HIGH-POWERED MANUFACTURING CONFERENCE TO OFFER ESCAPE FROM “TROUGH OF DISILLUSIONMENT” 

Manufacturing leaders to help UK industry embrace latest technologies

A high-powered conference on the digital revolution in manufacturing can help industry leaders escape from the "trough of disillusionment" according to an advanced manufacturing expert.

Many manufacturers now understand the need to invest in digital technology and intelligent automation,  and there are many technologies and tools available, but they struggle to know how to integrate them into their own factories and to find support, according to the head of digital technology strategy at the Manufacturing Technology Centre.

Dr Lina Huertas said the amount of information available on the so-called fourth industrial revolution was immense, but many manufacturers despaired when they came across barriers to implementation.

"There is a huge amount of advice and information out there, but people need to be careful who they learn from. Much is being generated by equipment manufacturers, software manufacturers and business consultants, but at the end of the day it is difficult to get neutral knowledge about what works and what doesn't. Often, independent advice from other end-users who have actually been through the digital journey and can share their experiences is a much better source of knowledge," she said.

Some of Europe’s leading experts on the digital revolution sweeping through manufacturing industry will join forces in October at  the conference at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre in Coventry entitled Digitalising Manufacturing 2018: Grasping the Opportunity. Manufacturing leaders from across Europe will tell delegates that the fourth industrial revolution opens up huge potential for UK manufacturers, but companies need a strategy and have to invest in skills and technology to reap the benefits.

The two-day conference on October 29 and 30 will aim to continue to demystify digital manufacturing and give manufacturers support on how to progress the digital journey in their own organisations, based on previous experiences and lessons learned.

The conference follows on from a similar sell-out conference last year which saw the launch of the Made Smarter initiative which outlined plans to boost the UK economy using advanced digital technologies including artificial intelligence, advanced robotics, 3D printing, and augmented and virtual reality.

Progress on the initiative will be assessed at the 2018 conference at which the keynote speaker will be Professor Juergen Maier, who is chief executive of Siemens UK and heads the Made Smarter initiative.

Professor Maier said, "I am delighted to be opening the Digitalising Manufacturing Conference 2018 at the MTC, which will focus on making the Made Smarter vision a reality for industrialists up and down the country.” 

Also speaking at the conference will be Marcus Burton, director at Yamazaki Mazak and a member of the Made Smarter leadership team, who will give delegates an industry perspective on the expected impact of the initiative.

Dr Huertas said, “This event is aimed specifically at end-users and those who will be most affected by this digital industrial revolution. Drawing on the experiences of those who have already begun the process of implementation, the conference will aim to give a clear overview of the progress of digital manufacturing from a manufacturer’s point of view, providing insights on its potential for UK industry.”

To register for a ticket to the conference visit www.the-mtc.org/digital2018.