The firm commitment that IT companies such as SAP bring to exploring industrial communication topics (such as OPC UA and TSN) shows how the IT and automation industries are increasingly merging. This process is also reflected in the hall occupation at SPS IPC Drives: in 2018, the topic of software and IT in manufacturing will be on display in Halls 5 and 6. Industrial web services, virtual product development and design, digital business platforms, IT/OT technologies, fog/edge and cloud computing, and many other topics are covered here.

Cybersecurity is also being addressed by numerous vendors, who offer explanatory demonstrations at their booths of how companies can protect themselves against online attacks.

Christian Wolf, chairman of the exhibitor advisory board, also sees this continued development in a positive light.

- We exhibitors have looked forward to to another successful SPS IPC Drives – with an additional hall, topics of focus that have been evolved, and for the first time under the theme of ‘smart and digital automation’. This tagline particularly underscores the convergence of automation and IT as well as the positive development of the exhibition as industrial digitization advances toward integrated automation and Industry 4.0.

Comprehensive supporting program rounds out the exhibition

To tie in with the development of these topics, the exhibition is staging its first hackathon under the banner of “Digital Ideas for Smart Automation”. The event is intended to enable participants to jointly develop useful and creative software products for the automation industry. 

Following last year’s success, there are guided tours at the event on IT security in automation, smart production, and smart connectivity in 2018. Trade visitors can use these tours to gain targeted and focused information on key innovations and exhibits in these special topic areas.

Attendees can also obtain extensive insights into specific topics and ask providers for advice on their particular requirements at the joint booths:

•                         Automation meets IT, Hall 6

•                         MES goes automation, Hall 6

•                         wireless in automation, Hall 5

•                         AMA Center for Sensors and Measurement, Hall 4A

In addition, the forums held by the German industry associations VDMA (Hall 5) and ZVEI (Hall 6) offers high-quality, topic-specific presentations and podium discussions. There, attendees can learn more about the latest industry subjects and share their thoughts with the experts on hand.

This year’s Automation 4.0 Summit will once again complement the exhibition program on the first two days of the event and address topics from the Industry 4.0 space:

•                         Edge computing in industry – possibilities and limits

•                         TSN and OPC UA in industrial environments

•                         IoT platforms in industry

•                         Sensors for Industry 4.0

A wealth of information and a bellwether for trends

At SPS IPC Drives, attendees from all across the globe benefit from the tremendous amount of information on offer and direct access to the latest automation products. This is also confirmed by chairman of the exhibitor advisory board Christian Wolf:

- For my part, I hope the many expert visitors will continue to use SPS IPC Drives not only as a working exhibition with clearly defined tasks, but also to intensively evaluate the real-world opportunities of the smart factory with exhibitors. I am certain this year’s exhibition will once again be an absolute highlight for exhibitors and visitors alike, thanks also to the good economic conditions.

Maintworld-magazine is an official sponsor of SPS IPC Drives 2018 –event. So come and meet our members of staff at the event!