Christian Ferman is a Senior Electrical Engineer and Project Manager with 14 years of experience in designing control systems, embedded systems and safety systems for Granco Clark. He is also a certified Safety Engineer with a CMSE accreditation. He graduated from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a degree in Electrical Engineering.  In this edition of Digital Transformation in the Aluminium Industry: Drivers & Changemakers of 2024 e-Magazine, Ferman sheds light upon the evolving cutting-edge technologies, especially for the aluminium extrusion industry. The discussion further escalates to the firm's recent technological development and the advancement received by implementing them within their operations. This insightful discussion with Ferman not only enhances the extrusion process but also helps in leveraging technologies that can alter and yield better results within the global aluminium industry by maintaining sustainability.

AL Circle: Granco Clark is recognised for its cutting-edge solutions in the aluminium extrusion industry. Could you elaborate on the latest technological advancements your company has introduced to optimise extrusion processes and improve efficiency in 2024?

Christian Ferman: At Granco Clark, we have been focused on equipment that is flexible and adaptable to the unique needs of any extrusion facility. At the same time, we are striving to maximise the efficient use of personnel within these facilities. That is why we have introduced equipment with “adaptive technology.” This new software package ensures that extrusion equipment “self-tunes” and adapts to the immediate needs of a given extrusion profile run. Rather than a traditional “one size fits all” software tune at commissioning, our equipment constantly monitors the real-time metrics of the extrusion process and self-adjusting parameters to maximize both production efficiency and equipment lifespan.

AL Circle: How has Granco Clark embraced digital transformation to enhance the performance and productivity of aluminium extrusion systems? Can you share specific examples of how this has helped your clients increase their aluminium extrusion production? 

Christian Ferman: Granco Clark is constantly evolving its equipment technology to take advantage of the ongoing digital transformation. Most recently, our entirely electric ePuller systems have been installed at customer locations with great success. This new fully digital, servo-driven puller design has provided customers with a faster and more reliable puller system with built-in diagnostics. The results have shown increased throughput, and a marked decrease in downtime compared to traditional hydraulic puller systems.

AL Circle: Your equipment is fully assembled and shoptested to meet specific client needs. How does Granco Clark ensure customisation without compromising scalability and standardisation in production?

Christian Ferman: Every piece of Granco Clark equipment is custom-made to suit the client’s specific process needs. As such, our engineering and manufacturing team works hand in hand to ensure that the proper templates are created using the most efficient manufacturing possible. The designing engineers then perform testing to verify that the equipment exceeds the process parameters set forth by the client during the design process. 

To read the full interview, click here