The industry’s main event

03 March, 2020

Panel discussions will also be a major feature of the Engineering Forum with issues such as Predictions for manufacturing: Industrial trends for 2020. In light of the changing relationship between the UK and the EU, this panel discussion will offer a lively debate around the direction UK Manufacturing is heading over the next twelve months, as well as the products and initiatives hailed as ways to help transform manufacturing businesses.

The Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) will also be discussing practical ways its members can help inspect, maintain, and manage the machinery and equipment which keeps manufacturers functioning.

Other seminars will include presentations by The Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT), who will be looking at ways to manage the condition and energy efficiency of your plant assets, as well as seminars and case studies from the CSA Catapult, British Fluid Power Association (BFPA), British Compressed Air Society (BCAS), Pilz, Primary Engineer, plus many others which will be updated on the show websites.

Digitalisation Forum

The Digitalisation Forum, sponsored by Pilz, will fully reflect the ongoing global transformation to the smart manufacturing era and provide a fascinating insight into the potential plants of the future, covering all aspect of the digital transformation across the manufacturing spectrum. Leading experts will address the vast array of information around 4IR, discussing the practicalities, technologies and issues surrounding transition and implementation of digitalisation in UK manufacturing. Over the course of the three-day seminar programme, visitors will have the opportunity to learn how they can seize the opportunities that exist and promote the benefits of adopting emerging digital technologies through a range of practical case studies, panel discussion and seminars.

Steve Brambley will present papers on getting started on your smart manufacturing journey by discussing IT, cyber security, cloud computing and Industrial Automation and what it all means for Smart Manufacturing.

While Made Smarter will explore the barriers and challenges North West Manufacturers have experienced around bringing technology into their businesses. Key representatives from the North West Pilot will share steps that manufacturers can take to help them start their digital journey and examples of businesses who have taken their first steps to successfully implement technology.

Other key issues will also be highlighted. Andrew Hodgson, Strategic Lead - Digitalisation at Siemens, and Vice President of the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA), for example will pose the questions, what Digital Twins really mean for the manufacturer, and how can it benefit the design, the production and the service either as a complete unbroken value chain or as a supplying SME in B2C and B2B? Hodgson will help demystify the term by breaking it down into meaningful concepts as well as giving examples of what it can do for you as the drive towards digitalisation gains momentum.

As part of the MTC’s significant presence at the co-location of events in 2020, The Manufacturing organisation will highlight the changing manufacturing landscape - challenges and opportunities as well as case studies that will help provide practical steps, which manufacturers can take on the journey to embrace digitalisation. The MTC is playing a key role in maturing the application of digital technologies for use in manufacturing and is well placed to provide insight into this vitally important area.

BCAS, Executive Director, Vanda Jones will also help demystify an often-overlooked aspect of digitalisation by highlighting how compressed air systems within the context of the Smart Factory can provide major efficiency gains.