving away from this mindset and instead pursuing an 'autonomous' approach that emphasizes sustainability, the development and well-being of the individual, and quality over quantity. This new world is all about harmonized automation solutions that improve productivity, help address the ongoing skills shortage and help reduce the carbon footprint at the same time.

What do you think will be the biggest challenge in the coming years, in terms of business and/or technology?

Social developments, technology and economic growth are inseparable. The biggest challenges of the next few years are certainly climate change and the shortage of skilled workers, as they affect all industries, countries and sectors. Omron is developing technologies to become more flexible and adaptable, for example. As part of our 'Shaping The Future 2030' strategy, our company founder's vision of using technology to create a better world will live on.