Waterconsumption 149 trillion gallons Global water consumption per capita (six-fold increase since 1930), of which 19% inIndia,15% inChina,12% intheUSA is the approximate amount of water consumed worldwide annually (as of 2016), of which 70% agricultural sector 20% industry 10% municipallevel s n o l l a g n o i l l i r d a u q 1 (Status 2016, source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization) WAT E R – FA C T S A N D F I G U R E S Water content 29% Earth mass 71% Water mass of which 97.4% is salt water (thus not directly usable) around 70% in glaciers, ice, and snow around 29% in groundwater 8 mm Diameter of the largest raindrop ever measured (1986 in Hawaii) 95% water in our brain 90% water in our lungs 83% water in our blood 22% water in our bones 76% water in our muscles 2.6% Fresh water on earth less than 1% soil moisture, ground ice, permafrost, and sump water 0.3% easily accessible freshwater in rivers and lakes, which is 0.008% of all water on earth Oceanfreightroutesandships The longest canal in the world is the Grand Canal of China (some parts of which were built more than 2,400 years ago), at a length of 1,100 miles China Beijing Shanghai The water content in humans is around 70% 90,000 Number of seagoing vessels worldwide (2019) EUtradeviaoceanfreightroutes in % 90% 40% International trade Within Europe Length of all waterways in miles 68,350 63,379 25,481 27,404 29285 31,068 120,000 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 A S U e p o r u E m a n t e V i l i z a r B a i s s u R i a n h C Source: Statista 2013 1,502 feet The size of the largest ship in the world, the Jahre Viking (completed in 1980, scrapped in 2010) 2 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine Water Water is the ultimate resource; without it, life is not possible. UPDATE is diving into 2022 with this element. Water can have beams after all. Or floats. They provide a solar system with buoyancy 08 The floating power station A solar power plant has taken to swimming just outside the Dutch town of Zwolle | 08 ALL ELECTRIC SOCIETY Where water and electricity do mix Key tenets of the All Electric Society are already in play in the municipal water market | 16 DRINKING WATER 34 wells, 25 springs, and one connection In Bad Kreuznach, the remote control technology in the water treatment plant is being put on a new technological footing | 22 4 4 UPDATE 6/22 UPDATE 1/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine 1

Hydrogen in stock Energyprovidertestsstorage The energy service provider EWE is setting precedents with hydrogen. The company is setting up a cavern storage facility to store pure hydrogen at a depth of around 3,200 feet in the local aqueous rock in the municipality of Rüdersdorf in Brandenburg, near Berlin. After a planned construction phase of 18 months, 132,000 gallons will be available to safely store the energy source of the future. For the developers at EWE, who are working on this project together with the German Aerospace Center, the quality of the hydrogen during and after storage is of particular importance. The cavern in Rüdersdorf, which is being excavated by flushing the aqueous rock out with fresh water, has the volume of a single- family home. In the future, large-scale storage facilities are expected to be at least 1,000 times larger. EWE expects the energy source to make it possible to couple the electricity, mobility, and heat sectors. ewe.com F R O M T H E I N D U S T RY Harvesting the moon Tidalpowerplantinoperation The power of renewable energy is harnessed in a variety of ways in the Faroe Islands. Wind farms naturally capture the power of moving air there. But while solar power will continue to have a rather shadowy existence far up in the north, the power of the tides will be the focus of increased attention in the future. The reason is that the After completing the “DG 100” tidal power plant, developed by the Swedish technology company Minesto, was successfully commissioned there and began feed-in in December 2020. The company, founded as a spin-off in 2007, developed a “diving kite.” This is an undersea mobile unit that is anchored in the tidal stream, where it directs the current to turbines designed to convert the energy of the ebb and flow of the tide into electricity. They operate in a similar way to the kites that you can fly in the sky. foundation, laying the power and data cables, and installing the tidal kite in Vestmannasund sound, the submersible innovator is now delivering a relatively modest level of power of 100 kW to land. However, the developers at Minesto have long since scaled up in size and are certain that the power of the moon, which moves the tidal streams, will be an almost inexhaustible source of energy in the future. minesto.com Assisted reality for the industrial world Augmented reality and virtual reality have been popular in the gaming world for years, but assisted reality is changing how the industrial world operates. COVID-19 forced many industrial companies (including Phoenix Contact) to take advantage of this new technology. RealWear recently introduced the RealWear Navigator™ 500, an industrial-strength assisted reality wearable for frontline workers. In a press release, RealWear described the new product as, “a modular, lighter design with an enhanced camera and vibrant display.” Assisted reality is not immersive as virtual or augmented reality, but it makes remote collaboration much easier for applications like remote machine commissioning, virtual training, and much more. Hydrogen storage at a depth of 3,200 feet https://www.realwear.com/ 6 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine RealWear introduces RealWear Navigator 500™: The worldʼs most comprehensive industrial- strength assisted reality wearable for frontline workers.

