“Under the motto of ‘Connecting systems for intelligent production’, manufacturers of production technology from all over the world will be showcasing solutions focused on the digitisation and networking of production operations,” revealed Dr Wilfried Schäfer, executive director of EMO organiser VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association), speaking at an EMO press conferences in London during May. “At the same time, of course, the aim is to also improve the competitiveness of machine tool vendors with these new solutions,” he added.
EMO Hannover scores highly in terms of sheer size, internationality and innovation. At the time of writing, more than 2,000 companies from 44 different countries had signed up, with nearly 176,000m² of net exhibition area. “Registration numbers are up significantly from the 2013 event,” Mr Schäfer revealed. “We believe that EMO 2017 will be a record year.”
The show is renowned for its international appeal and this is reflected in visitor figures: in 2013, around 143,000 trade visitors from more than 110 different countries attended the show with the proportion of visitors from abroad standing at 42%. According to VDW, no other event for production technology anywhere in the world records such a high proportion of foreign visitors.
[caption id="attachment_24373" align="alignright" width="190"]
Dr Wilfried Schäfer[/caption]
Although digitisation, connectivity, automation and networking are hot topics at the moment, the essentially more ‘classical’ requirements for machine tools and manufacturing systems are still of huge importance. Mechanical robustness, dependable components, reliable machinery control systems, plus intelligent process design and control remain the foundations for quality, productivity and cost-efficient manufacturing. With this in mind, a broad spectrum of technology will be on show at EMO to suit all budgets, spanning everything from machine tools, tooling and workholding, through to CAD/CAM, sheet metal processing, component cleaning, additive manufacturing, automation and EDM.
Not surprisingly, Industry 4.0 will play a key role in the 2017 event. “The digitisation of machine tools is nothing new, but with Industry 4.0, the challenge is to network the entire production operation, and indeed the complete added-value supply chain,” Mr Schäfer observed.
At the press conference, Paul O’Donnell, head of external affairs at the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) emphasised: “EMO comes at a very opportune time for the UK. More than 25 UK companies will be exhibiting and 1,500 UK visitors attended the 2013 event so we’re hoping for an improvement on that figure.
“Despite Brexit, we’re keen to get the message out that the UK is still very much open for business,” he affirmed. “We enjoy excellent business relationships with our European colleagues and we’re looking to build, nurture and develop those partnerships even further.”
The MTA will be exhibiting at EMO 2017 in hall 16, stand E67.
For more information about exhibitors at this year's EMO check the PES website Products section.
EMO Hannover www.emo-hannover.de
