What's on display at the Factories of the Future Expo?

ABB will be demonstrating a range of digital technologies including its collaborative robot YuMi, a marine fleet monitoring system and a smart sensor that can be retrofitted to motors to monitor their heath. Visitors can also experience digital smart homes, substations and a production optimisation system in virtual reality.

ATS is proud to present ATS Bus - A Smart Manufacturing Service Bus that significantly lowers the cost of system integration. ATS Bus also helps to accelerate new product introduction as it can quickly and easily distribute centrally managed work instructions, machine instructions, recipes, and robot and CNC programs.

Balluff is a global leader offering the necessary technologies for implementing Industry 4.0 systems. Dedicated to the development and manufacture of sensors, identification systems and industry devices for all areas of industrial automation, Balluff are widely recognised as the Heartbeat of Industry 4.0.

Exhibiting on stand G10, Balluff is proud to launch their new safety range. Balluff is the first in the world to offer equipment manufacturers a simple-to-integrate, cost-saving safety product based on IO-Link. Safety over IO-Link combines automation and safety in one system and represents efficient safety concepts from one source. Safety over IO-Link offers the proven IO-Link advantages such as simple data transport and information exchange, high flexibility and universal applicability. A logical step in the direction of economical Industry 4.0 for users and for Balluff.

Looking for ways to remove inefficiencies, highlight new business opportunities, manage downtime, improve production rates, improve safety, and use gaps in workforce skills more efficiently? The data from your systems and machinery can be used to help you achieve this. Be sure to check out CIA (Cougar Intelligent Asset) on stand Q30, an end-to-end, proof-of-concept that shows you "" in real time "" process data being acquired by a COTS industrial automation controller (PLC) via an industrial wireless/mobile communications gateway and a reporting dashboard.

Adrian Swindells, Director, DISTEC says: "Industry 4.0 is revolutionising the way that plants operate and it is essential that plant managers are up to date. A key part of successfully making the transition is to ensure that reliable systems are in place to accurately monitor networks and process efficiency. The industrial PCs that we supply can undertake control, visualisation or communication tasks, allowing plant managers to have better control over production lines."

As global competition increases the UK must be more diligent in monitoring OEE. New to the UK, Visual Factories is specialist machine tool performance management software that facilitates world-class results by introducing gamification to end users. After all "if you can't measure it, you can't manage it!'

See how Schneider Electric can help transform your business. Hear Zone President, Tanuja Randery deliver the Summit's keynote speech on IT-OT convergence and see experts on stand H20 demonstrate how IIoT technology can be used to develop businesses by improving energy efficiency and optimising productivity.

As a forward-thinking company, Velden have invested significantly in industry 4.0 methodologies and towards becoming a smart factory. To see advanced flexible manufacturing in reality and not as a concept, visit H60 and experience a livestream to the factory, demonstrating the progressive technologies already in use in a manufacturing environment.

Visit all these exhibitors at the Factories of the Future Expo, 4-5 April, Manchester, and go to www.industry40summit.com for further details.