Plant & Works Engineering May 2022

10 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk May 2022 Insight – Plant & Asset Management Expo and co-location review D r ives & Controls Exhibition 2022 once again brought together key suppliers of state-of-the-art equipment representing the multi- tasking culture of today’s design engineer, covering critical areas such as energy efficiency, machine safety, drives, motion control, robotics, and automation plus much more, all under one roof. With the advent of the smart factory, Drives & Controls Exhibition 2022 was an essential source of technological and engineering information and was fully supported by GAMBICA and EPTDA. Returning exhibitors included Schneider Electric, Beckhoff, Rittal, Weidmuller, Mitsubishi Electric, Radwell, Bosch Rexroth, Elmo Motion Control, Binder, Carlo Gavazzi, Eaton Electric, Finder, Hepco, HMS Industrial, Leuze Electronic, Control Techniques/ Nidec Industrial Automation, Omron, Pilz Automation Technology, Renold. Other exhibitors included: EAO, EMAS Electric UK, M Buttkereit Ltd, WEG (UK) Ltd, IDEM Safety, Applied Integration UK Ltd, and Trio Motion Technology, whose President, Tom Alexander, commented: “We’re very happy to return to Drives & Controls Exhibition because it’s an important event to present our growing automation control package to UK machine builders.” Rachael Duckworth, Marketing Manager at Beckhoff Automation, added that it had been a “really great show with really good quality visitors onto the stand”. To complement Drives & Controls Exhibition the now firmly established Smart Industry Expo, gave visitors the ideal opportunity to learn about digitalisation and how to prepare and implement a strategy in this smart era as well as being able to discuss a wide range of issues from components to Predictive Maintenance 4.0, Logistics 4.0, and smart grid technologies amongst others. Other areas covered included: components for IT-based automation solutions that will bring fundamental change to all in- factory processes, IT security, as well as smart technologies that manage and coordinate power, gas and heat networks so that capacity can be balanced and optimally deployed across the entire energy system – integrated energy. Schneider Electric’s Distribution Product Manager, David Barrett-Hague, said Smart Industry Expo had been a good show with lots of interesting people visiting its stand for help about digital transformation. Manufacturing Technology Centre The 100m 2 Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) pavilion was joined by its members to encourage new innovation, and its presence at Smart Industry Expo and Drives & Controls highlighted the importance that the MTC attributes to these key sectors. Professor Ken Young, MTC Technology Director, commented on the MTC’s presence by stating that the reason why the organisation was at the show was to inspire UK Manufacturing to help improve their productivity and competitiveness. Alongside Drives & Controls Exhibition and Smart Industry Expo, the co-location also saw the return of Plant & Asset Management Exhibition 2022 – the UK’s premier event for plant, asset, maintenance and works management engineers and directors.Exhibitors currently included: SPM Instrument UK, Fixturlaser, Fluke, EA Technology, Keytracker, Pragmatic Maintenance & Reliability, Lee Spring, Maintmaster, Pruftechnik, SEAM Group, Senseye, Sensata, T Cards Direct, Ultimo, plus many more. Will Batchellor, Ultimo Software Solution’s Account, Manager, said it had been a good event, and was good to be back exhibiting and seeing people again. Running alongside Plant & Asset Management 2022, Drives & Controls Exhibition and Smart Industry Expo, was also Air-Tech 2022, which highlighted current key themes related to the very latest in air compressor and related technology from companies from around the globe. The event was supported by the British Compressed Air Society (BCAS), and is the UK’s only dedicated event for the compressed air and generators market. Visitors to Air-Tech were able to see a wide range of equipment and solutions, including: Accumulators, actuators, air delivery systems and air motors. Compressors, cooler tools and cylinders. Vacuum systems and generators. Displays & meters. Filters, fittings, heat exchangers and hoses. Instruments, lubricators, manifolds and mobile compressors. Pumps, regulators, sensors, software and valves. In addition, Fluid Power & Systems 2022, also part of the co-location, focused on a comprehensive range of hydraulic and pneumatic equipment, together with products that facilitate better electro-mechanic system design and application for improved process automation, control, monitoring and analytics. Fully supported by the British Fluid Power Association (BFPA), Fluid Power & Systems comprised the largest gathering of world-class companies displaying and demonstrating the latest in mechanical and electro-mechanical equipment. Paul Cooke, Interim CEO of the British Fluid Manufacturing exhibitions display innovation and confidence The manufacturing and engineering sectors made a strong display of its innovation and confidence at the recent co-located events; Drives & Control, Smart Industry Expo, Plant and Asset Management, Fluid Power & Systems, and Air-Tech Exhibitions – held at Birmingham’s NEC from 5 to 7 April. PWE reports.