Tribosonics CCO Christina King talks sense - and sensors
Chief Commercial Officer at Tribosonics Christina King spoke to Rob Coker about the company's polymerSENSE data acquisition solution and how it can add value to the polymer processing sector, and the new world of manufacturing for young women.
Where do sensors and technology such as that produced by Tribosonics fit into the polymers processing sector and in what ways do they improve functionality?
We are a sensing technology company but we do work in different markets, including the energy sector from nuclear to renewables. We also work in the transport sector with projects in the automotive and marine industries, and we’ve done work in the past in aerospace. On the manufacturing side, we are working with customers on process optimisation in the polymer sector in particular, working alongside OEM’s and processors in injection moulding and extrusion. The technique we use in the polymer industry is ultrasonic sensing where our sensors sit on the outside of the system and send a wave in so that we can sense change. It is encoded with waveform data that we can translate into a measurement and provide the customer with data. . These non-invasive external sensors open up a number of possibilities. We can measure and monitor anything from component wear to product and process parameters.
In the polymer sector specifically, our service focuses on screw and barrel wear. This was a problem for manufacturers as they didn’t know where and to what extent their screws and barrels were wearing without shutting down the machine and dismantling it to make a visual assessment, thereby wasting time and money through excessive downtime. ENGEL, for example, wanted a system whereby they could measure wear in-process. We developed a system for them that they’ve now integrated into their machine monitoring system.
We can also measure and monitor many other parameters, including polymer melt flow, viscosity and contamination. We’ve spoken to a lot of polymer OEM’s and processors; there are many different aspects that they’re interested in (including machine health, product quality, energy savings and product waste reduction). With these additional insights it makes it easier for a processor to change things in process to make efficiency gains and reduce wastage.
That ENGEL contract must have been some acquisition for Tribosonics.
Yes, we used our experience and technology expertise to build a partnership with ENGEL to develop the technology and tailor it for ENGEL’s needs. In order to reach a wider pool of other polymer processors we needed a different approach What we wanted to do was lower the barriers of technology adoption such as upfront development costs and time to give other polymer processors access to our technology in a shorter cycle.
And how did you achieve that?
We created a servitisation approach in which we provide the system and install it, charging them on a subscription basis only for the data used rather than for the cost of the equipment and installation. This gave them greater access to using our cutting edge and insightful sensor technology in their manufacturing processes.
Is it fair to say that this technology is going to help drive a more sustainable future for manufacturers?
Absolutely. You need data to drive sustainability – especially where energy savings are concerned. You need to know what’s happening with your equipment, processes and products. Our experience is that the level of digitisation and data collection in the polymer industry has been relatively low. We are helping our customers and partners on the road to digitisation by focusing on generating the data that is going to create the value. There’s no point measuring or monitoring something if it’s not going to create value, so we have commercial conversations before we talk about the technology, discussing cost and energy savings and making a process more sustainable; from this point we can help the customer to focus on where the big savings and sustainability gains will come from.
What kind of scientific and academic expertise goes into developing technology such as this?
It was certainly not developed by a single person in a workshop, let’s put it that way, it was a real collaborative effort due the numerous elements involved. We have an incredible mix of PhD scientists (looking at concepts to solve problems from core scientific principles), engineers (turning those concepts into products), data scientists (generating algorithms and data analysis techniques) and commercialisation experts (to provide the commercial frameworks to get the products and services to market) Approximately 30 people work for Tribosonics in three distinct areas: The R&I lab; the commercialisation hub; and the manufacturing side, but it’s our customers that are the real domain experts. We have a lot of experience with polymers and we have a lot of technology out there in the polymers processing arena collecting the data, but they are the experts when it comes to their machinery and their processes; it’s our job to bring everything collaboratively to extract the data and value generation opportunities that our customers ask us for.
I imagine that the majority of Tribosonics’ partners have therefore embraced the Industry 4.0 phenomenon?
A lot of companies will say they have embraced Industry 4.0 practices but in reality, it might not be quite like that. The companies we work best with are those actively seeking changes in their business and who are open to collaborating with external technology providers (like ourselves) to accelerate digital transformation in a true “Industry 4.0” sense. business forward. I’ve found that the mid-market enterprises are the ones embracing it the most. They have scale and global reach but have agility and an appetite for collaboration. most. Everyone we speak to is interested because we’re opening up data streams that you can’t currently get from commercially available, off-the-shelf sensors. If we can provide that and give access to the value and sustainability gains as a result, then that’s always an interesting conversation to have. The question, really, is how do we get there? We want to do this for all our industry sectors but our polymerSENSE offering is certainly the one that has a significant reach in the market. It’s not necessarily the technology in itself that attracts manufacturers but the value that they get from the data it generates.
How can the polymerSENSE add value to the recycling sector?
One of the things we’ve found with recycling is that there is variability with feedstock and other factors that mean processors can’t get material output of a consistent quality, which creates a lot of issues downstream for the products it goes back into. For packaging, for example, there are very strict rules about the material content. Even the automotive sector is pushing for more recycled plastic content that maintains quality, strength and performance. This all has to be done by 2030 – which is not long from now – so you’re going to have to have some insights to help with testing and development, etc. We can help by working with those companies to alleviate that through in-line process monitoring so that less time, and less material, is wasted. This would ensure that decisions can be made quickly and that higher quality materials can find their way to manufacturers who need it and lower quality material can go elsewhere to be useful.
How did you become interested in data collection and analysis technology?
I think data is the new oil – only probably more valuable – because we’re living in a digitalised society where everything is captured and digitised. Some would argue that there is too much data but if you’ve got focused data that you can analyse, use and leverage, then you’ve got quite a lot of power to be able to move a business forward. Tribosonics is in a really good position because we can connect the physical world to the digital world. The only way to connect the two is through sensing technology. We’re aligned with and in a position to capitalise on some of the mega-trends such as sustainability, net-zero, digitisation etc. Data can be used in operational efficiency, but it can also be used in a feedback loop to change and improve the design of a product. I came into the business as Head of Strategic Partnerships and have seen many projects go from early development to commercial roll-out. I’ve had a considerable number of conversations about technology development and adding value, and matching commercial needs to our technology, which I find very fascinating.
What would you say then to any young person aspiring to a career in data management and technology?
My background is in mechanical engineering and heavy manufacturing and what’s interesting now is that you don’t have to come from a technology background to work in technology because there are a lot of roles available, from data to marketing. As long as you’ve got an interest and excitement for this type of industry and a passion for change, there’s a role for you because it needs a multi-disciplinary approach. The main thing is finding what you’re passionate about, finding role models in that industry, and finding out as much as you can about it.
Are young women likely to benefit career-wise from this digitalised world we now live in?
Yes, there is definitely a shortage of all kinds of engineers and scientists, including data scientists. All this data coming in needs people to develop ways to collect, transmit and analyse it in a cloud-first world to help corporate management teams and engineers understand what that data means. It’s a whole new skill set and an area that is only going to grow.
Manufacturing is gradually becoming a more diverse and inclusive field, which will attract young women back into that sector. We have women engineers and scientists here doing their PhDs in that area, so applying that academic knowledge to real world scenarios will see more young people coming in and experiencing it through internships and apprenticeships, through future leadership programmes and immersing themselves in all the aspects of the business, which I think is great. I would have loved to have started out that way because you get to know more quickly which area you want to specialise in. The UK technology industry is innovative and growing and therefore a great opportunity for young people.