Automation has moved far beyond traditional PLC-driven systems

In conversation with OEM Update, Jhankar Dutta, Regional MD, Southern and Eastern Asia, BEER, said We see a strong adoption of integrated machine control, digital twins, predictive intelligence and robot-machine convergence in machine building, and manufacturers are pushing for greater throughput at better quality, flexibility and energy efficiency-and automation is the backbone enabling this transformation.

- Jhankar Dutta

What challenges have your customers faced in the past years, and what trends in automation do you see evolving today?

Automation has moved far beyond traditional PLC-driven systems. Today, OEMs want open, scalable, and interconnected platforms that can support modular machine design, high-speed but flexible motion, edge intelligence, and seamless data flow. We see a strong adoption of integrated machine control, digital twins, predictive intelligence and robot-machine convergence in machine building. Manufacturers are pushing for greater throughput, better quality, greater flexibility, and higher energy efficiency—and automation is the backbone enabling this transformation.

Recently, during an insightful interaction organised by Advantage Austria in Pune with Hans-Joerg Hoertnagl, Austrian Trade Commissioner, and Markus Achleitner, Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Upper Austria, the discussions centred around accelerating Austria-India technology partnerships and unlocking new opportunities in automation and smart manufacturing. For B&R, an Austrian company with a strong innovation legacy, this collaboration reinforces our commitment to supporting our customers in India with world-class automation technologies and future-ready capabilities solutions tailored to their needs.

How is BE&R leveraging automation to improve manufacturing efficiency on the shop floor?