Smart Factory Expo 2022: What to expect from the leading future of manufacturing event – Part 2

Nick Davis, Partner, Industry 4.0 Leader at Deloitte, provides insights into what we can expect from the headline sponsors at this year’s Smart Factory Expo.

What will your focus be at Smart Factory Expo?

We are excited to be the Headline Sponsor of the Smart Factory Expo for the third time. This year, we are focusing on what makes a sustainable, successful Smart Factory journey and the common pitfalls to avoid. Over the coming weeks, you can read more about these “7 Sins” in our article in The Manufacturer.

What will people learn if they come and visit Deloitte at Smart Factory Expo?

Regardless of whether you have mature Smart Factory initiatives, are in the process of transforming on your SF journey or are just thinking about the ways that technology can help your manufacturing operations, there will be lots to learn about, discuss and see over the two days of the expo.

Solutions Theatre: We are excited to be hosting four sessions in the Solutions Theatre over the two days.

On day one, learn about the common pitfalls encountered on a Smart Factory journey and our perspective on how to avoid them through the “7 Sins of Smart Factory” from some of our team based on their experience of SF transformation. Later, we will be joined by a multinational client to talk about their transformation journey with us.

On day two, we will deep-dive into the “7 sins”; in the morning we have a specific focus on Cyber Security and the complexity of data and asset connection, we’ll then explore what effective organisational change in a Smart Factory journey looks like in the afternoon.

The Deloitte stand: Our stand will be the home of everything Deloitte. Visit us to learn about the breadth of expertise we offer, chat to us about your journey or how we can help you reap the benefits of a smart factory journey, experience our immersive demos, meet the people behind some of the most complex and challenging digital transformation journeys or just come to say hello. 

Expect insights on:

• 7 sins of the smart factory journey
• Digital thread
• Cyber Security
• Organisational Change
• Our global network of Smart Factories
• Client Smart Factory stories
• Routes to realising a sustainable Smart Factory transformation:
• Positioning Smart Factory initiatives for success: What can manufacturers focused on Smart Factory deployment learn from those that have already done it?
• What makes a Smart Factory transformation sustainable: The importance of culture, operating model and change

What are you looking to get out of the event?

• Connect with our clients, suppliers and potential new talent in the Industry 4.0 ecosystem
• Learn about latest tech advancements from industry and academia
• Catch up with our manufacturing clients across IP&C, Consumer, Auto, Life Sciences and Healthcare
• Discuss topics such as Digital transformation, digital lean, sustainable manufacturing and AI
• Share our experience, what we are seeing and best practice.

Guy Williamson, CEO, and Mohammad Wasim, Director – Sales, at MHP say Smart Factory Expo visitors are in for a treat with the Porsche-owned consultancy’s offerings at this year’s Smart Factory Expo. 

What will your focus be at Smart Factory Expo?

Our focus has always been on helping both automotive and industrial manufacturing companies to really develop their engineering, manufacturing, supply chain and other capabilities. We cover everything from Smart Manufacturing in factories and leadership and strategy, all the way through to after sales and crucial technology areas like cybersecurity. 

What will people learn if they come and visit MHP at Smart Factory Expo?

We’ve done a lot of work with a number of OEMs, specifically large automotive manufacturers, to develop visualisation platforms that help them achieve photorealistic visualisation for their online vehicle configurators. Our technology allows these OEMs to provide their customers with a CAD accurate, photorealistic way of visualising online exactly what their car is going to look like. 

Furthermore, this tech allows the OEMs to offer territory-specific options and design specifications. It’s an area of digital manufacturing that we’ve witnessed a huge amount of success with and we’ll be looking to showcase it at Smart Factory Expo. Part of this will involve pods where people can test the configurators and we’ll also be looking to highlight how the technology can be used in other manufacturing areas, such as the production live on the factory floor. 

MHP will also have a rather special exhibit: an actual Porsche 911 Turbo S sports car. Visitors will be able to learn more about the car and take advantage of a number of photo opportunities. There will also be the opportunity to enter a competition to win a day with us at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone. It’ll be a fantastic day out and provide the winner(s) with an opportunity to better understand the stuff we’re doing.