4,000 householdscanbesuppliedwith thesolarpowergenerated 73,000 solarpanelsfloatonthelake 8

WAT E R B O DY industrialized countries where it is possible to manufacture, afford, and use solar cells on a large scale is becoming increasingly valuable. On a wavy footing In Zwolle in the Netherlands, a plant has now been commissioned that is expected to produce 27 megawatts of electricity. The special feature of this plant is that it floats – on a large body of water that is a part of the Bomhofsplas gravel quarry. Such an innovation deserves a closer look and so, along with Werner Neff, the CEO of system integrator Zebotec, we put on our life jackets and left terra firma. The system integrator based in Konstanz, Germany, played a leading role in the construction of the floating solar power plant. Zebotec GmbH has established itself in this field over the last 15 years to become one of the world’s leading independent system integrators for controlling photovoltaic power stations. The range of services also includes the construction of efficient Ethernet T he power of the sun is the basis of life on earth. Currently, our main source of obtaining this energy is through burning former plant remains in the form of oil and coal – and far too much of it. In truth, plants have had a monopoly on generating energy for millions of years through photosynthesis. Society has been challenging this monopoly ever since Alexandre Edmond Becquerel discovered the photoelectric effect in 1839. However, it still took about 100 years before this and numerous subsequent discoveries actually led to the development of high-performance silicon solar cells. In the 1950s, Bell Laboratories in New Jersey was one of the most successful research facilities in this field. And, a good 70 years later, the direct use of solar energy for generating electricity is becoming essential for the survival of the entire planet, because the use of energy stored in fossil plant remains releases disastrous amounts of carbon. The problem here is that land in those The home of the floating solar panels is the Bomhofsplas, a quarry lake near Zwolle 10 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

The roof-shaped arrangement ensures maximum yield over the entire irradiation period 12 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

WAT E R B O DY No worries when it comes to follow-up orders: Werner Neff expects that the move onto the water will increase significantly in the coming years Zebotec Zebotec, founded in 2002, is a system integrator for the control of photovoltaic power stations. In the first few years, Zebotec worked on the electrification of recreational boats. In 2006, the company moved into photovoltaics, and activities in this field were extended successively in the following years. At the same time, developments in the field of electrolysis, fuel cells, electric drives, and battery storage systems were also pursued. However, they were discontinued in 2015 due to the lack of market penetration and profitability. Since 2020, the company has been a part of the BayWa r.e., which has been bringing together various companies from within the field of renewable energies since 2009. The group activities include the design, construction, and marketing of PV power stations within the solar project management sector, among other things. In these projects, Zebotec’s responsibilities include the systems for monitoring and control technology, among other things. Zebotec has its headquarters in Konstanz on Lake Constance and is active worldwide. Zebotec is Phoenix Contactʼs first certified solution partner in the field of renewable energies. zebotec.de/en 14 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine “The plant is the world’s largest floating photovoltaic system outside of China.” our demands on high availability. It is much more expensive in the long run if there are plant downtimes or if a technician has to come by because a component has failed.” Climate-neutral construction site The entire construction was managed consistently to be climate-neutral. Only electrically powered machines and equipment were used. A battery storage system installed on site supplies tools and electric vehicles independently of the current level of solar irradiation. And, to ensure that both technicians and material can access the floating solar system, even the boats are fitted with electric motors.  phoenixcontact.com

The All Electric Society: Where water and electricity do mix! 16 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

