Smart Machines & Factories

3D printing was first used in rapid prototyping, but today is increasingly used in additive processes that enable volume production of plastic and metal parts. It is also used to manufacture parts that are too complex for traditional injection moulding. The trend is towards modular and scalable manufacturing solutions tailored to a particular application. Smart Machines & Factories provides an overview of the processes and trends.

George Walker, managing director of industrial control and automation provider Novotek UK and Ireland, explains the core benefits of edge computing.

Critics of 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, have long cited the technology’s reliance on plastic filament as the primary print material, and it would seem that with the global focus on reducing plastic wastage they have a point - or do they? Has 3D printing now reached a maturity level where it cannot only support the sustainability agenda, but actively drive it? Smart Machines & Factories reports.

Industrial plant operators are increasingly supporting better decision-making by using the digitalisation capabilities available through instrumentation and plant management systems. Saverio Barbero Lodigiani and David Lincoln for ABB Measurement and Analytics in the UK, explain how these capabilities can help to boost plant and process performance by providing the data needed for smarter operation and maintenance.

Contradictory to the common belief that technology necessary for Industry 4.0 is expensive, the Combine and Conquer report by Accenture found that combining technologies such as AR/VR, big data and machine learning can save large businesses an average of £60,000 per employee. Nick Boughton, sales manager at industrial systems integrator, Boulting Technology, explores the growing trend of plug and play technologies.

A sheet of A4 is convenient. But your data won't be exact or real time. Kevin Bull is product strategy director at Columbus UK, reports.

British Fluid Power Association member companies Festo and SMC Pneumatics consider the growing trend towards automation and digitalisation within the automotive industry, and the enduring importance of more traditional technologies such as pneumatics within the fast-developing digital transformation landscape. Smart Machines & Factories reports.

How can manufacturing efficiency be improved? Any significant optimisation of production lines is getting increasingly difficult to achieve. Bringing smarter automation into the workplace offers an innovative solution, but it all starts with data. Lots and lots of data. Smart Machines & factories spoke to Tim Foreman, Omron’s European R&D manager.

The term ‘Industry 4.0’ has quickly become the “hot topic” across industry, but is it actually understood, and is it being implemented correctly? Steve Askins, UK engineering director at ERIKS UK & Ireland, offers some practical guidance to help you cut through the hype and get the most from the fourth industrial revolution.

Smart Machines & Factories looks at how Augmented Reality (AR) and cobots are driving the next wave of automation.

Jonathan Wilkins at EU Automation, explains why increased levels of automation are a good thing.

Industry proposals to boost the UK’s manufacturing sector have been unveiled at the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry with the publication of the Industrial Digitalisation Review. Smart Machines & Factories reports.

Industry 4.0 will undoubtedly create a wealth of opportunities for new business models, new products and new solutions. We are only just beginning to understand the possibilities of a world where operating technologies and information technologies ‘talk’ directly to each other and make real decisions, using calculations outside the range of human capabilities. This has the potential to lead to enormous efficiencies in labour, material and energy. Neil Lewin, senior consultant at Festo Training & Consulting, reports.

Users of industrial robots from manufacturing to healthcare are unprepared for the real risk of a hacking attack, warns a leading cyber security expert.

Food safety has been one of the top priorities for food manufacturers and consumers for many years. Robert Glass, global marketing manager of ABB’s food and beverage programme, explains how smart technologies are helping manufacturers exceed food safety standards.

Many machine builders are relying more heavily on their automation suppliers to help them realise their designs – so choosing the correct partner is critical. Derek Jones & Dave Randall, Lenze’s business development managers, explain.

Traceability is already commonplace in aerospace manufacturing at the very top of the supply chain but advances in relatively inexpensive technology with greater networking capabilities mean it can now be exploited by firms throughout, down to those producing even the smallest components. Alastair Morris, Sales Director at Pryor, looks at the marking, data management and networking solutions that are driving forward the development.

In an increasingly competitive sector, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) offers oil and gas companies opportunities that would previously been almost unimaginable. By harnessing sensor data, Big Data analytics and machine-to-machine communication (M2M), unprecedented levels of efficiency become possible. The disruptive power of this technology is absolutely enormous. Andy Bailey, Stratus Solutions Architect reports.

John Browett, CLPA Europe General Manager, outlines the network requirements that will enable Industry 4.0.

As part of its "Mobility for tomorrow" strategy, the Schaeffler Group is creating a digital platform for processing large volumes of data, creating valuable insights that will over time transform its operations. Smart Machines & Factories spoke to Greig Littlefair, managing director of Schaeffler (UK) Ltd, who will oversee the implementation of the Group’s Digital Agenda in the UK.

Smart Machines & Factories spoke to Roberta Nelson Shea, Universal Robots’ chief technical compliance officer, who gives insights into the challenges and importance of compliance in a robotic company.

Robert Golightly, MES, products, AspenTech, takes a look at how predictive analytics maximises operational excellence. Modern manufacturing is an ecosystem of interconnected software and hardware that helps refineries, chemical and petrochemical companies optimise plants and achieve operational excellence. As businesses generate vast amounts of data, efficient decision support solutions are needed to make sense of vital information and ensure operations can adapt quickly to dynamic conditions.

Smart Machines & Factories looks at a five-stage model which provides recommendations that could help successfully implement ‘The Connected Enterprise’.

In recent times hydraulic and pneumatic systems have become much more sophisticated, comprising a selection of components that enable system design dreams to be turned into a reality. Mark Fairhurst reports.

Smart Machines & Factories spoke to Chris Evans, marketing & operations group manager at Mitsubishi Electric to explore what is actually meant by ‘smart manufacturing’ by considering the benefits of adopting the concept and what challenges may lie ahead.