Going by his educational background (a BSE in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Case Western Reserve University), Ben Witoff is a mechanical and aerospace engineer, but he has spent the last 10 years in the combustion industry as a design engineer, thermal process specialist, and data engineer.

Ben was a guest on Heat Treat Radio: Algorithmic Combustion Tuning with Justin Dzik and Ben Witoff at Fives. When Ben saw the need for greater data analytics and insights in industrial processes, he founded the Data Engineering department at Fives North American Combustion, Inc. in 2019. He still manages this department today. Leveraging his unique background as a combustion-focused mechanical engineer, Ben and his team use data science to develop internal and external solutions to provide Fives’ clients with smart, data-driven tools and IIoT products.

As can be easily seen, Ben is a leader at Fives in data engineering and IIOT. He is currently managing Fives’ products that go to market in this new field and has pushed products such as Fives’ PLC portal and Firelogger to market for clients to get a better understanding of their combustion systems. His leadership of the CertiFire^® product, specifically for the forge and heat treat market, has been integral to its success. The product automatically adjusts a furnace to satisfy AMS2750 Rev G uniformity standards. He looks to grow the department as the products gain traction in the marketplace.

Nominated by: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.