Drives & Controls September 2022

n PPMA SHOW PREVIEW The Total package F or three days later this month, the PPMA Total Show returns to the NEC with a myriad of product launches and live demonstrations of the latest manufacturing technologies spanning the entire production line. The show, aimed at the processing, packaging machinery, robotics and industrial vision sectors, will include more than 350 stands representing 2,000 brands, with exhibitors ranging from multinational corporations to specialist niche companies. Now in its 34th year, and incorporating three exhibition brands including Pakex and Interphex, PPMA Total Show 2022 will deliver a mix of best-in-class machinery, ancillary products and live demonstrations for sectors including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, household products and toiletries, building supplies, pet care, FMCG and contract packing. “PPMA Total’s success over the years, lies in the fact that the show’s agenda is always a true reflection of the direction of the industry with the needs and the requirements of visitors at its heart,” says show director, Richard Little. “There is always something to discover throughout the aisles – be that new processing equipment, a small niche product or a whole integrated production solution that can increase production efficiencies, deliver cost savings or simply enhance operations for visitor’s businesses.” Visitors will be able to network and develop business partnerships, with access to industry experts willing to sharing their insights and knowledge. “Where else can you access such a wealth of free consultancy whilst being surrounded by the largest gathering of live technology demonstrations and new product launches – there really is no substitute for face-to-face conversation and getting real ‘hands-on’ experience with the latest equipment,” says Little. “While innovation will remain a key theme throughout the show,” he adds, “machinery, equipment and services that offer real production efficiencies, labour and cost savings, as well as helping to deliver on sustainability commitments, will be a high priority for visitors to help them through the increasingly demanding economic challenges.” The PPMA Show will be the launchpad for a host of new products and industry firsts. For example, following a three-year research and development project, Brillopak will debut an automated high-speed tray and punnet packing machine capable of handling a variety of materials. A demonstration on the Omron stand will reveal how the efficiency and uptime of a dynamic manufacturing operation – in this case, bottle filling – can be improved by deploying AI in two areas: intelligent machine control; and fault detection and remediation. A bottling line with filling handled by a Scara robot will demonstrate how edge-based AI can deliver real-time trend analysis and alerts on the fly. There will also be a demonstration of augmented reality, showing how in-house engineers can work with remote experts to solve machine malfunctions they cannot remedy themselves. On its stand, ifm electronic is focusing on its moneo IIoT platform developed to tackle the challenge of converting the huge amount of data produced by modern plant The PPMA Total Show takes place at the NEC later this month, with more than 350 stands promoting the latest manufacturing technologies from 2,000 brands. On its stand at PPMA Omron will be demonstrating how augmented reality allows in-house engineers to work with remote experts to solve problems Make it flexible. Make it sustainable. Make it OMRON. #MakeitOMRON Make the world better through creative manufacturing With our range of integrated manufacturing solutions, scale your business faster with greater flexibility and sustainability.