18 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

A new dimension in the water/energy infrastructure relationship is the impact from weather and the environment. This was tragically illustrated in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, which struck the Louisiana coast on August 29, 2021. Ida left hundreds of thousands without power as the result of serious damage to power distribution systems, and without water due to water systems crippled by power outages or flood waters. Additionally, Ida knocked out most of the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas production operations, impacting both fuel supplies and market pricing. Years before Hurricane Ida made landfall, a DOE report noted that it is time for a more integrated approach to address the challenges and opportunities of the water/ energy nexus. The All Electric Society The global community is facing what appears to be two conflicting needs — the pursuit of economic development and growth that requires the extensive use of natural resources to power infrastructure, and the mitigation of the impact on the environment from climate change to protect those resources. Both needs can be met through the concept of the “All Electric Society,” which promotes smart consumption of resources while protecting the environment. The vision of the All Electric Society (AES) is a world that can fulfill its own entire energy needs through renewable sources, and where renewably generated electrical energy is readily available and affordable where consumed. The goal of the All Electric Society is to ensure sustainable global development that raises the standard of living for all while conserving our natural resources. Water is one such resource. The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) serve as guideposts to ensure a prosperous and sustainable future for all members of our planet. Goal No. 7 is: Ensure access to clean, affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy. Clean, affordable energy is the key to realizing the All Electric Society. The path to achieving this goal requires sustainable infrastructure design for all sectors that generate and consume energy. Achieving the goal of AES requires the comprehensive electrification, networking, and automation of all sectors of the economy while maximizing the potential in three key areas relating to energy. They are: • Renewable energy • Energy conservation • Energy recovery There are many initiatives that are being promoted by water industry groups, government agencies, and utilities that tie into this discussion. Many utilities are implementing principles of AES, even if they don’t realize they are. AES and water As previously noted, the U.N. SDGs identified clean, affordable electricity as a key to sustainability. So is Goal No. 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation. It is important that we develop techniques to conserve and provide this resource to all. Reduced dependency on carbon energy, increased efficiency, and energy recovery are all important facets of the AES/water conversation. A good example that links AES with water is the Fall 2021 vote by the Los Angeles City Council to implement LA100, a plan for the L.A. Department of Water and Power (LADWP) — the nation’s largest utility — to transition to 100 percent clean energy by 2035. The plan is to replace L.A.’s natural gas electricity generation with wind, solar, and battery storage. It is an aggressive plan, but it is a clear indication of where the industry is heading. However, AES is more than replacing carbon-based energy with renewable energy. It also involves energy conservation through energy efficiency, an important component of the LA100 plan to cut demand. Per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), drinking water and wastewater plants are the largest energy consumers for many municipal governments, often accounting for 30 to 40 of total energy consumed by the municipality, while emitting over 45 million tons of greenhouse gases annually. Municipalities can reduce energy consumption by 15 to 30 percent and significantly reduce costs by incorporating energy- efficiency practices. However, to generate sufficient momentum for There are other examples of how the AES the energy revolution, solutions for AES must be as economical and cost-efficient as possible. Technical innovations and methods will play an important role in making AES a reality. A 2020 report by the World Economic Forum found that technology will play a critical role in achieving a majority of the SDGs. conversation is playing out in the water sector while encompassing the concept of the circular economy through resource and energy recovery. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are evolving into water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) that produce clean water, nutrients, valuable bio-based materials, 20 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

D R I N K I N G WAT E R Fitness for the water pipeline Water is an essential nutrient. It comes unceremoniously out of the faucet, and is also very inexpensive – it costs on average less than a penny per gallon in the U.S. But there are alternative sources: The most expensive water in the world costs about $59,000 per bottle and is sold under the name Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani. 22 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine A high-quality nutrient flows here through the catacombs of Bad Kreuznach

Around 73,000 inhabitants are supplied by the Bad Kreuznach municipal utility company 34 wells and 25 springs serve the water supply The maximum consumption per day in 2019 was 4.8 million gallons I n Bad Kreuznach, near Mainz, no one has to worry about their water bill. Most of the water needed in the region is extracted from the sediments of the so-called “Rotliegend” solid rock and, in the Rhine-Hesse region, from the volcanic rhyolite rock, and then processed. The municipal utility company has a total of 25 springs and 34 wells, as well as 23 reservoirs with a total capacity of more than 6.6 million gallons. The municipal utility company of the Bad Kreuznach spa town, located approximately 18 miles to the northeast of Mainz, supplies drinking water to more than 71,000 inhabitants. To ensure that this supply runs smoothly and always has impeccable quality, both the production and distribution of drinking water must be modernized time and again. This is no easy task. More than 1 billion gallons of drinking water are supplied to connected households and businesses over a supply network with a 300- mile pipeline length every single year. To handle the volumes and pipe networks, remote control systems for monitoring and active intervention are essential. Old alongside new Gunther Christmann, from the Water Extraction/ Building Services Department of the municipal utility company, explains the special challenges. “Old and new systems need to be operated alongside each other because the modernization process is to be realized successively. And over the years, various automation components supplied by different manufacturers have been used in 24 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

