HARTING teams up with partners to create added value for customers

As a pioneer in integrated industry, HARTING is presenting innovative products and solutions – together with renowned partner companies. "We use digitisation to create value for the customer, and rely on a partnership process," said Philip Harting. No wonder then that HARTING’s slogan for many years has been "People – Power – Partnership".

Digitisation being driven forward

HARTING digitises wherever possible and expedient. The company focuses on the core processes of development, production and sales, and in doing so assumes the customers’ perspective since they are to be integrated more into these procedures. Using the HARTING Digital Business Platform (HDBP), the customer is able to preconfigure, design and order a Han-Modular product through the Han configurator. The products are based on a modular system that efficiently and economically produces up to lot size 1 and will be shipped on the same day. “This process is very efficient and ensures a continuous data flow," said Philip Harting. The new logistics centre also has an important role to play here. At some €40 million, the European Distribution Center (EDC) currently under construction is the largest single investment in the company's history. After completion, products are slated to leave the EDC for European customers the same day they are ordered.

But there are also hurdles that block digitisation. Harting referred in this context to country-specific regulations in Europe, new cybersecurity laws in China and the emerging protectionism and nationalism in worldwide trade. "Disturbances of this type drive us to work even more closely with our customers," he commented.

Successful first seven months in 2017/18 financial year

The CEO was pleased with the course of the 2017/18 financial year to date. "The first seven months were successful, and we currently expect high single-digit growth for the full financial year. We may be able to come in even higher. In any case, we will considerably exceed the €700 million revenue threshold."

This slightly raised the forecast from the annual press conference at the end of 2017. At that time, HARTING had forecast sales growth of five to six percent. Growth is across sectors, markets and products. Moreover, subsidiaries HARTING Automotive and HARTING also recorded a positive business development.

HARTING M12 Magnetics wins award

The Technology Group has won an award for innovation – readers of the specialist publication Elektronik recently voted for ‘Product of the Year 2018’. HARTING took second place in the Electromechanics category with M12 Magnetics. Readers of this specialist publication vote for new, forward-looking solutions every year.

Close cooperation with partners: Connect & Collaborate

HARTING is also presenting numerous solutions developed in cooperation with partner companies. The company trio of HARTING, innogy and infotecs contribute their expertise to an ecosystem for electric vehicles: HARTING demonstrates its fast-charging infrastructure on the Rinspeed concept vehicle 'Snap', innogy supplies the charging station, and infotecs encrypts charging station communication. Two cars can charge safely and comfortably in parallel with 22 kW alternating current. Only what is consumed is billed, since the charging station works in accordance with legal requirements. In addition, it is intelligently networked via the IT backend from innogy.

A software solution from cybersecurity and threat intelligence provider infotecs secures the entire data traffic of the e-charging infrastructures. This includes all communication between the charging station and the backend system, as well as data exchange. For individual consumption billing, data from the charging station are read with the HARTING Edge Computing System MICA.

"In the area of electro-mobility we see great opportunities for development and growth," Philip Harting clarified. "On the basis of our decade-long knowhow in transmitting data, signal, and power, we are now a tier-one supplier for the Volkswagen Group and a BMW Partner and provide numerous hybrid and electro-mobility concepts for the present and the near future."

HARTING and igus: partnership extended to co-engineering

For HARTING, Connect & Collaborate also means promoting common developments with the combination of different core competencies. HARTING, the industry leader in industrial connectors, has combined with igus, a leading manufacturer of energy chain and customised cabling systems, in precisely these areas of expertise to come up with a new solution.

While both companies cooperated on standard solutions in the past, the partnership has now been expanded into a joint co-engineering partnership. In an environment of increasing modularity, which igus and HARTING are vigorously pushing ahead with in many areas, igus came up with the idea of developing a connector housing which adapts to almost every geometry of the energy chain. Due to considerable customer interest, HARTING and igus quickly agreed to refine this idea and develop it to market maturity. For the first time, both companies jointly presented this new solution at Hannover Messe.

MICA.network wins additional partners

As part of the MICA.network user organisation, HARTING has been cooperating with system integrators and IT specialists since 2016 in order to provide customers with access to data-based efficiency improvements in their machinery inventory. This year, the network with its 27 partner companies involved with the Edge Computing System MICA is focusing on solutions in the field of merging machine data and ERP applications. The partner stand will clearly demonstrate what trust-based cooperation can look like in practice. In particular, the ‘last mile’ – the access to process data from the shop floor – is often the biggest hurdle for Industry 4.0 concepts. "Here, the network partners can contribute their expertise by way of cooperation. Above all, smart solutions are in demand," said Stefan Olding, Managing Director of HARTING Germany.

PushPull: Click and Ready

HARTING used the Hannover Messe trade show to demonstrate clearly that smart solutions can also be analog. The portfolio of device connectivity has been supplemented with additional connectors that can be locked without tools by simply plugging them in, and which are also just as easy to unlock.

With a focus on the automation market, the technology group is offering the PushPull V4 Industrial, a fast and secure interface for all the lifelines of data, signals and power in the field of industrial devices. HARTING relies on the M12 PushPull for particularly tough requirements in the area of robotics, and above all in railway applications. In addition to the M12 connector, there are already sockets for cables, housing feedthroughs and printed circuit board connections. PushPull solutions are easy to use, connect quickly, and are ready to withstand all external influences – Click and Ready!

Technology partnership for Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) boosts customer benefits

At the Hannover Messe, HARTING introduced products and technologies for the Ethernet communication of today and tomorrow. Miniaturisation is one of the six trends in integrated industry. Components and entire machines are becoming smaller across all areas of industry and automation. Since the end of miniaturisation has not yet been reached, HARTING is dynamically driving forward the development of T1/SPE. Using only one twisted-pair cable, data rates, power supply and simultaneous space and weight savings can all be achieved with which users can completely re-think Ethernet applications in the future. For HARTING, SPE is a technology topic and a starting point for numerous new product developments. In the spirit of ‘Connect & Collaborate’, HARTING, as a solution provider in SPE transmission, is looking to team up with reliable technology partners such as LEONI and Reutlingen University.

Han product family continues to grow: Han-Eco B

HARTING has set another milestone with the Han-Eco. The connector series with housings made of high-performance plastic is now fully compatible with the industry standard Han B. Now, all contact inserts and modules that fit in the standard metal housing also fit in the corresponding plastic housing. Plastic and metal versions are both plug-compatible.

What is new is the possibility of locking pre-assembled inserts from the inside of a control cabinet – rearward – into a mounting housing on the switch cabinet wall. Until now, the cables had to be routed out of the control cabinet through the mounting cut-out. Then the control cabinet was assembled to lock the inserts from the outside into the mounting housing. This required electricians to be on site. The option of rear mounting now allows the separate assembly of connections and switch cabinet.

The explicit business purpose for HARTING Customized Solutions (HSC) is to reduce expenses, to save time, and to create added value for the customer. “Based on HARTING’s product portfolio for plug connectors we offer customised solutions, refine the component to an extent and create an installable system solution,” explained HSC Managing Director Christian Schumacher.

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Top image: Han-Eco: The connector series with high performance plastic housings is now fully compliant with Han B.