PI UK is pleased to be associated with The Automation and Robotics Summit, an online conference that is being held on 2 June 2020. The event will run live online from 10 am to 5 pm (British Summer Time). The sessions will also be available for download by participants following the event.
The Automation and Robotics Summit is timely as the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way businesses have had to operate, and the crisis is expected to accelerate the adoption of new technologies and techniques within the workplace. It is also highly relevant to PI since these technologies, especially Profinet and IO-Link, have become increasingly the communications standards of choice for factory and, more recently, process automation.
Manufacturers are increasingly realising the benefits of investing in Automation and Robotics technologies in order to increase productivity and reduce costs, while simultaneously improving precision and flexibility, and eliminating human error. Greater flexibility allows manufacturers to produce more types of products and to develop customised products that can then be automatically made.
Through a comprehensive conference programme, the Robotics & Automation Summit will provide participants from across the manufacturing industry and its associated supply chain with practical advice and demonstrations on how to improve their day-to-day business operations.
Manufacturing Automation and Robotics technology is evolving rapidly and becoming more accessible. The cost of industrial robots and the payback times have been dropping significantly. The adoption of Automation and Robotics technology does not necessarily result in unemployment. Many of the most advanced economies in terms of Automation and Robotics, such as Germany and Japan, have some of the lowest unemployment rates globally.
Freeing workers from performing repetitive and often dangerous tasks allows them to be retrained for more productive roles and with the skills required for a more advanced and automated approach to manufacturing.
A recent survey by BDO, the accountancy and business advisory firm, found that 87 per cent of UK companies have automated a key business process during the last year and one in five view automation as their most important investment priority during the next five years. A third of businesses have already introduced artificial intelligence (AI) into their daily operations, while a quarter are using robotics. While the manufacturing industry has led the way in embracing Automation, with 93 per cent of manufacturers having automated a key process in the last year, other sectors are increasingly adopting this type of technology.
The online conference will provide participants with an insight into implementing successful programs, tailored to their specific needs, in order to drive business development and efficiencies. The event will feature speakers from companies that are exemplary leaders in Automation & Robotics, who can offer practical advice and expertise.
The Automation and Robotics Summit is being presented by Dublin-based Premier Publishing & Events. In addition to producing successful business-to-business magazines for almost a quarter of a century, the company is also the organiser of four dedicated, annual conferences and exhibitions designed to cover the latest developments within the manufacturing industry and its associated supply chain in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Forthcoming events include:
Follow the link for further information and to register to participate in the online Automation and Robotics Summit.