Customer Experience Centers are Driving Innovation in Complex Embedded Systems
November 21, 2024
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Theres a growing movement in the embedded space, especially in the most complex industries where regulatory compliance is mission critical and standards parameters are particularly stringent. In these industries, like medical and industrial robotics, customer experience centers (CEC) can help engineers solve tricky challenges and lead to deeper engagements with OEMs and suppliers.
Because of this greater need for support, and the desire to develop lasting partnerships, companies are opening these CEC to showcase new solutions and products while helping their clients address custom challenges.
This summer I had the opportunity to tour an Advanced Energy CEC in Sharon, Massachusetts, a company specialized in highly engineered, precision power conversion, measurement, and control solutions, where the company’s top engineers are working on power solutions for medical devices. At the facility, product experts and engineering leads work with medical device customers on product launches, emissions testing, ESD testing design verification, and lots more.
The testing is from firmware to hardware, and everything in between, and is freely available to customers. Advanced Energy has outlined a whole process workflow for the CEC process and customers who take advantage of it end up with more complete product design and better positioned to meet standards and regulatory inspection requirements.
The company certainly believes in the CEC strategy, since it’s opening more of these facilities already. According to an announcement from September, Advanced Energy opened a new design and service CEC in Wilmington, MA. This new state-of-the art facility will focus on the development of advanced power technologies for semiconductors, industrial and medical applications.
Combining laboratory and office space, the new center reportedly will be the workspace for up to 50 employees.
“Advanced Energy is a leader in developing precision power technologies that enable semiconductor plasma applications, high-voltage industrial instruments and advanced medical equipment,” said Steve Kelley, Advanced Energy’s president and CEO. “Our new Wilmington facility, strategically located in Boston’s tech corridor, allows us to tap into local talent and strengthen our leadership in these key areas.”
AE isn’t the only company involved in this CEC strategy, of course. In one announcement from just last month, Bota Systems also opened a new CEC at HEIDENHAIN’s CONNECT Manufacturing Innovation Hub in Fremont, California to showcase the company’s complete portfolio of force-torque sensors along with a Mecademic robot demonstrating the key applications. Bota said that visitors will experience firsthand how the sensors can optimize robotic performance in a range of industrial settings.
I would expect to see many other companies opening CEC to enhance customer relationships and drive long-standing partnerships. In a maturing industry like the fusion of Embedded and Edge, these partnership relationships are increasingly important.
Ken Briodagh is a writer and editor with two decades of experience under his belt. He is in love with technology and if he had his druthers, he would beta test everything from shoe phones to flying cars. In previous lives, he’s been a short order cook, telemarketer, medical supply technician, mover of the bodies at a funeral home, pirate, poet, partial alliterist, parent, partner and pretender to various thrones. Most of his exploits are either exaggerated or blatantly false.