D R I N K I N G WAT E R “For example, we have integrated a pump control system using the standard Modbus protocol.” A typical characteristic of water management companies is the vastness of their facilities and supply networks. The supply lines, stretching across about 300 miles, are technologically challenging not just because of their sheer length, but also because of the topography. This is because beyond the North German Plain, hills and mountains, forests, and towns present potential obstacles. Numerous companies within the water management industry rely on company- owned lines and extensive IP networks for remote control. “We have this safely under control with our devices from the Ethernet extender product family,” says Hauke Abbas, describing the situation on site. “Line lengths of up to 12 miles can be achieved and components can be started up easily thanks to plug-and-play technology.” Open interfaces also accommodate existing remote control technology Secure data transmission is possible from the field level all the way to the control room 26 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

Under pressure 24/7 Nearly 400 trillion gallons of wastewater are produced worldwide every year. This is an enormous amount which, if not treated appropriately, will endanger the global drinking water cycle in the long term. In Konstanz on Lake Constance, the risks and solutions to this problem are omnipresent. A round 35 percent of all people worldwide do not have access to clean drinking water today. Until a few decades ago, poor water quality was also a problem in Lake Constance. Until well into the 1960s, wastewater flowed largely untreated into the “Swabian Sea,” which serves as a drinking water reservoir for the entire region. In the 1950s, phosphorus levels began to rise dramatically. New artificial fertilizers, the triumph of water-flushed toilets, and the widespread use of washing machines and dishwashers created an entirely new wastewater situation. In addition, the population around Lake Constance increased significantly. Industrial and slaughterhouse wastewater entered the lake untreated. The result was massive algae blooms that deprived the lake of oxygen and nearly caused its à 28 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

I N D U S T R I A L WAT E R ecosystem to collapse several times. In 1959, the International Commission for the Protection of Waters was founded to coordinate the wastewater treatment of the countries on its shores. This commission decided that sewage treatment plants and sewers should protect Lake Constance. The first stage of the Konstanz central sewage treatment plant was put into operation in 1966. It was not until 1968 that the biological purification stage was ceremoniously inaugurated. But it would take another 20 years before Lake Constance was no longer threatened by algae blooms and biological die-offs. Wastewater goes into the lake and drinking water goes out In the meantime, the situation has improved considerably. And this despite the inflow of wastewater that has already been treated. This requires particularly thorough cleaning so that the wastewater does not become a problem for the liquid nutrient. The waste disposal companies of the city of Konstanz are responsible for this task. Entsorgungsbetriebe Stadt Konstanz (EBK), the Konstanz municipal waste collection and recycling company, is the largest company of its kind in the Lake Constance region. The approximately 110 employees focus on waste removal and recycling, as well as sewage disposal and treatment. In the main water treatment plant, up to 10 million gallons of wastewater are treated every day. It comes from the Konstanz metropolitan region, the municipalities of Allensbach and Reichenau and the Swiss city of Kreuzlingen, and the municipalities of Tägerwilen and Gottlieben, both of which are also in Switzerland. This equates to a population of around 175,000 people. On the trip from the polluter to the wastewater treatment plant, the wastewater must travel great distances and handle differences in altitude in a sewerage system that is approximately 180 miles long. A total of 26 pumping stations are used to ensure this. The rainwater is collected and treated in 16 rainwater treatment plants and four rainwater clarifiers before it is discharged into Lake Constance. This is heavy-duty work for a module that is indispensable when water has to be channeled through pipes and basins. Four large Hidrostal pumps, each with a capacity of 75 kW, operate in the intake pumping station in Konstanz when it is dry, alongside three additional powerful pumps during rainy weather. At least one of the four heavy-duty assistants is always running; in other words, in 24/7 operation. The energy à “We see ourselves as environmentalists first and foremost.” Mirco Ebeling, Director of Wastewater Treatment Plant and Pumping Stations Operations, City of Konstanz The control room in Konstanz receives messages from the field, which extends into Switzerland The pipeline network is more than 183 miles 30 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

