10 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk April/May 2025 Smart Maufacturing Week 2025 Preview Smart Manufacturing Week brings together Smart Factory Expo, Maintec (especially relevant for readers of Plant & Works Engineering), Drives & Controls, Design + Engineering Expo, as well as the Air-Tech and Fluid Power & Systems zones, offering something for everyone. Taking place on June 4-5 at the NEC Birmingham, Smart Manufacturing Week 2025 Event Director, Grace Gilling said” “Over the past four years, Smart Manufacturing Week has evolved into a powerhouse event, growing in both scale and influence. We’ve expanded significantly; there are more event components, more exhibitors, and more visitors, making it an unmissable fixture in the manufacturing calendar. Based upon our research we have put together an event that is a showcase of the entire manufacturing lifecycle.” Key date for maintenance Maintec, the key exhibition for predictive maintenance, reliability and asset management, is a key part of Smart Manufacturing Week. One of the most exciting aspects of Maintec 2025 is the number of products and technologies that relate to the topics of AI, machine learning and even the evolving new concept of ‘Industry 5.0’. A simple definition of Industry 5.0 is that it is a new phase of industrial development that focuses on collaboration between humans and intelligent machines. It’s an evolution of Industry 4.0 that aims to make manufacturing more sustainable and human centric. IIoT, machine learning, and AI are becoming ever more integral to modern maintenance ecosystems. A prime example is Sparrow Networks, returning to Maintec for its third consecutive year, who will be talking about its cloud-based service for spares pooling, the optimising of inventory and data cleaning for industrial spare parts using big data and AI. Similarly, Chris Hansford of Hansford Sensors says: “Whether we term it Industry 5.0 or not, the direction of travel is to use more sensors, be that vibration, flow, temperature pressure or whatever and to automatically gather the data and use that to make decisions. It’s something that has been very high profile in Germany and we are starting to see more of that here.” A leading player in maintenance and asset management solutions, MaintMaster will also be exhibiting. At stand 5-J40, attendees can explore how combining a Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) with Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) software and IoT sensors can significantly enhance operational performance. Visitors can experience live demonstrations and engage with experts to learn how these integrated solutions can help proactively manage maintenance challenges and boost operational efficiency. While much of the excitement at Maintec 2025 centres around its Smart Maintenance pillar, there’s also plenty to discover within the more traditional pillars of Maintenance Products and Maintenance Services. There are many new companies exhibiting at Maintec 2025 and one that fits within Maintenance Products is Certas Lubricants (stand: 5-M40), which has developed a new distribution network capable of holding large stock volumes and delivering oils and lubricants without the risk of cross-contamination. Similarly, at stand 5-H50 Service Geeni will be showcasing its field service management software that allows companies to manage customers, engineers, and equipment – all in one platform. “At Maintec 2025, we’re not just talking about reducing downtime - we’re giving engineering teams full command over their Smart maintenance in the spotlight at SMW 2025 As Industry 4.0 continues to evolve, Smart Manufacturing Week (SMW) 2025 (June 4-5) provides a platform to examine how emerging technologies, ideas, and businesses are shaping the sector with Industry 5.0 now on the horizon. With a focus on digital transformation, workforce development, AI, smart maintenance, growth, supply chains, and automation, the event will offer insights into the trends and technologies influencing the future of manufacturing and engineering. PWE reports.
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