Mann+Hummel opens IoT lab
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THE STRAITS TIMES ASIA NEWS NETWORK SINGAPORE
MANN+HUMMEL, opening a laboratory that is a world first for the German filtration maker, has raised the possibility of helping to tackle Singapore’s haze problem with its smart products.
The firm on Tuesday launched its first global Internet of Things (IoT) lab in Singapore, where it already has its Asian headquarters.
The Fusionopolis Way lab will focus on research and development of commercial, industrial and automotive air filters using smart technologies, such as those making use of advanced sensors and predictive capabilities.
Work on more than 10 projects is underway, with 30 in the pipeline.
It aims to double headcount at the lab to 10 by next year as it continues to hire system, hardware, firmware and software engineers and data scientists.
The lab is part of Mann+Hummel’s investment here that is expected to amount to US$10 million (Bt355 million) over three years.
Mann+Hummel’s supervisory board chairman Thomas Fischer said at the launch that IoT is set to become “the playing field of a more mature digital economy”.
IoT refers to linking a range of smart devices using the Internet.
“We have to invent and adopt smart technologies to manufacture smart products in smart factories,” he said.
Smart air filtration
Smart air filtration systems could help Singapore better manage the haze.
“Imagine thousands or millions of automotive, industrial and residential air filters in and around Singapore measuring and improving air quality and – being connected through the IoT – alerting Singaporeans about the next haze before it even arrives.”
The haze could be tackled using “predictive insight from a network of connected smart filters”.
“Imagine a world where smart filters make Singapore an even smarter and more liveable city.”
Vice president of technology Charles Vaillant said the group chose Singapore because of its strategic location in Southeast Asia, its proximity to many emerging economies, its access to a rich supply base in the electronics and software industry and its vibrant startup ecosystem.
The group expects to see the largest growth come from Asia, which now accounts for 20 per cent of its global sales, at more than 600 million euros (Bt23.5 billion).
Mann+Hummel employs over 80 people in Singapore and more than 3,000 in Asia.
Boom in industrial IoT-related investment
Emerson Electric, which has set up a global pervasive sensing centre, is deploying its industrial IoT solutions in several chemical plants on Jurong Island.
TuV Sud opened its digital centre of excellence earlier this year, and Siemens launched its digital factory manufacturing design consultancy last month to help companies digitise their factories.
Yeoh Keat Chuan, managing director of the Economic Development Board, who was at the launch, said Mann+Hummel’s investment is “well aligned with Singapore’s strong interest in growing industrial IoT capabilities”.
“Industrial IoT will allow manufacturers to increase productivity, improve time-to-market and reduce operating costs by enabling predictive maintenance, remote monitoring and efficient energy consumption,” he said.
“Singapore is striving to become the world’s first Smart Nation...In fact, for Singapore, data is fast becoming a new ‘natural resource’ that can be refined and modelled into a form that can be used to drive economic growth.”
