Sponsor Q&A: Festo - equipping the UK workforce for the changes that will come with digitalisation

We are delighted to welcome Festo as our first sponsor for Digitalising Manufacturing 2018.

We spoke to Steve Sands, Head of Product Management at Festo GB, to get his thoughts ahead of the 2018 conference.

Tell us more about Festo
Festo is a leading international supplier of automation technology and is a proven innovator and problem solver in the field of pneumatic and electrical automation where it has established itself as the performance leader. Festo offers over 30,000 pneumatic and electric products for factory and process automation technology which can be tailored to specific customer needs in a variety of modular programs. Festo Training & Consulting specialises in the development of people, organisations and technology skills. Offering a range of open courses, structured development programmes and tailor-made, customer-specific projects. Festo Didactic Services offers a wide range of training equipment and materials.

Festo has engaged with the Industry 4.0 initiative from its inception: as a user, manufacturer and trainer.  Appointed by the German government as a member of the steering group the company has taken an active role in the definition of the core standards such as the RAMI model and the Administration Shell.  Festo Didactic has also developed the Industry 4.0 Cyber-Physical Factory training hardware installed in many leading universities and training centres, as well as Industry 4.0 training courses covering the strategic overview for change managers and practical workshops for employees. Industry 4.0 technologies such as OPC-UA communications are embedded in the latest generation products.

What are you looking forward to most at Digitalising Manufacturing 2018?
The coming together of the high level experts with their diverse viewpoints to understand where GB is in the Industry 4.0 / 4IR journey.  What is the cutting edge and what is the reality?

How is Industry 4.0 affecting the UK manufacturing landscape?
Interest in digitalisation has grown enormously in the last two years.  Before it was often treated with suspicion as nothing more than a marketing hype.  However, the conversations have now become a lot more considered and whilst real implementations utilising the standards within Industry 4.0 are still very limited many large end-users are considering pilot applications or proof of concept demonstrators.  In turn, equipment manufacturers are bringing smart products from the prototype labs into real world products.  It is an evolution that requires a certain degree of synchronicity – sufficient investment and inertia from lead end users, their OEMs and component suppliers committed to develop pilot machines and applications.  I feel this inertia is building and will start to be realised within 2018 and growing rapidly beyond that.

What do you see as the UK’s role in developing digital technologies?
From a strategy perspective GB is starting from some way behind countries such as Germany.  However, this is a not a one or two year development and there is time to learn from the best examples and to find a way to incorporate our areas of strengths into our own interpretation.  A lot of basic groundwork on standards and models has been done in these early stages.  I believe GB can bring to bear strengths in areas such as telecoms innovation, artificial intelligence and visualisation to make a strong contribution to the international I4.0 community allowing us to influence further developments and ensure we secure for the UK a good proportion of the employment and revenue opportunities from digitalization.

As a past sponsor, what have you gained from previous conferences?
The chance to hear first-hand the leaders in digitalisation and to network with the very wide range of stake holders from academia to politicians and the leading manufacturers from home and abroad.  We have invested in the latest I4.0 training and technology demonstrating hardware and this forum provides the opportunity for the delegates to see the possibilities and hopefully to collectively ensure our higher education and university sectors have the resources to invest in this type of technology so that our workforce are equipped for the changes that will come with digitalisation.

Presenter Q&A: Marcus Burton, Director, Yamazaki Mazak

Marcus Burton Q&A

A brief introduction to Marcus Burton

Marcus Burton joined Yamazaki Mazak as Group Business Development Director for Europe in October 2005

After gaining a first class honours degree in Production Engineering and a Masters degree in Machine Tool Technology from the University of Birmingham, he entered the metrology industry, including 15 years with Brown and Sharpe (USA) as a General Manager and Director of a number of European subsidiary companies

Mr Burton has extensive board level experience in Business Development and Strategy including international acquisitions and post merger integration and has also worked as an independent consultant in strategic management

He was appointed Managing Director of Yamazaki Mazak U.K. Ltd in October 2007 and European Group Managing Director in January 2010 responsible to Japan for all Mazak's European operations including Manufacturing, Engineering and the European Sales and Service subsidiary companies.

