Motion control market growth will resume

January 2011 System Integration & Control Systems Design

2009 started with the deepest global downturn in recent history. While the worst of the financial crisis may be over, the global recovery remains fragile. With the beginning of the economic recovery, an increasing globalisation environment is expected to resume, which will once again cause industrial companies to invest in new automation equipment in various industries. Although this investment is expected to start at a slow pace, general motion control (GMC) equipment will enjoy moderate growth, according to an ARC Advisory Group study.

Automation suppliers closed the books on a disappointing 2009, and for the near term, at least, suppliers expect the challenging business environment to continue. “Emerging economies in Asia, such as China, India, and a few other Asian countries, continue to make investments in automation as a result of strong domestic demand for production machinery. The growth opportunities in the Asian market will provide motion control suppliers a means to sustain the business until the global machinery market recovers,” according to senior analyst Himanshu Shah ([email protected]), the principle author of ARC’s 'General Motion Control Worldwide Outlook' (www.arcweb.com/res/gmc).

Globalisation will drive GMC market growth

Driven by globalisation, the GMC market will continue to expand on a worldwide scale during the next five years due to a continued infusion of capital for automation in many regions and industries. These include automotive, food and beverage, electronics, and semiconductor industries. The majority of this globalisation is taking place in the countries of Eastern Europe and the developing countries of Asia. Fierce global competition increasingly causes manufacturers to allocate investments in automation to drive down costs and raise productivity by increasing agility and flexibility in their manufacturing operations.

GMC systems play a role in almost every piece of automated equipment aimed at achieving higher agility and flexibility in operations. Manufacturers continually seek ways to increase efficiency and push machine builders to do the same. As a result, new technologies are constantly being developed, making old machinery obsolete and serving as the catalyst for the purchase of new agile, flexible, and efficient machinery. This constant turnover and progression helps drive GMC system growth.

The General Motion Control Worldwide Outlook report also addresses how energy volatility and scarcity, as well as sustainability, are also affecting GMC and automation equipment in a wide range of industries.

GMC suppliers face challenges

Clearly, for automation suppliers, the worst economic period is probably behind them, but one caveat is that new order activity remains sluggish, and will have to pick up significantly for a complete recovery in the automation market. Emerging Asian economies, China, India, and others, provided clear evidence of a recovery for most automation suppliers. The investments in automation continued as a result of strong domestic demands. However, GMC suppliers have a relatively small market in these economies, and therefore the uptick in the Asian market was insufficient to compensate for the severe declines in advanced economies.

In addition to the quantitative assessment of the GMC market, this report provides an insightful analysis of the GMC market and explores issues that will impact this business in the future.

For more information contact ARC Advisory Group, +1 781 471 1000, [email protected], www.arcweb.com

Further reading:

Understanding the role of AI in generative engineering design
System Integration & Control Systems Design
When a design engineer sets out to design a new part, component, or assembly, the intent is to meet the design requirements for fit, form and function, and also incorporate a certain degree of innovation and elegance to the overall design. There is no reason to re-invent the wheel by introducing a new design.

Read more...

---

PCS stays up so you don’t have to
PCS Global System Integration & Control Systems Design
Maybe it’s time to look at a solution that stays online 99,99999% of the time so you don’t have to. This the world of Stratus computer platforms, tailor-made for your critical applications.

Read more...

---

Four ways the global parts shortage has led to innovation and openness
System Integration & Control Systems Design
For those who use automation parts, the unpredictable nature of the supply chain is one of the biggest problems faced today. The shortfall has impacted every industry, but automation components have been especially affected.

Read more...

---

Iritron’s year of consolidation
Iritron Editor's Choice System Integration & Control Systems Design
Despite the multiple challenges faced by businesses in South Africa, the buoyancy of the technology sector worldwide has produced some green shoots for automation specialist, Iritron.

Read more...

---

Five edge opportunities for SIs to maximise revenue in 2024
Editor's Choice System Integration & Control Systems Design
System integrators continue to face the challenge of doing more with less – supporting complex operations, while meeting production schedules with limited resources, and innovating to increase efficiency, maximise safety and reduce risk.

Read more...

---

Condition monitoring in a forging press retrofit
Beckhoff Automation System Integration & Control Systems Design
Significantly increased vibration on machines can result in many forms of negative impacts such as reduced system performance or damage to the machine and foundation. Using the example of retrofitting a forging press with a maximum press force of 2000 tons, Wölfel Engineering explains how efficiently the process was tailored and implemented with PC-based control and measurement technology from Beckhoff.

Read more...

---

System integration in the digital age
System Integration & Control Systems Design
To meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive marketplace, many manufacturers (end users) must focus on their core competencies and outsource the rest to experts.

Read more...

---

Choosing a system integrator
Editor's Choice System Integration & Control Systems Design
Automation is an essential part of manufacturing today. Whatever the size, an upgrade or migration project can be complex, and the risks can be high. This is where system integrators (SIs) can help. They can bring together complex subsystems or components of a larger system and make them operate as a whole.

Read more...

---

Iritron awarded international contract for furnace control
Iritron System Integration & Control Systems Design
Iritron has been awarded two international, multimillion-Rand furnace drying projects. The company has extensive expertise in furnace drying control systems, and provides solutions in the fields of electrical, instrumentation, control systems, and decision support systems.

Read more...

---

Capitalise on risks by turning them into opportunities for growth
Iritron System Integration & Control Systems Design
In spite of the challenges facing the global and local economy, systems integration expert, Iritron remains optimistic for the year ahead, and believes that there are significant opportunities to be found during a challenging economic climate.

Read more...

---