Automation meets artificial intelligence

"Strong together through an appreciative partnership, that is the goal"

The use of artificial intelligence offers numerous advantages for companies. Starting with the automated recognition of patterns through to the prediction of future developments. The technology makes it possible to process data in real time and thus make well-founded decisions. We spoke to ControlTech Engineering AG (CTE) and Learning Machines GmbH about this.

CTE group photo at the Pharma Forum 2024: CEO Dominic Brunner, COO Andreas Langer with LearningMachines partners Boris Lau and Jochen Sautter.

This interview with Dr. Boris Lau, CEO of Learning Machines GmbH in Freiburg (Germany), and Dominic Brunner, CEO of ControlTech Engineering AG (CTE) in Liestal, highlights the specific benefits of using artificial intelligence in data management and how their partnership enables them to leverage these benefits for themselves and their customers. While Dr. Boris Lau earned his doctorate in mobile robotics and artificial intelligence, Dominic Brunner studied mechanical engineering at ETH Zurich. Both entrepreneurs are passionate about the topic of “Big Data» fascinated.

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Dr. Boris Lau and his company work with clients in the fields of data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Learning Machines develops individual solutions for customers from various industries. CTE has been active in the automation of production plants for 34 years. The focus is primarily on the pharmaceutical, chemical and biotech sectors, as well as food, beverages and flavors. Over the last ten years, the Industrial IT division has emerged as a new area due to the increasing integration of automation with OT operation technology. CTE is currently rounding off its offering with Data Management. In this interview, the two entrepreneurs look for overlaps and comparisons and explain the benefits of their partnership.

In the area of data management, CTE builds data warehouses for operational data storage and long-term archiving of data. In the process, experts develop interfaces between data storage and the various systems that make the data available. Learning Machines, on the other hand, are experts in gaining insights from such data.

Is this where the two companies intersect?

Dr. Boris Lau: The volume of data we need to derive insights is the major benefit of our collaboration with CTE. They specialize in collecting data, storing it at the customer’s site, and then making it available—which makes it incredibly easier for us to get a project off the ground. Conversely, CTE can apply the insights we’ve gained to their automation processes.

Dominic Brunner: Absolutely —we can collect and structure data and help ensure it’s delivered correctly. Learning Machines, on the other hand, can interpret data perfectly. In addition, their specialists contribute their subject matter expertise. To provide context for the data, you need someone who understands the business and the processes in these facilities—which, of course, is the customer. We have the know-how for automation and understand how the underlying system that generates the data is structured. Learning Machines helps us interpret, simplify, and deliver the data. So it’s a three-way relationship. The customer is at the center.

Infographic Linking Learning Machines, Siemens and CTE, with the customer at the center. — Well-coordinated collaboration brings the desired success. The customer is at the center, while the system supplier, integrator and data analytics experts work closely together.

What do I get as a customer when I work with CTE and Learning Machines?

Dr. Boris Lau: An AI dashboard is one possible output. We don't create dashboards that visualize data, but AI-enabled dashboards that are equipped with AI. This makes it possible to generate insights that go beyond simply displaying the data. The aim is for the artificial intelligence to recognize deviations and raise an alarm to draw attention to them.

Dominic Brunner: I would describe it as follows: The customer has a system that is complex in itself, so it has many variables and parameters that influence each other. There are thousands of measuring points and therefore thousands of measurement data. We can collect this data well and Learning Machines can generate a picture from these data points. This allows us to see and understand the process. We can recognize when the process is running correctly and when it deviates. It is comparable to a survey where thousands of people are questioned. With the AI dashboard, Learning Machines is able to structure and categorize these answers in such a way that decisions can be made on this basis.

What makes the AI dashboard so special?

Dominic Brunner: Many experts in the data sector simply want to collect as much data as possible and have an algorithm interpret something from it. In my view, this only works with a very large amount of data if you know exactly what you are looking for and there is an expert who can recognize this from these thousands of data points. It's not so easy to manually compare all the data and understand the feedback and correlations between the data points. Modern technology, such as an AI dashboard from Learning Machines, can help to automate this process so that the artificial intelligence in the dashboard continuously learns for itself when something has been implemented correctly and when not.

This is the link to CTE's core competence. Does this mean that your focus remains on automation and industrial IT?

Dominic Brunner: The vision of a smart plant that learns what it has done well so it can repeat or adjust those actions is the ultimate goal. But we’re already helping by analyzing large amounts of data to pinpoint exactly where there is room for improvement. This allows us to optimize the plant in a targeted manner.

Dr. Boris Lau: Every company has its own unique processes. We take that into account. We, as data experts; CTE, as experts in data collection; and our clients, who understand their own processes—together, we form a team that efficiently develops a customized solution tailored to the client’s specific situation.

That all sounds very exciting. What are the benefits of the partnership?

Dominic Brunner: Learning Machines and CTE speak the same language. A structured work plan, implemented step by step, creates a well-functioning partnership. In our partnership with Learning Machines, we focus on mutual expertise, clear communication, and mutual understanding. This allows us to work as a team with our customers—a team that represents all stakeholders: someone who understands the business, someone who understands the plant and automation, and someone who serves as the data scientist.

Dr. Boris Lau: With our partnership, we want to support the local production sites to continue producing locally. A network of production, research and development promotes local jobs, even in times of crisis.

And what happens next?

Dominic Brunner: As an engineering company, we always like to get to grips with new technologies. Especially when it comes to artificial intelligence, we want to find out where we stand and how we can use it effectively. In this way, we want to offer our customers sustainable solutions and improvements.

Dr. Boris Lau: It’s exciting for us to have a partner who knows the industry well. We bring our expertise in artificial intelligence to the table. Ideally, we’ll work together to find customers whom we can support with our services and develop customized solutions for them. In the future, we’ll be able to make what works in practice accessible to many.

Dominic Brunner: Ideally, we will find the first customers for the pilot project in the near future and can thus demonstrate how valuable our help is. A future friendly collaboration with Learning Machines means just as much to me. Strong together through an appreciative partnership, that is the goal.