In April 2017 Mr Burton took on the new role of non-executive Director of Yamazaki Mazak UK Ltd, with specific interest in future business strategy and external relations which has taken on more significance since the decision of the UK to leave the European Union

Mr Burton is also a board member of the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) and is Chairman of the Economic Committee of CECIMO, the European Association representing the common interests of the Machine Tool Industry.

How has Industry 4.0 affected Yamazaki Mazak?

Yamazaki Mazak is a leader in the development of Machine Tool Technology to help businesses improve their manufacturing productivity. We were the pioneers of “Conversational” CNC programming which made the technology accessible for even the smallest of businesses; we also introduced the concept of “multitasking” in a serious way with our Integrex range of “Done in One” machines. But what people do not always appreciate is that we have been the leader in the manufacture of machine tools and components, being one of the first companies to utilise Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS) as well as developing the Cyber Factory concept more than twenty years ago using connectivity and machine monitoring to improve productivity. Industry 4.0 has motivated us to take our concepts further by utilising more sensors, computing power and data collection. We are reinvesting in our manufacturing operations globally to implement the Mazak iSmart Factory concept which is already in operation in Japan and USA. We believe our concept will allow even the smallest companies to benefit from the 4th Industrial Revolution just as we did with the early CNC technology.

As well as affecting our internal operations we have made a significant investment in the new “Smooth” control system for all our machines. As well as giving significant improvements in productivity the control has maximum connectivity and can host third party applications. The “Smooth” control is truly I4.0 ready.

Which technologies will be at the forefront of Industry 4.0 and what impact will they have?

There are five technologies that are usually quoted as being at the heart of I4.0. I will comment on each one as they affect our business, however I am more of the opinion that it is the integration and combining of technologies that will give maximum benefit than each one individually.

The first is Robotics and Automation Mazak has successfully integrated robot technology in its plants and installed many integrated machine tool and robotic systems across Europe. The difference today is that newer systems have the sensors and control technology to work alongside operators in a collaborative fashion. I think the implementation of “Cobots” alongside traditional work will increase the acceptance and adoption of the technology across many different industries. I do not think we should fear job losses through automation. My experience is that continuous improvements in productivity allow companies to grow ultimately employing more people even if the skills requirements will demand a much bigger investment in training and up-skilling the existing workforce.

Additive Manufacturing is the second technology that will have a massive impact, in particular when the next generation of designers will have the confidence to exploit the unique characteristics of the technology in design. At Mazak we have introduced a range of hybrid machine tools that can use metal powders for additive manufacturing combined with traditional metal cutting. This is an extension of our “Done in One” multitasking concept.

Connectivity, big data, wireless communications will all be critical in creating the industrial internet of things (IIoT). As I mentioned Mazak already developed the iSmart factory concept which can act as an element in a wider connected manufacturing system The Industrial Internet of Things will force companies to collaborate across the value chain in order to obtain the significant efficiency improvements on offer. This will challenge how companies trust each other and share information. In my opinion this could have the biggest impact.

There is a lot of mainstream news attention on Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR & AR) as there are number of simulation and consumer entertainment applications that are exciting the general population. Within industry, however, the technology will be used seriously as part of a wider digitalisation programme from design through to manufacture through to product service. As these digital models and “digital twins” become more available VR and AR applications will find even more industrial use. At Mazak we are planning trials using AR as part of a 5G test bed consortium where we will require real time reliable communications for success.

The final I4.0 technology is Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Data Analytics (AI). As I mentioned I do not see these technologies in isolation and as we develop further capabilities in AI and Data Analytics this will impact every aspect of our lives. The Smart Factories will be able to accommodate intelligent and autonomous material handling and logistics systems, be capable of predicting failures and planning corrective action in advance. The products we will develop will be capable of more sophisticated interaction with each other to optimise the performance of complete systems.