I N D U S T R I A L WAT E R required for this is considerable: The pumps need around 560 megawatts of energy for their pumping activity. A holistic approach is more useful than bit-by-bit Energy consumption and maintenance monitoring – this is where the experts from Phoenix Contact, who were tasked with improving the efficiency of the overall system, came in. If this system were to be optimized, a huge amount of energy would be able to be saved. Electrical engineering expert Thomas Geiz, who works in solution sales for water management at Phoenix Contact, explains. “We didn’t just look at the operating circuit of the pump and drive motor. We first looked at system efficiency of the plant. Which operating point has the best ratio of supplied electrical power to pumped wastewater volume? When thinking about these things, aspects such as the pipe installation, the pump’s suction pressure, and additional hydraulic circumstances play important roles alongside pump and motor efficiency. “In addition, the availability of the pumps as well as the maintenance and servicing required to keep them running Until the 1960s, the wastewater pumped into Lake Constance remained largely untreated 32 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

M O N I T O R I N G A N D M A I N T E N A N C E Pressure makers in the spotlight Did you know that between 20 and 25 percent of the electricity generated worldwide is consumed by pumps? And that 85 percent of the life-cycle costs of the pressure makers are due to energy consump- tion during operation? These are reasons enough to devote intensive attention to the topic of pump monitoring and maintenance. “Almost 80 percent of all pumps worldwide are centrifugal pumps,” explains Thomas Geiz. “This includes very small pumps, but also enormous units in power plants, in heavy industry, in agriculture and shipping, in water treatment plants, and in locks. And when they break down, entire functional units or production lines come to a standstill.“ The man knows what he is talking about, because Geiz (45) comes from the water management industry. Before he and a team developed PumpMonitor (yes, that’s actually how it is spelled!) among other projects, his career also included working in the power plant industry, helping to develop power grid and transformer stations and, as a water treatment plant engineer, playing a role in the technological development jump toward digital data acquisition in maintenance applications. “The previous generation of water treatment engineers and maintenance specialists serviced their pumps by ear. They knew exactly what a healthy pump sounded like. But there is hardly anyone from this generation left. This brought us around to thinking about how we could record the status data of pumps in such a way that, first of all, the data is immediately visible during routine maintenance on site if something was wrong. Second, it was important to us that remote control rooms can detect immediately that a pump is not running smoothly, and can then respond.” These considerations resulted in a ready-to-install small control cabinet, which is equipped so that it can immediately realize the requirements based on practical experience. The panel on the control The sensor technology comes from co-developer PCB Synotech The Axioline AXC 1050 controller is next to the power supply 34 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

P U M P I N G WAT E R The heart of the matter The future of pump control 36 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

T H E WAT E R ’S WA R M 38

T H E WAT E R ’S WA R M And without a cover, a pool quickly becomes a magnet for anything that flies around in the air, from leaves and twigs to waterfowl and dust. Moreover, in our latitudes, the temperatures during the cooler months cannot be ignored. If the body of water is unprotected, it will quickly lose its comfortable temperature and is even in danger of freezing.” own control cabinets produced in-house, in which all functions are combined in a user-friendly controller with remote control. “Our pool controllers are standardized basic solutions that can be adapted to the specific situation on site at the customer’s premises,” Raf Olaerts explains regarding the procedure. When it comes to hardware, Covrex therefore relies on High availability and low maintenance were included in various pool canopies with a clear-glass look, which turn the pool into a true swimming pool, and, for a less expensive version, on slatted covers. Covrex holds its own patents on its fully foamed versions of these. These fully foamed slatted covers offer better thermal insulation and are more resistant to weather conditions such as frost and hail. Customers can choose from a variety of shapes, colors, and accessories for their pool. The electronic pool supervisor To ensure that this hardware can be put to good use, electrical helpers are indispensable. Pumps and filter systems, heating and lighting, and the drives of the motor- driven covers require expert installation. Covrex uses its the requirement specification for the development of the pool control cabinet. We faced a special challenge with the automatic swimming pool cover because its drive system is “Our pool control system is a standardized control cabinet that we customize on site.” Raf Olaerts, Covrex Covrex’s parent company is The Swimming Pool Hub (TSPH) 40 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