As well as all that, there will be a number of MHP experts in attendance, who will be able to provide deeper insights into the company’s work and answer any questions.

What are you looking to get out of the event?

Smart Factory Expo will provide us with an opportunity to further establish ourselves as a part of the UK manufacturing ecosystem. We’re really well known in other parts of the world, but probably not so much in the UK. So it’s very important for manufacturers to get to know us and better understand how we can help bring in international experts who have developed smart factories with IIoT, AGVs, Big Data and more. It’s also important for us to get to know manufacturers, so we can better understand how we can help them on their Industry 4.0 and digitisation journeys.

We’re also proud supporters of the Automotive 30% Club, which is a voluntary group of MDs and CEOs from automotive manufacturing, retailing and supplier companies. The club was founded by Julia Muir, CEO of Gaia Innovation Ltd, with the purpose of achieving a better gender balance within the automotive industry and with the aim of filling at least 30% of key leadership positions in the member organisations with women by 2030. It’s an initiative we’re fully behind and will be happy to discuss more at Smart Factory Expo.

Dr Ben Farmer, Deputy Challenge Director – Made Smarter Innovation, provides a look into this year’s Made Smarter Innovation Alley, which will feature a host of start-ups looking to change the manufacturing landscape over the next 5-10 years.

What can people expect from this year’s Made Smarter Innovation Alley?

This year’s Made Smarter Innovation Alley will build on the enormous success of previous years and, for me, is the highlight of Smart Factory Expo, running right down the centre of the show..

The vast majority of the start-up exhibitors have only been incorporated for the last two to three years and some even less than a year, but they all have one thing in common: they’re doing really exciting stuff in the digital manufacturing space.

As always, we’ve got a fantastic cross-section of brilliant new companies that are representing all types of industrial digital technologies. There’s Artificial Intelligence companies, Industrial Internet of Things, Additive Manufacturing, AR/VR, robotics, sensors and lots more. There’s literally something for everyone!

This year will be slightly different in that we’ll have two of our funding innovation hubs situated at the centre of Innovation Alley. Both of these are oriented towards SMEs and there will be announcements regarding the Smart Manufacturing Data Hub, so even more reason to come along and see what’s on offer.

We’re also looking to help inspire people and introduce them to the opportunities that exist in the use of digital technologies in manufacturing. Our particular focus areas are productivity and outcomes that help grow the economy, as well as the ever important sustainability improvements, such as the digital technologies that can help improve resource and energy efficiency.

What benefits do Made Smarter Innovation Alley exhibitors stand to reap?

The primary benefit is the opportunity to engage with manufacturers of all shapes and sizes from different industry sectors. Moreover, the start-up exhibitors also get to talk with each other, which can be particularly beneficial as it enables them to compare notes and glean insights from companies similar to themselves. 

We’ve also seen some start-ups go on to collaborate in the future and that’s something which has stemmed directly from their interactions at Made Smarter Innovation Alley.

Finally, there is the wealth of benefits and information they stand to reap from the wider show, including the solutions theatres, the KTN-led pitch fest and the specialist media presence.

Invest Liverpool City Region is the inward investment brand used by Growth Platform – Liverpool City Region Growth Company to promote opportunities for national and international businesses to locate, invest and expand in the City Region. Simon Reid, Head of Sectors at Growth Platform, outlines what will be happening this year on the Invest Liverpool City Region stand and more. 

What will your focus be at Smart Factory Expo? 

This year, our stand is going to be the biggest and best yet. Our primary aim at Smart Factory Expo is to showcase the Liverpool City Region and highlight the benefits that companies are reaping as a result of investing and locating here. The main themes we’ll be focusing on will be sustainability, digital transformation, automation, lean manufacturing, innovation, diversity and skills. 

What will people learn if they come and visit Invest Liverpool City Region at Smart Factory Expo? 

We’ll have plenty of written and video case studies on companies that are thriving as a result of being in the Liverpool City Region. One example is the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) which is an independent Research & Technology Organisation in Liverpool, which opened its doors in 2015.  