As someone who was involved in the Made Smarter Review, what impact do you think the review has had on industry since its launch?

I think the Made Smarter Review has highlighted the opportunities we have as a country to leapfrog our current productivity issues by developing a strategy for Industrial Digitalisation. The review has rightly praised what we have already in place in the UK as a foundation to build a digital strategy, but has also focussed on the need to coordinate and drive our ambition to be a leader in this area. Of great concern was to have a strategy that supports the inclusion of smaller businesses to engage and invest in digital technology. To do this we need an eco-system that all companies can access for the help they need. We need remove the barriers to adoption of digital technologies and to take seriously the necessity to up-skill our industrial workers. And finally we need stronger leadership at national level to project the UK as an international leader and inspire the UK population to embrace rather than fear the opportunities digitalisation offers. We are still engaging with government on the agenda, but the reaction I have had from industry has been supportive of the need to make sure digitalisation is a cornerstone of the Industrial Strategy.

What do you see as the UK's role in developing digital technologies?

The UK has technological leadership in a number of areas and has internationally respected academic and research establishments that will continue to have an impact. The UK also has an excellent track record in business start-ups where finance can be raised. What the UK has not been so good at is the adoption and implementation of developed technology. Personally I would like to see the UK become a leader in the implementation and adoption of the technologies with significant involvement in the development of standards and a practical legal framework for digital that will help remove some of the barriers.

What are you looking forward to most at the conference?

The conference will bring together knowledge from different business sectors, academia, or international perspective which can challenge the conventional wisdom. I always like to be challenged and use other people’s perspectives to help develop my own judgements about the future. However, despite bold statements and predictions by experts and those like me that have useful experience in a specific industry, the future will probably turn out to be something rather different than we predict. How exciting is that?

What digital technology has had the most impact on your life, professionally or personally?

I would have to go back to the development of the micro-processor. My father was an electrical engineer and when I was at school he made me aware of the impending micro-processor revolution. He obtained a simple educational development kit to sequence light emitting diodes using assembler language. As a result I was hooked on programming! When I completed my first degree he purchased a BBC microcomputer and I used this in my first industrial job to automate some routine processes. This immediately got the attention of the Managing Director which probably kick-started my career.

It is interesting to look back at some of the predictions we made about the future back then. The microprocessor revolution, it was confidently stated, will create “a world of leisure”, less working time, more holidays, more free time. I remember the French reduced the working week in bold anticipation of the new world and they have suffered ever since! As we all know the actual outcome was somewhat different.

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Sponsor Q&A: Omron - not an 'on' or 'off' button

We are delighted to welcome Omron as Gold Sponsors for Digitalising Manufacturing 2018

We heard from Dan Rossek, Omron Marketing Manager, ahead of the Digitalising Manufacturing 2018 conference.

Tell us more about Omron

Omron Industrial Automation is a leading manufacturer of  advanced automation products and worldwide supplier of application expertise. It is part of the global Omron Corporation, which has been anticipating and fulfilling social and industrial needs since 1933. Omron's portfolio of automation products, which includes control, motion, robotics, visualistion, software, sensing, safety, machine vision & panel components provides a complete solution for manufacturers. Utilising common communication architectures between all devices, Omron provides seamless connectivity and simplified solutions for migrating information from the automation to IT environment, enabling us to realise the evolution to the smart, "connected factory".

What are you looking forward to most at Digitalising Manufacturing 2018?

The Digitalising conference will provide a unique platform to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders from manufacturers, academia, suppliers and system integrators, all offering complimentary perspectives on the solutions and opportunities with regard to digitalisation. It will be a great opportunity to both share information on our own digitalisation solutions, but also to listen and learn from other contributing parties and delegates.

How will digitalisation affect UK manufacturing?