I N D U LG E N C E Dripping with sophistication When it comes to brewing, many people think of hops, malt, or distilleries. But if you want to sharpen your senses rather than befuddle them, a drink made from the ground beans from the Rubiaceae family comes to mind. The Thun coffee machines try to extract the maximum taste and indulgence from these elegant beans. C offee is cultivated in more than 50 countries worldwide. But its origin is in the southwest of Ethiopia, more precisely in the province of Kaffa. From there, it began its triumphal march in the 9th century, first through the Arab world, then with detours through the colonial powers throughout the globe. There are parts of the world where the handling and enjoyment of the brown bean has become part of the cultural heritage, like in Italy. And there are regions where a distant imitation of the once-carefully harvested crop is squeezed through the filters from the nozzles of cheap, fully automatic machines. In this respect, it is a delicate matter when a North German, who based on tradition should be more of a tea drinker than a coffee drinker, interviews a Swiss man with close ties to Italy on the subject of coffee – particularly because this is not about the bean itself, but about an extremely high-quality piece of equipment that is intended 42 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine to elicit a maximum of flavor from the noble beans. We dared to do it anyway, because after all, the inner workings of the Thun coffee vending machines are adorned with a small but rather crucial technological genie from East Westphalia. The degree of roasting The first thing that interests me, of course, is how a Swiss laboratory and medical technology engineer, who has a passion for espresso, arrives at the topic of filter coffee. Because that is precisely the showpiece of Thun coffee machines – a filter coffee machine. Markus Widmer has to laugh himself. “Of course, I do actually come from the camp of espresso drinkers. It is pretty much a geographic matter. In the south of Europe, Switzerland, Austria, and the south of Germany, the coffee bean is roasted darker, ground finer, and then a maximum of flavor is extracted from it using little water and high pressure. Beyond this region, and this applies almost globally, coffee is usually roasted lighter, ground more

I N D U LG E N C E The Tone Touch 03 in its natural environment – together with Thomas Liebe and Markus Widmer, its developers The result of this liaison is a wonderful semi-automatic hand-lever machine designed to fit the espresso lover’s hand. And whose technology is just as much of a milestone. Widmer explains, “In the vast majority of cases, the hot water that a coffee machine needs is heated in boilers and kept at temperature there. More than 90 percent of the heat is dissipated to the surroundings, with just five to ten percent used in making the coffee. This is no longer acceptable in the 21st century!” Dr. Widmer and his team have opted for an innovative through-flow heating system. This not only saves around 90 percent of the energy, but also allows radically different designs, since the bulky water boiler is no longer needed. This commissioned work gave rise to the idea of the Thuner Kaffeemaschinenfabrik (TKM) coffee machine company. And, with the “Tone Touch 03,” the best that money can buy when it comes to filter coffee. This, at least, is the assessment of numerous baristas worldwide, Widmer assures us. “Our aim was to simplify the whole process of making coffee with a digital interface. The basic settings are made on a PC, so we were able to achieve a very purist design.” The following information will be of interest to people with a taste for indulgence. “Within the coffee industry, we know that the temperature of the water has an important impact on the taste. You can divide the preparation of coffee into three phases. First, the water is heated and added to the coffee grounds – the grounds are wetted. “In the second phase, the extraction or pulse phase, you try to extract as much from the coffee as possible. The final phase is the calming phase, where only a little water is added, along the wall of the vessel.” Astonished owners of run-of- the-mill fully automatic machines will additionally find it interesting to learn that volume delivery and flow rate are also important criteria. And, on top of all that, “The Tone Touch 03 works with different temperatures. You can start the first phase at around 88 degrees Celsius. The second is performed at 90 degrees, and the third at 89 degrees. This can be set using the digital interface with a special PC program. The water is

4646 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

Plettenberg in Westphalia is home to one of the largest parks in Germany 48 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

Tobias Beukelmann is head of e-technology – his systems are not affected by splashes of water “For an on-location shoot, I’ve also had to slide 30 times with a bodycam until we managed to fit every effect in the frame.” Tobias Beukelmann knows “his” slides inside out elements here on the lawn.” Aha! So they do have a workplace with swimming trunks alongside respirator masks and safety shoes after all! Beukelmann dampens our enthusiasm. “Well, the water is freezing cold, though – we don’t heat it up.” Slid, asked, hired Even though we are quite close with the border to Germany in the north of Switzerland, our interview partner’s lack of dialect is noticeable. “I come from Wuppertal and have only been working here since 2016.” So how does a Wuppertal native end up in Switzerland? “There is a water park with a large slide complex in Plettenberg, and as a technician in machine building, I was simply curious to know who built it.” The question turned into a contact, and the contact turned into the job as head of e-manufacturing. 50 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

