News 08 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk October/November 2023 As they say, do you want the good news or the good news? The good news is that the UK manufacturing sector has climbed one place in the world rankings above France to become the 8th largest manufacturing nation. This is according to the latest data from the United Nations for 2021 (the latest year available). This comes with a large degree of caution given it is only the third time in the last twenty years that the UK has been above France and, the difference is very marginal. Both countries are still some way behind seventh placed Italy while, to no surprise, Germany remains the largest European manufacturing nation with a sector around three times larger than the UK and, more than twice the size of Italy. The second piece of good news is that the majority of the public believe manufacturing is critical to the future of the UK economy and, vital to delivering solutions today to the societal challenges we face. The findings came in a poll Make UK carried out of over two thousand people using comparable questions to a similar survey five years ago. The survey shows that 93% of people believe manufacturing is critical to growing the UK economy, compared with just 70% five years ago. Furthermore, the gender divide was stark in 2018 when nearly a quarter of parents (24%) would encourage their son to work in manufacturing, and just 14% for daughters. However. More than a third (36%) of parents would now be happy for their daughters to work in the sector, while almost half (44%) of parents would encourage their sons to work in manufacturing. However, the bad news is that the survey shows the dial has not shifted significantly in the last five years in terms of the public’s perception of the UK as a manufacturing power. Five years ago, the public believed the UK was 56th in the world ranking of manufacturing nations, the position occupied at the time by Kazakhstan. In the latest survey, the public believed Britain ranked 43rd, the position actually held by the United Arab Emirates. It shows that the sector still faces huge challenges in changing public perception and emphasising its importance. By MAKE UK chief executive, Stephen Phipson MAKE uk - the manufacturers’ organisation monthly news comment From 14 – 16 November 2023, the who’s who of the automation industry will once again meet in Nuremberg. More than 1200 exhibitors from around the world are expected to attend the 32nd edition of the SPS, Smart Production Solutions, covering 16 exhibition halls and a total exhibition space of approximately 120,000 sqm. In addition to the latest innovations, the industry event offers interested parties the opportunity to experience practical and forward-looking technologies at first hand and engage in a lively exchange with automation suppliers. Visitors to the SPS 2023 in November, which is the highlight of the automation industry calendar, will once again enjoy the opportunity to expand their network, connect with potential partners, explore joint business opportunities, and learn about the latest topics in automation. In addition to the classic, highly sought-after automation themes of control technology, drive technology and sensor technology, software & IT is becoming an increasingly important subject in manufacturing. Some exhibitors will, among other things, discuss which automation functions will, in the future, most likely be provided directly on the machine, using edge computing, or even in the cloud. This development has been expedited by Siemens AG, for example, which introduced a purely cloud-based software variant of a programmable logic controller in the spring. In connection with this, attention is increasingly turning to the use of artificial intelligence and IT security in the automation world, which will be reflected in the range of products and services at the event. Visitors will, among other things, benefit from the wide range of products and services offered by the German and international automation providers and gain a unique insight into leading technologies in the industry. According to the figures for last year’s event, a total of 360 of the 43,813 visitors came from the UK. Those attending the SPS can look forward to a wide range of presentations on current topics from the automation industry at the forums in halls 3, 6 and 8. The Technology Stage program in Hall 3, hosted by the two industry associations VDMA and ZVEI, will also be broadcast live in German and English at the complementary online event, “SPS on air”. This year’s panel discussions, product presentations, and keynote sessions will focus on: Digital transformation/Industry 4.0 Industrial communication Data-driven and intelligent concepts for control and visualization Sensor innovations Drives Sustainability through automation Up-to-date information about the exhibition programme can be found on the event website at: sps-exhibition.com SPS Exhibition set to highlight automation demand Smart manufacturing masters launched Aston University is to open up the world of smart manufacturing to the engineers of tomorrow. Based on the research expertise in the University’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences it will be offering a masters degree in smart manufacturing. The field is estimated to expand by more than 12% between 20202025 due to the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ and government involvement. Industrial automation in manufacturing is on the increase as are software systems that reduce time and cost to the market. The masters course will teach a wide range of hands-on skills in smart manufacturing to create innovative solutions for complex manufacturing problems through developing state-of-the-art technologies. Programme director Dr Muftooh Siddiqi said: “This is a course for those who want to be at the forefront of technological growth. “Smart manufacturing is of tremendous significance in the field of manufacturing and is a way to the future. “This programme will embed the technological revolution deep within the mindset of engineers and teach the skills to design and develop new technologies that embrace the challenges of future manufacturing.”
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