UK manufacturers are under increasing pressure to remain competitive in the global market,  digitalisation presents many opportunities to drive improvements in efficiency, increase flexibility, develop more agile manufacturing processes and improve total quality. It is a cold hard fact that manufacturing in a "low labour cost" economy has a distinct competitive advantage over the UK, embracing digitalisation techniques provides UK manufacturers the opportunity to level the playing field and remain competitive in the global market.

What advice would you give to a company looking to digitalise their business?

Firstly, digitalisation is not an "on" or "off" button, it is not a fixed state of being digitalised or not being digitalised, nor is it an all encompassing solution to every manufacturing issue. Prominently, nobody understands your business, processes and issues better than you, which is often a great place to start on any digitalisation journey. Understanding and isolating the key issues that directly effect your business, is probably the most crucial first step and from this, the process of deriving a solution is greatly simplified.
Identify the "quick wins", most barriers faced in adopting a digitalisation strategy are not related to the available solutions, but often arise from the lack of belief or backing from internal stakeholders to support investing time and capital in digitalisation. Small changes and investments in identified problem areas, can often lead to quick success and easier justification for additional investment.
Always think "connected", whatever changes or investments you make, one fundamental principal of digitalisation is the connected model and it is imperative to choose capital equipment or devices that "connect" on a widely adopted,  open vendor principal. This will protect and future proof any investment you make, as your business ramps up it's digitalisation strategy.

How has Industry 4.0 affected Omron?

Industry 4.0 and the attention surrounding it and similar topics, is a welcome phenomenon for our business, as it is strongly aligned with our core development strategy of the "connected" automation architecture. The topic has also driven our business with regard to product development, accelerating and influencing emerging technologies like edge AI and collaborative mobile robotics, which are technologies that Omron are pioneering in the automation market.

Driving UK competitiveness by digitalising manufacturing

Expanded over two days, this year’s Digitalising Manufacturing Conference offered a truly international perspective on the opportunities and threats facing UK value chains.

You could not have asked for – nor planned – a more auspicious start to Digitalising Manufacturing 2017, hosted by the MTC and held at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre in Coventry.

Just hours before the chairman’s opening remarks on October 30, the country’s independent review of industrial digitalisation was published with claims that over 10 years, digital technologies could boost UK manufacturing by some £455bn.

If that number alone didn’t represent a salivating prospect, industrial digitalisation could also increase sector growth by upwards of 3% a year and create a net gain of 175,000 jobs, all while reducing CO2 emissions by 4.5%, according to the report.

To achieve such significant improvements, the Made Smarter Review lays out several key recommendations, all geared around addressing the three main challenges businesses face: Leadership, Adoption and Innovation.

The Made Smarter Review was led by Professor Juergen Maier, the same person who chaired day one of Digitalising Manufacturing 2017. As such, there was a palpable buzz as delegates took their seats ready to discuss how best to meet the challenges head on.

To read the full article from The Manufacturer, please click here

European Innovation Council pilot Jury unveiled – 87 investment and innovation experts selected

Lina Huertas, Head of Technology Strategy for Digital Manufacturing at Manufacturing Technology Centre is named in the European Innovation Council pilot Jury.

With the creation of the European Innovation Council (EIC) pilot, the SME instrument evaluations will undergo a radical change. Starting from the first cut-off on 10 January 2018, companies that pass the initial selection stage for Phase 2 awards, will have to pitch their innovation projects in front of a panel of jury experts, consisting of private investors, business angels and other players in the innovation ecosystem. This complements the existing paper based assessment in order to take full account of the personal qualities and motivations of the applicant innovators. 

To read the full article and to see the full list, click here.

Growing the Artificial Intelligence Industry in the UK

An excerpt from the review:

'Increased use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) can bring major social and economic benefits to the UK. With AI, computers can analyse and learn from information at higher accuracy and speed than humans can. AI offers massive gains in efficiency and performance to most or all industry sectors, from drug discovery to logistics. AI is software that can be integrated into existing processes, improving them, scaling them, and reducing their costs, by making or suggesting more accurate decisions through better use of information. It has been estimated that AI could add an additional USD $814 billion (£630bn) to the UK economy by 2035, increasing the annual growth rate of GVA from 2.5 to 3.9%'

'Our vision is for the UK to become the best place in the world for businesses developing and deploying AI to start, grow and thrive, and to realise all the benefits the technology offers.'

