Drives & Controls October 2022

50 n SMART FACTORY EXPO PREVIEW October 2022 www.drivesncontrols.com Expo will put you on the path to digitalisation F or the seventh year, Smart Factory Expo brings together the technologies needed to enable the digital manufacturing revolution under one roof, creating a shop window for manufacturers at all stages of their digital journeys. The exhibition has six technology zones – automation and robotics, digital transformation, industrial data and AI, IIoT and connectivity, and smart infrastructure – each anchored by a Solutions Theatre with free-to- attend presentations by manufacturing and technology experts. The organisers are expecting 150 exhibitors, more than 130 speakers, and more than 2,000 visitors over the two-day event. Visitors can find the latest technology offerings from start-ups, alongside established brands and companies that support and advance the manufacturing sector. The exhibition includes the Made Smarter Innovation Alley which will showcase new and developing technologies expected to reshape manufacturing over the coming 5-10 years (see box). On the afternoon of the second day of the Expo, the Manufacturers of the Future event will allow students to engage with the rapidly evolving world of manufacturing via innovation, products and services that represent the future of the industry. The Expo is part of the wider Digital ManufacturingWeek event which includes a summit of manufacturing leaders, and awards ceremony, a growth summit for SMEs, roundtable forums for directors, a marketing to manufacturers summit, and site visits. n Smart Factory Expo, part of the wider Digital Manufacturing Week taking place in Liverpool next month, will give visitors a glimpse into the latest digitalisation technologies. SHOW FACTS Where: Liverpool Exhibition Centre When: Wednesday, 16 November, 9:30am–5pm Thursday, 17 November, 9am–4pm Entry: Free, via showWeb site Web site: www.digital-manufacturing-week.com/expo Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheManufacturer LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-manufacturer Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheManufacturerMagazine What is a smart factory? Smart factories are at the heart of the future of manufacturing. But what exactly is a smart factory, what technologies make it tick, and what makes it ‘smart’? In a nutshell, smart factories rely heavily on digital technologies to improve efficiency and productivity. They can operate at a level of speed, precision and flexibility that traditional factories can't match. As the world relies increasingly on digital manufacturing processes, smart factories are going to become more prevalent – and more important. There is certainly no one‘silver bullet’when it comes to creating a smart factory. Rather, it is a myriad of emerging technologies coming together to take manufacturing into a new era. Here, we highlight some of the key technologies. 3D Printing: These machines can create parts and products from scratch, using digital designs. And because they can produce items on-demand, they’re ideal for prototyping, small batch manufacturing or custom orders. Cobots: Collaborative robots are designed to work alongside humans, in tasks such as packaging and assembly. Cobots can be easily trained to perform new tasks as needed. 5G: 5G is the next generation of wireless technology, and is set to revolutionise manufacturing. Smart factories rely heavily on data, and 5G will provide the high-speed, low-latency connections that are needed to transmit large amounts of data quickly and efficiently. Artificial Intelligence: AI can be used for tasks such as predictive maintenance, quality control, and material handling. As it evolves, smart factories will become more efficient and effective. Serp: Smart factories are often equipped with Serp (self-healing error-proofing) systems that use sensors to detect errors in real-time, then take corrective action to prevent them from happening again.This helps to reduce waste, improve quality and keep lines running smoothly. Enterprise resource planning: ERP is a centralised method of managing every aspect of operations and processes and allows for unprecedented visibility, coordination and management across the disparate processes that make up manufacturing. Cloud Computing: Cloud-based systems offer the scalability and flexibility that smart factories need to stay agile.They can also help to cut costs by eliminating the need for on-site hardware and software. Edge Computing: These systems process data locally, rather than sending it to the cloud, bringing enterprise applications closer to data sources such as IoT devices or local edge servers.This helps to improve response times and reduce latency. DigitalTwins: These are essentially assistance systems for production facilities that use simulation models to give operators a glimpse into physical assets to determine ideal operational workflows. They draw on current data flows to offer options to help the system operators reach a decision, without needing to test equipment in the real world.