I N T E R V I E W Difficult choices Frank Possel-Dölken has been a member of the Phoenix Contact Executive Board since August 2020. What has changed for the Chief Digital Officer since then? And what opportunities and risks does he see for the future of Phoenix Contact? è Mr. Possel-Dölken, you have been with Phoenix Con- tact since 2008. Can you tell us about your professional career before you started working with us? Of course. I studied machine building at RWTH Aachen University from 1994 to 1999, majoring in production technology. I took the opportunity to go to Tsinghua University in Beijing for a year as a guest researcher before returning to Aachen to do my doctorate. The subject was the software development of control systems for machine tools in machine building. è So initially a purely academic career? Although I have also been involved in teaching, I have always been more of a practitioner, having also been active in business process management for many years, among other things. As a full-time scientist I then worked in the WZL machine tool laboratory. The WZL is very practice-oriented; for example, my first project was developing a planning system for a flexible manufacturing system in the aircraft industry in Canada. è That sounds really exciting. So why the move to free enterprise? It was indeed. Most recently, I was General Manager of the German “Integrative Production Technology for High- Wage Countries” Cluster of Excellence. This was focused on production technology on a global scale, in which numerous partners from industry were also involved. But at some point, it was time for a change, because a scientific career was not really my thing, even though it was an enjoyable time. è How did contact with Phoenix Contact come about? Naturally, I already knew Phoenix Contact as one of the players in automation technology. Phoenix Contact was one of the pioneers when it came to the subject of wireless in the industry. Phoenix Contact was also one of the first to create an environment for programming control systems with high- level languages in the area of “IT-powered automation.” We have polished this into the form of PLCnext to such an extent that it is really fun today. è So your dream destination was East Westphalia? (Laughs) Well. At a machine-building convention in Berlin in 2007, Mr. Hasse persuaded me over coffee to drop by for a visit to Blomberg. I’ll be honest, the region of East Westphalia was not at the top of my list of destinations. But I am a Westphalian by family; I can play Doppelkopf (a popular German card game) and I also go down the cellar when I want to laugh,” he says with a broad grin. “When my wife sat with 52 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

“The biggest challenge will be in deciding what not to do.” Frank Possel-Dölken, CDO, Phoenix Contact In addition, there are central tasks in the field of standardization. I am, for example, involved in the national Industry 4.0 platform, where I represent the interests of Phoenix Contact. With the departure of CTO Roland Bent, I am now leading our IP Management team. è How do you fit all these tasks into your schedule? The amount of time I commit to work has always been high. But sometimes this role is also about clearing your head for a while to think things through. You also need time to be able to do this. It is not about getting through as many deadlines as possible or working through all the files. The only way to lead is not just by doing everything yourself, but also by delegating sensibly. Travel will certainly take on a higher profile in the post- COVID era. I used to visit our locations regularly, particularly in the USA and China. But in the future I will have more frequent appointments that are not directly related to production at our locations. è What are your upcoming tasks in the future? What do you find exciting? Naturally, I’m interested in topics such as the digital transformation and the associated internal process and IT infrastructure, digital products, and services. This is already the topic closest to my heart. è What are the challenges of the future for Phoenix Contact? When I look back over the past few years, I see incredible opportunities, in so many fields. So the biggest challenge will actually be in deciding what NOT to do. This is a wonderful position to be in, but it is also a difficult task. Because our activities are widely spread. Technology disruptions are imminent, for example in e-mobility and renewable energies. If you think just of the fact that we are represented everywhere with our products, systems, and control cabinets in the booming wind and solar markets, it becomes clear that these are not exactly dark clouds on the corporate horizon. The role of the Executive Board is not just to open up every market that we can open up, even though it is tempting and the prospects are almost endless. Because this would simply overwhelm our strengths, those of our 17,600 employees. For us, it is not a matter of closing facilities or reducing the workforce. Our pain will lie in 54 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