You can read the full review here.

How are manufacturers filling their digital skills gaps?

Almost every business, regardless of size, sector or geography, is being urged to create internal digital capabilities. But how is this need being manifested, and what role will ‘operational technologists’ play?

Historically, a manufacturer’s information technology department and its team of automation production engineers have typically operated in isolation.

Their functions didn’t necessarily overlap and the two were often overseen by separate management teams.

However, the rise of smart manufacturing – driven by the power and connectivity of the industrial internet, has seen production plants evolve and traditional siloes being broken down.

To read the full article from the Manufacturer, please click here.

How are UK manufacturers embracing digital technology?

Considering the huge leaps forward technology has taken in recent years, how have UK manufacturers embraced digital transformation, and what might the future hold?

To say that manufacturers have ‘started’ to adopt technology or ‘began’ to leverage data is a misnomer. Industry has been utilising digital technology for more than three decades thanks to the introduction and continual evolution of CAD, CAM, CNC, ERP, SCADA, PLCs and more.

To remain relevant and competitive, however, every business needs to embrace change and take advantage of advances in technology.

Though many manufacturers have successfully integrated some form of digital technology into their operations, there’s a lot that could still be done in terms of a complete transformation – irrespective of whether a company is an early-adopter or a novice.

To read the full article from The Manufacturer, please click here.

Industrial Strategy White Paper 2017

The Industrial Strategy has been created to showcase the government’s plan to build an economy which boosts productivity and earning power throughout the UK.

The strategy is available to view here.

Made Smarter Review

Chaired by Siemens UK CEO Professor Juergen Maier, the Made Smarter Review outlines proposals to boost the economy using advanced digital technologies including robotics, 3D printing, augmented and virtual reality as well as artificial intelligence.

You can read the full version here.

New research finds 3 out of 4 firms failing at digitalisation

More than 80% of companies globally have made investments in "digitalisation" - investing in digital technologies to change business models and drive revenue - in the past three years, yet less than 25% have achieved topline growth as a result.

To read the full article from the manufacturer, please click here.

Three 2018 Game-Changers for Manufacturing

Excerpt taken from GlobalTrade magazine:

'IoT being built into the product design, manufacturers adopting a more service-centric business model, and 3D printing reaching the tipping point of realizing business benefits on a large scale. These are the three game-changing predictions that Antony Bourne, Global Industry Director of Industrial and High-tech Manufacturing at IFS, outlines for 2018.'

To read the full article, please click here.

Three steps to drive digital innovation

Innovation is key in navigating businesses through digital transformation.
Lina Huertas, Head of Technology Strategy for Digital Manufacturing at Manufacturing Technology Centre, talks about the pinch points where companies in traditional industries require support in their digitalization journey.

What are the steps that traditional manufacturing industries should take to foster a culture of innovation and to avoid extinction? In Huertas’ opinion, the steps are the same for any industry. “The first thing is always to be aware and to raise awareness, for example, by visiting events or conferences or by speaking to organizations that can provide more information. If you are not aware of what’s possible, it’s very difficult to get ideas going,” she says.

“Moreover, someone should always be responsible for achieving digitalization. Businesses always have other pressures to deal with, so it’s very important to have someone in charge of the objective,” Huertas continues. “Once you have a view of the landscape and someone has been tasked with the objective, then you need to identify the opportunity, understanding your whole organization. You should recognize your organization’s opportunities for quick wins and for creating the most value,” she explains. “Quick wins create momentum, so you need to understand that the best place to start is where you have the most issues or concerns.”

To read the full article from Industrial Internet Now, click here.