Before locating to the Liverpool City Region, the MTC had little presence in the North West and needed to be based in an area that has a strong access to market.  

Visitors can also learn how Liverpool City Region has been identified by the Department of International Trade and Investment as a vaccine discovery, development and manufacturing hub. A great example to highlight is the fact that all UK flu vaccines this year will have been produced and manufactured by CSL Seqirus in Liverpool’s Speke suburb. 

There will also be some expert speakers, including Philippa Glover from CNC Robotics in Bootle, Liverpool who will provide insights into what it’s like being part of the Liverpool City Region ecosystem. 

Finally, the Invest Liverpool City Region stand will feature a demo area where visitors can have an immersive experience with some of the technologies that are driving manufacturers’ digital transformations. 

Can you tell us a bit more about the planned site visits this year? 

In terms of the fringe events, we are hosting site visits across Liverpool City Region to Sci-Tech Daresbury and Knowledge Quarter that will include a slice of culture in those tours. Digital Manufacturing Week visitors will be able to join these visits on 15 November and find out more about facilities that are enabling digital transformation and the companies which have located to the Liverpool City Region and are reaping rewards as a result. Registration for the tours will open soon! 

Tom Richter, Global Head of Manufacturing Verticals at Nokia, explains that while many people associate Nokia with smartphones and similar technology, the Finnish multinational telecommunications, information technology and consumer electronics corporation has many more strings to its bow.

What will your focus be at Smart Factory Expo?

Smart Factory Expo visitors will be able to see how Nokia, a Finnish multinational telecommunications, information technology and consumer electronics corporation, is helping manufacturers realise their smart factory ambitions with innovative networking solutions and wireless technologies.

As Tom says: “A 5G smart factory is only as intelligent as the network that connects it” and that’s where Nokia comes in.

What will people learn if they come and visit Nokia at Smart Factory Expo?

Industry 4.0 and 5G factory automation are bringing incredible opportunities to the manufacturing sector. Indeed, in a 2022 survey of more than 1,000 manufacturers by ABI Research and Nokia, 90% are considering 4G/5G private wireless technologies to improve the flexibility and agility of their operations. The days of inflexible, immovable, locked-in linear production lines and inaccurate asset tracking are over. A 5G smart factory optimises… everything.

In the 5G smart factory, people and machines work safely together to increase productivity, improve efficiency and produce goods in a way that achieves carbon neutrality objectives.  

With the right smart manufacturing network and expertise, your plant operation and business goals become a reality. Your smart manufacturing network provides a reliable, secure and high-capacity foundation that supports all aspects of your digital transformation.  

Nokia provides high performance, easy-fit industrial-grade private wireless solutions and applications combined with proven expertise to help your 5G smart factory:

• Optimise performance and productivity and lower the costs of your manufacturing operations. Nokia high-performance network solutions, platforms and intelligent business applications help you speed processes, lower operational costs and improve visibility and quality.
• Securely adapt to meet changing customer demands and business needs. Leverage secure, scalable 4.9G and 5G private wireless networks for a more flexible manufacturing environment that helps you dynamically adjust your operations and processes to meet your business needs while protecting your data and intellectual property (IP).
• Realise the benefits of your digital transformation journey. Nokia manufacturing networking solutions provide the capacities, throughput and connectivity needed to support new levels of automation and flexibility while bringing you knowledge, technical experience and support to ensure your 5G smart manufacturing objectives are met.

Driven by the need to cope with ever-changing & fast changing supply and demand, an efficient production is required that is flexible and agile in operation, yet sustainable. A shortage of a skilled work force and the need to adapt to changing production environments requires solutions to support and augment workers in manufacturing plants.

Tom will also be delivering a presentation, entitled “Enabling the next level of  digitalized production”. In this presentation, we will demonstrate how 4G/5G private campus networks from Nokia can provide a high performance, easy-fit industrial-grade private wireless solution and applications combined with proven expertise and global reach. We will elaborate on use cases in the area of asset management, machine-to-machine communication and the connected workforce and how IT and OT will converge in the future. A set of global references will also illustrate how these solutions come into life.