Recently, Sarah Engel, Head of TRUMPF’s Artificial Intelligence Division, gave an in-depth interview where she elaborated on TRUMPF’s core path to embracing AI, value creation, and future vision, clearly outlining the roadmap for “driving the future of industry with artificial intelligence”. Below are the key highlights of the interview.
Against the backdrop of the global wave of industrial intelligence, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a key force shaping the future. Recently, Sarah Engel, Head of TRUMPF’s Artificial Intelligence Division, gave an in-depth interview where she elaborated on TRUMPF’s core path to embracing AI, value creation, and future vision, clearly outlining the roadmap for “driving the future of industry with artificial intelligence”. Below are the key highlights of the interview.
Why does TRUMPF place AI at the core of its strategy?
Because we firmly believe that AI will have a decisive impact on the future way we work, product innovation, and service upgrading. AI enables us to optimize processes, improve efficiency, and provide customers with innovative solutions to enhance their competitiveness. As an innovator in the high-tech field, TRUMPF aims to lead the industry in AI as well.
In which areas of TRUMPF does AI have particularly great potential?
Currently, TRUMPF already offers a range of AI-related solutions for customers, effectively helping them optimize production processes, improve production efficiency, and enhance product quality. In the field of laser technology, TRUMPF VisionLine AI provides high-stability and high-precision data processing capabilities. Leading new energy vehicle manufacturers use AI algorithms to improve the welding precision of hairpin motors, while leading battery manufacturers leverage AI algorithms to increase the recognition accuracy of irregular objects such as explosion-proof valves.
Notably, in the manufacturing of precision components, TRUMPF has also deeply integrated AI with Automatic Spring Tray Arrangement Equipmen — through an AI visual recognition system that detects the posture and position of springs in real time, the equipment is guided to adjust the tray arrangement angle and spacing. This has improved the spring tray arrangement precision to ±0.03mm, increased the arrangement efficiency by 4 times compared with traditional manual methods, and reduced the collision damage rate of springs, laying a standardized material foundation for subsequent processes such as laser welding and assembly.
We are committed to applying AI to create value in as many areas of the company as possible, including sales, human resources, R&D, as well as product manufacturing and service delivery processes.
Can the efficiency improvements achieved through AI be quantified?
Yes. Our core goal is to identify application scenarios where AI can create significant value and implement them step by step. The benefits of AI span all departments of the company, and the specific value varies by application. We have identified several potential benefits:
Customer service: Faster and more personalized responses;
Employee training: More cost-effective and wider coverage;
Software development: Significant efficiency improvements;
Manufacturing: Effective reduction in costs and energy consumption;
Business growth: Driving revenue growth through product and service innovation.
For example, in the spring processing production line, the Automatic Spring Tray Arrangement Equipment equipped with AI not only reduces the equipment failure rate from 5 times per month to less than 1 time, but also reduces the equipment’s standby energy consumption by 18% through an AI energy optimization algorithm, further amplifying the quantitative value of AI in production.
How does TRUMPF train its employees to use AI?
TRUMPF employees can access AI learning resources at all levels (from beginner to expert) through our intranet, including training courses, mentor guidance, and interdisciplinary working groups — and we are constantly expanding these resources.
For the operation and maintenance of AI-integrated equipment such as Automatic Spring Tray Arrangement Equipment, we have also developed specialized practical training modules. Employees can use a virtual simulation system to simulate equipment abnormal scenarios (such as spring posture recognition deviations and tray arrangement jams) and learn to use AI diagnostic tools to locate the root cause of problems. Currently, this module covers 85% of frontline production employees, significantly reducing the equipment operation and maintenance response time.
We are also cultivating AI experts across the company to deepen their professional knowledge in specific business areas. Employees’ curiosity and enthusiasm are great advantages for promoting the continuous development and in-depth application of AI within the company. Internal company events also provide a platform for employees to learn and exchange AI knowledge.
What challenges does TRUMPF face in transforming into an AI-driven company?
AI will profoundly change the nature of work. As a company, we need to become more agile and flexible at both the process and individual levels. This requires us to have stronger decision-making courage, determination to act, and the courage to keep moving forward.
In addition, to effectively apply the value brought by AI in various business areas, meeting the corresponding technical infrastructure requirements is also a key challenge. For example, to realize AI data interconnection between equipment such as Automatic Spring Tray Arrangement Equipment and the factory’s MES system, it is necessary to solve problems such as standardization of data interfaces for different equipment and control of real-time data transmission delays. This requires collaborative efforts across departments (IT, production, R&D) and is one of the key areas we are currently focusing on breaking through.
What competitive advantages does TRUMPF have in developing industrial AI solutions?
Our advantage lies in integrating profound professional capabilities, a strong customer orientation, continuous innovation momentum, and a high sense of responsibility. As an end-to-end solution provider, we control the entire process chain from hardware to services.
Take the spring processing scenario as an example: we can not only provide hardware equipment like Automatic Spring Tray Arrangement Equipment, but also develop adaptive AI visual algorithms and data management systems, and offer customers full-cycle services such as equipment commissioning and employee training, achieving integrated delivery of “hardware + AI + services”. This enables us to seamlessly integrate AI into products and processes that accurately meet customer needs.
Acting responsibly is our top priority, and it is particularly crucial to handle customer data carefully in AI applications. Customers’ trust brings us additional competitive advantages and strengthens our position as a reliable partner in the industry.
What measures has TRUMPF taken in data protection?
The responsible use of AI is inseparable from TRUMPF’s data protection. Beyond technical security measures, the key is that every employee must recognize that data protection starts with themselves.
For example: Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT rely on massive amounts of data for training. If employees use public AI tools, they must strictly prevent the leakage of sensitive or critical business data — this is absolutely to be avoided.
When developing AI, our top considerations are: which data to use, for what purpose, what risks exist, and how to effectively control these risks. For instance, in the AI system of Automatic Spring Tray Arrangement Equipment, we desensitize the collected spring image data (removing sensitive information such as customer identifiers and production batches) and realize localized data storage through edge computing. Only non-sensitive data such as equipment operating status is uploaded to the cloud, ensuring customer data security from the source.
We maintain close cooperation with the legal, IT, and cybersecurity departments in terms of data security.
