NOVEMBER 202419MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY INSIGHTSconducted a lot of testing --like sea salt testing -- to find that black oxide offers the highest corrosion resistance for ferrous materials while offering a better surface finish on the products. We offer black oxide for our carbon steel materials. We also use hard chrome or stainless steel as alternatives. An anti-rust oil, on the other, prevents the deterioration of products while being shipped to customers by air, water, or road. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING THE INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION INDUSTRY TODAY? There are several markets within the Industrial Automation industry that are rapidly growing, from EV to semiconductors, to warehouse automation, which is why it's crucial to have a manufacturing partner that focuses on configurability as a fast and cost-effective solution. Some of the biggest challenges the market is facing include labor and material shortages, plus getting finished products procured on time. As companies are moving towards automation, these challenges become even harder to face. But the way that MISUMI is helping is by offering the flexibility needed to get high-quality components for assembly, machinery, equipment, and other design projects delivered on time in the most cost-effective way. For example, most of our components don't have to be touched or modified at the customer's location, since they are already finished before delivery. Our goal is to help support these fast-growing markets, despite these challenges, and we do this by consistently improving our capabilities. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PIECE OF ADVICE TO FELLOW PEERS AND ASPIRING PROFESSIONALS IN THE INDUSTRY?My piece of advice would be to focus on the growing markets like EV, warehouse automation, and semiconductors and understand what and how they are conducting their business. Also, product managers should take part in the functioning of different teams to know how the entire product lifecycle works. That way, one can be a better asset to the company as a whole and not just be a conventional product manager. There are several markets within the Industrial Automation industry that are rapidly growing, from EV to warehouse automation, which is why it's crucial to have a manufacturing partner that focuses on configurability as a fast and cost-effective solution
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