B E H I N D T H E S C E N E S Label template library PreparedtemplatesforusewithPROJECTcomplete markingsoftware Creating customized labels is now even easier. Phoenix Contact has created a label template library where printing customers can download example templates for easy customization. Phoenix Contact will continue to add to this library as new designs and new materials are requested, but the current library is a great start. www.phoenixcontact.com/us-labeltemplates Your new Phoenix Contact website – constantly improving! As of April 6, 2022, Phoenix Contact has a new website. The compelling features and an optimized design will help you find products faster, get better information, and give you a better overview of Phoenix Contactʼs products and services. Whatʼs new? • An appealing responsive design • Detailed information on product • Faster finding of products via powerful search and optimized navigation • Easy to create, save and share lists www.phoenixcontact.com Value Add Center Customizationoptionstosavetimeandmoney Phoenix Contactʼs solutions team offers many services to tailor products to the customerʼs individual specifications. Phoenix Contactʼs Value Add Center capabilities include custom DIN rail assemblies, kitting, Sweet Spot cable assemblies, custom enclosures, junction boxes, and backplates. These services allow Phoenix Contact to design custom products for specific applications across many industries. The FastLane service provides an automated ordering process to design DIN rail assembly. The FastLane rail assemblies are constructed precisely to meet specifications utilizing PROJECT Complete design software and generate a price. FastLane rails will ship within ten days of order placement, affording reliable, faster delivery. The Value Add Center can also kit parts to reduce higher costs associated with handling individual products, streamline the supply chain process, and provide custom packaging and labeling. Through kitting, customers can condense their products into one product number and reduce management of multiple line items on their bill of materials. Phoenix Contactʼs Sweet Spot Cable Assembly constructs error-proof wiring connections of common industry connectors, wires, and cables. Printing, labeling, custom wiring, and cable preparation are all perks of the Sweet Spot service. Through the custom enclosures, junction boxes and backplates portions of the Value Add Center, our professionals can provide an entire solution that entails the design and manufacturing of industry-specific junction boxes. Customers will benefit from Phoenix Contactʼs quality focus on all cabinet design, pre-installed fuses, jumpers, wire markers as well as mounting accessories, holes, cable glands, and panel devices. www.phoenixcontact.com/us-valueadd 56 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

B E H I N D T H E S C E N E S WindESCo partners with Phoenix Contact for Swarm Tech Boostingwindproductionby3to5percentperyear Several years ago, Phoenix Contact partnered with and invested in WindESCo, a pioneer in accelerating annual energy production (AEP) for wind turbine stakeholders. Today, that partnership is stronger, as WindESCo recently signed Phoenix Contact as a strategic partner for its newly launched Swarm Technology. WindESCo has signed Phoenix Contact to provide the Swarm Edge component of WindESCoʼs swarming solution. Swarm Edge will be installed on each turbine to provide data collection and centralized control. Swarm technology is WindESCoʼs patented solution for autonomous, cooperative control of wind assets. The system is licensable by OEMs and partners and enables turbines to cooperatively adjust positioning to mitigate wake effects and boost production for the entire farm — not just single machines — by 3 to 5 percent each year. “Phoenix Contact is a trusted brand in the wind-energy industry, for good reason. Our customers have come to equate Phoenix Contact with long-term systems and infrastructure reliability due to their consistent high standards, domain expertise, and innovative outlook. Collaborating with Phoenix Contact to deploy our latest technology ensures that our solution is reliable, scalable, and ready to revolutionize AEP optimization for wind farms globally,” said Ed Wagner, WindESCoʼs CRO. www.windesco.com Digital Factory Now In the age of Industry 4.0 and IIoT, digitalization is quickly becoming the way of the future. At the heart of digitalization is the need to secure usable data from your industrial processes. Phoenix Contact offers a scalable approach for elevating your new or existing system with data collection, transportation, security, and usage. Customized to fit your needs, Phoenix Contact solutions are ready to support you in your digital transformation. Phoenix Contact is helping todayʼs digital factories: • Collect data • Transport data • Secure data • Use data Read real-world use cases. www.phoenixcontact.com/us-digitalfactorynow Cobots sharing the workspace Collaborative robots, commonly known as cobots, are designed to physically interact with a human worker in a shared workplace. The main differences between a cobot and a traditional industrial robot are safety and human interaction. Unlike a traditional robot, a cobotʼs built-in safety features let it work in close proximity to people. In 2021, Phoenix Contact began using a cobot nicknamed “Octavian” in its U.S. manufacturing operations. Octavian picks DC parts off the assembly line and places them into their packaging. This type of repetitive task can become straining on an employee, both physically and mentally, over time. Now that Octavian is performing it, the employee previously taking care of this task is free to perform a more valuable job.

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” Heraclitus “The water is a friendly element to a man who is at home in it, and who knows how to deal with it.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe phoenixcontact.com 60 UPDATE 6/22 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine