Industry 4.0 Summit and Expo will see the gathering of senior manufacturing executives interested in achieving real-time benefits from implementing new technologies and practices across their operations.
The event is taking place at Manchester Central Convention Complex from 10-11 April.
The two-day programme will offer a showcase of digital solutions from IIOT, automation, robotics, sensors, big data, artificial intelligence, materials, and predictive maintenance. The event is designed to allow visitors opportunities to network and get answers to Industry 4.0 questions.
Some of the keynote speakers include:
- Brian Holliday, managing director, Siemens PLC, Digital Factory
- Donna Edwards, programme director, Made Smarter North West
- Ian Funnell, CEO, ABB UK
- Sheryl Bunton, VP chief information officer, Gulfstream Aerospace
- Nigel Moulton, global CTO in the Modern Data Center Business Unit, Dell Technologies
- Stephen Phipson CBE, CEO & chair, MAKEUK – The Manufacturers’ Organisation
- Stewart Miller, operations director, Bosch Rexroth
- Paulo Bartolo, Industry 4.0 lead, University of Manchester
- Andy Schofield, Manufacturing & Materials Strategy and Technology Director, BAE Systems – Air
- Emma McLeod, principal, process technology, Mondelez International
Carl Lewis, supply chain director, PepsiCo, UK said of the previous edition: “What an impactful event. Excellent guest speakers, a large expo and very well organised. The event has helped me to build a network of contacts and suppliers to work with and gain support from as we continue our journey towards Industry 4.0 and integrate the IIoT. The event gave some highly useful insights into different companies and expert views on the challenges 4.0 will bring.”
Attendees can also get involved in a variety of free events on the Expo floor:
- Open Technology Forum, sponsored by Siemens
- Robot Zone, sponsored by Omron
- SME Clinic in partnership with Made Smarter North West, sponsored by Valuechain Technologies (not free)
- Digital Innovation Challenge in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University
- One-day IOT workshop, run and sponsored by Intel
- Women in 4.0 lunch (Summit only); in a bid to strengthen the talent pool and widen the opportunities for women in the sector in the years to come.
Former Manchester Metropolitan University student, International Student Ambassador and Women in Leadership Ambassador, Elen Perry is part the conference programme. Elen has won international competitions because of her work in additive manufacturing at the university’s Print City Campus.
Students from Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester will be exhibiting their work on the Universities’ stands throughout the exhibition.
The Industry 4.0 team at Manchester Metropolitan University were part of the panel which has selected the eight finalists in the Expo’s Digital Innovation Challenge. Student teams from around the world submitted their Industry 4.0 innovations throughout 2018. The eight shortlisted finalists will be presenting their ideas on day one of the Expo on the main exhibition floor.
The 2019 finalists are:
- Elen Parry @ManMetUni
- Adam Votava @alookanalytics
- Marcin Regulski @MiddlesexUni
- David Byrne @LimerickIT
- Emmanuel Ayodele @UniversityLeeds
- Dien Curtis @HiveUrbanFarms
- Thomas Kendall @OfficialUoM
- Emiliano Pinto @OfficialUoM
The judging panel consists of senior executives from Airbus, Dell Technologies, Dyson and sponsor Protolabs and the winning finalist will be announced at the end of day one with an opportunity to showcase their ideas at the Expo throughout day two.
Events on the expo floor
All exhibition visitors can participate in a variety of events that are happening around the exhibition hall including:
Open Technology Forum, sponsored by Siemens - this mini-conference is a free-to-attend programme for all Expo attendees. It provides a platform for suppliers and organisations working in the sector to share their success stories and insights.
Robot Zone, sponsored by Omron - showcasing the latest robotic technologies from industry and academia, featuring new solutions from technology leaders such as HMK, Omron and ABB.
Round Tables, sponsored by Dassault Systèmes – open to Summit delegates only.
SME Clinic in partnership with Made Smarter North West, sponsored by Valuechain Technologies – offering consultation sessions with an Industrial Digital Technology adviser from the Made Smarter North West team, Valuechain and other experts.
One-day IOT workshop, sponsored by Intel: this year’s free-to-attend course is “The Smart Video” workshop. The one-day training sessions will run over both days of the conference, but spaces are limited to just 25 delegates per day.
Academia Summit
An academic programme, is running alongside the Industry event with a separate event programme. This will be the second International Conference on Sustainable Smart Manufacturing (S2M 2019). The Industry 4.0 Academia Summit takes place over the 9th – 11th April 2019 in Manchester. It is co-hosted by The University of Manchester (UK), The University of Lisbon (Lisbon School of Architecture) and The Polytechnic of Leiria (School of Technology and Management).