Van de Kar - Enhanced Efficiency and Depth with Customised Training
Van de Kar Elektrotechniek has had a relationship with itsme since early 2003 for the supply of materials and Siemens training sessions. This spring was the premiere of in-house customised training. “That is much more efficient. Our guys already have a certain background, so they can skip basic stuff and actually dive deeper into specific parts.”
Van de Kar Elektrotechniek, based in Roosendaal, was started by Jan van de Kar in 2003. His associate, Werner Zandbergen, one of the first employees, became a co-owner two years ago to ensure the continuity of the business. Both fulfil the role of technical project leader in addition to their management tasks. Van de Kar Elektrotechniek now employs 35 people and focuses on industrial automation for special machine construction and the process industry. “We provide electrical engineering, control, software development, installation and commissioning - complete projects from start to finish.”
Find out more about customised training courses?
Fill in the form and we will get back to you!Siemens training
Besides new installations, many projects also revolve around upgrading old installations. “The mechanics remain, but the machine or installation has to comply with the latest requirements, standards and the latest technology. This concerns all aspects, from cybersecurity, machine safety and traceability to old control components that need to be updated because of a decline in availability.” In most cases, this concerns Siemens control systems. “Provided it suits the application, we usually opt for Siemens in new projects as well. Occasionally a different control system is introduced. We have five programmers and every single one of them is familiar with every control system, but some have more knowledge of a particular brand or application than others. So they all help each other and there is a lot of cross-pollination.”
“Our five programmers help each other and there is a lot of cross-pollination.”
With Siemens specialist itsme as supplier, the relationship has run like “the central thread” through the company from the very beginning, says Van de Kar. “To our satisfaction, from day one; our first purchase from Ehrbecker Schiefelbusch (itsme's predecessor, ed.) was a Siemens PG (Programmiergerät, ed.).” Special arrangements were made for the supply of components. When Van de Kar Elektrotechniek moved to its current premises in 2012, itsme set up a kanban 2BIN system there, in a separate space in the warehouse. “Every week, an itsme employee checks in with us to scan the grab stock and place the previously ordered parts”, he says. For training courses, Van de Kar Elektrotechniek also regularly turns to itsme. “That is for Siemens training sessions, which have also been up-and-running since the beginning.”
State-of-the-art technology
This spring saw the premiere of a customised training course, organised on site in Roosendaal. It concerned the TIAP-UNIFIED training: HMI Unified Comfort Panels with TIA Portal. “The training covered the new HMI panels launched by Siemens. If a new product is launched, we want to get in as soon as possible because we always build according to the latest state-of-the-art technology”, explains Zandbergen. “We have now completed our first projects using Unified screens. They offer a lot of extra features to make screens more readable and understandable for the operator. In terms of graphics, they are also much stronger than the previous generation.”
“With in-house customisation, you can move through the introduction much faster and dig into it in more detail.”
To achieve this, four programmers took an in-house course. “In-house is much more efficient,” adds Van de Kar. “Our guys already have a certain background, so they can skip basic stuff and actually dive deeper into specific parts. If they were to attend a multi-day course externally, they would spend the first day wondering: “What am I even doing here?” With in-house customisation, you can move through those parts much faster and dig into it in more detail.” Discussing real-life cases from their own work experiences during the course, he believes is another advantage. The training was rated positively by the participants. “They were very satisfied with the content and with the interaction and pleasant cooperation with the instructor, Kevin Valkestijn.”
If there is an in-house training course, is there never the temptation to quickly pull a colleague out of the course in case of an urgent question or an emergency? Van de Kar: “No, we're very strict about that. The moment they're attending the training, even though it’s at our premises, as far as our organisation is concerned, they’re away. There are always other people around to deal with the problem.”
Keeping up to date
There are no specific plans for the next training course yet, says Zandbergen. “That's up to the software programmers themselves. If they feel they are lacking in something and need refresher training, they’ll let us know. At that point, we’ll start looking for the right training.” Van de Kar: “We don't set an annual budget for this. If it's needed, we just do it. Throughout the year, this means quite a few courses, for software and hardware engineers and for operational technicians. If we can add knowledge, we'll do it. In the same spirit, our people also take a range of training courses to keep up to date on standards and regulations.”
Check out our other success stories:
-
Sekisui AlveoRead moreFoam producer Sekisui Alveo has a large factory in Roermond. To support production and maintenance, warehouses and distribution points with thousands of different items are spread across the various halls. Think spare parts, personal protection equipment and consumables. The company cooperates intensively with itsme for management, such as recently with the step-by-step introduction of vendor managed inventory (VMI) for the grab stock of mechanical items.
-
IECRead moreTo control the expansion of a silo park, engineering & construction company IEC called on Breemes. Being involved in the engineering from the beginning, the electrical service provider was able to make smart proposals for both the low-voltage part and the PLC control. ‘We have always been able to find each other well and when changes occurred, we were quickly on the same page with Breemes.’
-
Heliox - Charged for DeliveryRead moreHeliox, a developer and manufacturer of charging systems for electric buses and trucks, was already working with itsme when production still took place in the Netherlands. Today, production has shifted to Slovakia, Portugal, and Moldova, and is also happening in the US. itsme remains the “irreplaceable” partner for the supply of electrical components and cable harnesses.
-
BLOK System SupplyRead moreBlok System Supply and itsme have maintained an intensive relationship for many years. Early last year, this was further deepened with electronic data exchange via the Smart Connected Supplier Network. ‘It saves an enormous amount of time and reduces errors. We always have real-time information automatically.’ However, time for personal contact is not saved. ‘That is precisely what makes itsme a very nice party to work with.’
Stay up to date with the latest news:
-
Siemens - Cybersecurity - Defense in DepthRead moreWith the concept of ‘Defense in Depth,’ Siemens offers a layered security model that provides comprehensive and in-depth protection for industrial installations. This concept is based on the recommendations of IEC 62443, the world's leading standard for industrial cybersecurity.
-
Schneider Electric - Schneider Electric – Harmony Tower LightsRead moreThe comprehensive Harmony signaling range from Schneider Electric includes a variety of beacons, tower lights, and multi-tone sounders. These signaling devices feature status indication, voice guidance, and configurable light and sound patterns to provide timely alerts for faults and abnormal conditions. They are known for easy installation, low maintenance, and high protection rating.
-
nVent ERIFLEX - Advanced technologyRead morenVent ERIFLEX provides solutions for optimizing the design of electrical connections and grounding applications in low-voltage environments for OEMs, panel builders, and related industries. You can choose from standard connections made with copper braid or copper laminates, but made-to-order (MTO) customization is certainly also possible.
-
Festo – Smart connectivityRead moreIntegrating a servo system is no longer just about mechanical or electrical connections. Smart connectivity is becoming increasingly important: how do you ensure the system works seamlessly with your PLC environment? With the multiprotocol CMMT-AS servo drive, Festo makes this integration easier than ever.
Why not take a look at these trainings we offer:
-
PROFINET CPNERead moreavailable in Dutch
-
PROFIBUS CPERead moreavailable in Dutch
-
WinCC-SCADA2Read moreavailable in Dutch
-
PCS7-SAFE V9Read moreavailable in Dutch