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70 PCB007 MAGAZINE I AUGUST 2024 Feature Interview by Barry Matties I-CONNECT007 Mark Skaer specializes in automation at Omron. In this interview, he sheds light on the challenges and solutions integrating sophisticated automation technologies in var- ious manufacturing settings by emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs to tailor effective solutions. With a rich background in electrical engineering, Mark plays a pivotal role in showcasing Omron's state - of-the -ar t automation capabilities through trade shows and technical demon- strations. Barry Matties: Mark, tell me about yourself and your role at Omron. Mark Skaer: I am in the Automation Technical Center on the commercial side of our business. My group is responsible for trade show demos, and we provide next-level technical support for our field engineers. If a customer has technical questions, they come to Omron to get answers. When they can't do that, my group interfaces with the factory to ensure they get the answers they need. Were you always interested in the automation side of electronics? What did you study? I studied electrical engineering, and have always enjoyed coding and programming, so I've always leaned toward automation. I started out in motion and drives. Sensors are another area of interest for brownfield sites. A manufacturer has a piece of equipment that is supposed to operate to a particular specification. Still, it can be challenging to incorporate sensors into their systems so they can get necessary data and better manage their process. at is correct. Sensors are available, so the question is how to build them into an existing infrastructure and bring that level of data man- agement and process control into place. ose can be very difficult challenges. Automation Innovations and Better Process Control