Rethinking Production: Digitalization for Phoenix Contact's PLCnext Factory

Session Abstract:

Companies such as Netflix, Amazon, and Alibaba, Tesla and SpaceX are successfully utilizing new methods to realize complex projects at incredible speeds. What all of these have in common is that they use agile working methods and employ digital technologies. We now need to look closely and ask ourselves how they are using digital technologies and benefiting from agile methods. We can learn lessons from this and apply them to our own working practices. Back in 2017/18 Phoenix Contact, set an important milestone on the road to digital  transformation, with the management team developing a common dialog model that has been a guiding principle for us ever since. This model outlines the interfaces through which we are rethinking our processes within the framework of digitalization.

Speaker biographies

Dave Eifert is the Senior Business Development Manager – IIoT for Phoenix Contact USA. Prior to accepting this role, he was the Industry Manager for Water Resource Management at Phoenix Contact. Earlier in his career he served in various business development, marketing and technical sales roles for various leading companies. Dave received a BS in Interdisciplinary Engineering and Management from Clarkson University. He currently resides in Cleveland Ohio, and when not working enjoys playing guitar and singing, road and mountain biking, traveling, writing, and hanging out with his wife and two adult children.