“Although we made the start addressing, cement, our fundamental sector, we commissioned very large and high technology plants in the chemicals, paint and pharmaceutical sectors. Additionally, we have projects and services for the power plants, animal feed, mining, iron-steel, automotive, wheel rim, food, beverage, white goods, petrochemicals, port and purification sectors in terms of process. We are the only company that is capable of creating machinery automation, process automation, safety projects, exproof projects, motion projects in several different scopes in all sectors.”
Fatih Em / İndas Otomasyon Genel Müdürü
Can you tell us about the foundation of İndas which carries out activities in the field of industrial automation systems based on long rooted experience in the industry, and its fields of activity in general?
The main solution sector has been cement since the first day that İndaş Automation was established in 2005. We offer to the sector, PCS7, PLC and SCADA software, server network installations, PLC/MCC/RIO panel manufacturing, MV/LV site electrical assembly works, project designing and engineering services. With İndas Teknoloji company we established in Manisa Celal Bayar University Teknokent in 2017, we expedited our software and R&D studies. We are carrying out web/mobile software development and development data collection, integration, IoT systems and digitalization projects by employing the latest technologies as well as PLC and SCADA software.
By its nature industrial automation is an aspect that accommodates technology and innovation and is constantly updated. What kind of a progress are you in with your studies in this field? What is the structure of is your R&D team?
We have developed machinery and plant process automation software for more than 20 sectors for many years. We found out that that the systems shall be capable of intercommunicating rather than just running the system within itself, that every component shall be monitored by a central software, and that this structure shall be be managed centrally. We develop special software for each sector with our software team of 15 members in our İndas Teknoloji company operating at Teknokent.
We were able to establish intercommunication between the machines and lines via network or the distributed systems via GPRS at the times when Industry 4.0 was not even of question. The only thing is it wasn’t called IoT back then. We have developed central Scada software by merging the entire plant in one center. We have made this software accessible not only by a computer locally, but from anywhere on the network or over the web externally. Later, we developed mobile application software programs and fully integrated them with the new technology. We have also established integration with ERP systems with the idea of not limiting our central software within the scope of OT, but integrating the IT side too. We were already prepared when the structuring of and need for Industry 4.0 started in the sectors, as we have anticipated this structure years ahead and carried out R&D studies, Even though production was carried out in the plants during the pandemic, there were problems on the monitoring and management side as the management teams were suddenly locked into their homes. In case of our systems, executives who worked home office were able to continue to monitor the plant, conduct management tasts and receive reports just like in the factory office. Dominating the sector, having a vision of future, carrying out R&D made us further distinguishable in such a contingency.
What are sectors do you mainly provide services?
Although we made the start addressing, cement, our fundamental sector, we commissioned very large and high technology plants in the chemicals, paint and pharmaceutical sectors. Additionally, we have projects and services for the power plants, animal feed, mining, iron-steel, automotive, wheel rim, food, beverage, white goods, petrochemicals, port and purification sectors in terms of process. We are the only company that is capable of creating machinery automation, process automation, safety projects, exproof projects, motion projects in several different scopes in all sectors.
What is the importance and areas of use of industrial automation as specific to the cement sector?
Automation systems are the most important necessity of the heavy industries such as cement. Such a large plant structure which has components each with a distinct significance and each needs to run in integration such as crusher, coal mill, raw meal mill, kiln, cooling, cement mill, packaging has to work under control of central DCS systems.
You are exporting your products to many countries and you are carrying out different works there. Which are your most important markets? Which products are most preferred by the customers overseas?
We are going on with the major projects abroad in the cement industry using the Siemens PCS7 CEMAT solution. We have successfully commissioned a facility at the Alahlia Cement SukalKhamis plant after opening our İndas Libya Branch office in 2019. İndas Automation is in a rapid growth in Libya as a successful, experienced and competent Turkish company.
We are also developing high-end software programs abroad as well as in our country with Siemens PCS7, by making use of ANSI/ISA88 Batching standards in the chemicals and paint sector.
We can automatically query through ERP integration the order for work barcodes which are recognized by handheld terminal or mobile devices. We can automatically import the recipe and upload it to the automation system. After running the entire recipe step by step and carrying out fully automatic production, we can report all usage consumption information, running and failure information back to ERP to carry out automatic inventory control. We are installing fully integrated chemicals plants by establishing communication not only with the production line, but also with the filling lines, robot and packaging lines.
Digital transformation is one of the main aspects that triggers and maintains change in many sectors in the recent period. How do you consider the advancements in this field? Which processes do digital transformation include in your opinion?
The rapid advancement of technology, the development of communication structures of devices, the increase of internet speed and access, and the fact that systems have become traceable in the digital environment not only make our lives easier, but also maximize production and quality and minimize costs. In digitalization processes; we need to install a PLC on the lines that are at the industry 2.0 level and make them run under automation in our plants. Thus, industry 3.0 level will be reached and autonomous operation will be possible. We shall then ensure migration of the automation systems running locally to the central structure, establish the central software and an intercommunication network, provide remote monitoring and control via intranet and internet access and have them reach the industry 4.0 structure and improve the digitalization level of our country.
What will be your goals and strategies for the upcoming period as a company?
As İndas, we aim to perform every task with utmost quality. We are undertaking successful projects that will add value to our country with our experienced teams consisting of members who are well-seasoned in the field of automation systems and the sector Currently, we have a number of ongoing projects, and many others that will commence next year and not commenced yet, for which we are carrying out preliminary studies. We will continue to carry out our successful projects by withstanding the global crisis, material supply problems, fluctuations and challenges in the markets in the upcoming periods.
Our other strategic plans and targets include predictive maintenance and artificial intelligence software as well as the automation software. These two topics are the most important aspects of the future. As İndas, we started to develop predictive maintenance and artificial intelligence software programs in Turkey as well as in any other area of the world. We will offer solutions with further added value to the factories, plants and our country.
What will be the field of activity and the scope of this company? What kind of services will you offer to the sector?
İndas Automation has always been a company that used Siemens solutions and carried the Siemens flag since the day it had been founded and had started to offer highend solutions as the official PCS7 Solution Partner.
Being able to offer turnkey solutions to the projects solely with the automation item is important. Therefore, we established İndas Elektromekanik company in 2022. Our electromechanical company has become a company that can offer complete solutions for the scope of electricity with MV systems, transformer/cell assembly, energy systems, project drawing, switchboard manufacturing and on-site assembly. While the software teams in our company İndas Teknoloji are developing high-end software programs that will satisfy the needs of the sector, our main company, İndas Automation, which is the Siemens PCS7 Solution Partner, has also reached to the level of the main contractor by managing the entire project. As İndas group, we succeeded to become a company that completed the entire project in terms of OG/AG, project design, switchboard panel manufacturing, on-site assembly, automation software, server installations, project management and engineering by offering turnkey solutions on its own with its team of 50 people.