In a globalized economy, “Intelligence in Production” offers the opportunity to meet relevant customer requirements at the most varied production locations. These intelligent solutions will be on show at EMO Hannover, the world’s most important international platform for manufacturing technology. “All users of manufacturing technology are facing massive challenges around the globe,” says Dr. Wilfried Schäfer, Executive Director from EMO organizer VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) at the EMO press conference on 23 January 2013 in Bangalore. In the face of enormous pressure on costs, as well as exceptionally tough requirements with regard to efficiency and environmental impact, production operations must continue to pursue maximum cost effectiveness. “Production experts from all over the world are seeking answers to these challenges, and looking forward to EMO Hannover 2013 with keen anticipation,” added Schäfer. EMO exhibitors who help their customers flourish on the global market can score heavily. “Intelligence in Production” is the key.
Partner on the global market
Global machine tool use has more than doubled over the past 20 years. Most machine tool manufacturers and their customers have long since begun operating globally. More than half of the world’s machine tool production is exported. More than 40 percent of necessary machines come from Asia alone, delivered to more than 70 countries.
This creates huge opportunities and much potential for suppliers of manufacturing technology that can meet regional specificities and desires. Products, services, customer support and agents for various markets must also be available and organized intelligently. The challenge is to harness technical skills, comprehensive technology expertise and superlative process expertise to meet customers’ wishes worldwide, generally accompanied by severe cost and competitive pressures for the supplier company.
“Customers want skilled partners on the global market,” says Wilfried Schäfer. This means offering the right technical capabilities along with global presence and accessibility, dependable worldwide customer support and a comprehensive range of services, all the way through to local production. At EMO Hannover 2013, around 2,000 firms from all over the world will be demonstrating how they can partner with their customers on the global market.
Innovation for production facilities worldwide
Efficiency, quality, flexibility and availability are the foundations for success for users of machine tools, irrespective of where they locate their production operations. Tiny cost advantages are often crucial in determining whether an order will be placed or not – and these are achieved by means of intelligent production technology.
Improving machine concepts, control technology, software, tools and processes are always the core concerns. Continuous innovation in every area develops the functionality of intelligent production systems.
Today’s customer requirements, such as changing batch volumes, innumerable product variants and sustainable production demands are additional innovation drivers. Solving these complex tasks also increases demands on communication. Making vast and complex sets of data simultaneously available to all business areas, from development and construction to production planning and order management, requires the unhampered flow of data. Efficient modern companies therefore employ integrated overall communication systems using appropriate planning, control and testing software. Modern production systems also need to be continuously improved, as part of the company’s entire IT universe. “Intelligence in Production” ensures that intelligent machines communicate autonomously with their supervisory management and control systems, known as Industry 4.0.
Exhibitors at EMO Hannover 2013, the world’s largest metalworking innovation forum, demonstrate how all this can take place smoothly, and what global innovations are on offer for intelligent manufacturing in these areas.
Intelligent support for machine operators
However, standing out in the market with advanced technology is not enough for manufacturing technology providers. They must also contend with extremely varied customer needs. “Requirements for machine operators are generally becoming more extensive and more complex,” says Schäfer. Quality assurance, documentation, machine monitoring and maintenance and ensuring energy efficient operations are just a few of the issues in play.
“Intelligence in Production” helps machine operators to reliably fulfill every task. The tools used include multi-media elements in the control system, web-based diagnostic systems, remote servicing, innovative hotline concepts, and more. Tailored training also supports the necessary skills for customers over the long term.
Adapting these intelligent assistance functions to machine operators in each market, alone or in conjunction with local vendors, is also itself a valuable and unique selling point for a vendor. EMO Hannover 2013 will demonstrate who is able to offer such service.
EMO Hannover 2013 – the world’s premier trade fair for the metalworking sector
From 16 to 21 September 2013, international manufacturers of production technology will be spotlighting “Intelligence in Production” at EMO Hannover 2013. The world’s premier trade fair for the metalworking industry will be showcasing the entire bandwidth of the sophisticated metalworking technology which is at the heart of every industrial manufacturing process. The fair will be presenting the latest machinery as well as efficient solutions, corollary services, means of achieving sustainability in production processes and much, much more. The principal focus of EMO Hannover is on metal-cutting and forming machine tools, production systems, high-precision tools, automated material flows, computer technology, industrial electronics and accessories. The trade visitors to EMO come from every major branch of industry, e.g. machinery and plant manufacturing, the automotive industry and its component suppliers, the aerospace sector, precision mechanics and optics, shipbuilding, medical technology, tool and die manufacturing, steel and lightweight construction. EMO Hannover is the most important international meeting point for production technology specialists from around the world. EMO Hannover 2011 featured a lineup of over 2,000 exhibitors and attracted some 140,000 trade visitors from more than 100 different countries. EMO is a registered trademark of the European Association of the Machine Tool Industries (CECIMO).
Texts and images from the EMO press conference can be found on the web at www.emo-hannover.de/presseservice. You can also visit EMO at our social media pages