Manufacturers from all over the globe will be making their way to Birmingham’s NEC Arena this September for PPMA Total Show 2016.
Organised by the UK trade association for suppliers of processing and packaging machinery, the 2016 show will be larger than ever before, incorporating three major exhibition brands; PPMA, Pakex and Interphex. Following the success of the 2015 show, Astec Solutions is returning to exhibit this year at stand G23, with a new range of interactive on-stand demos.
Hazel Lowe, Astec’s Marketing Manager is planning to use tech to encourage engagement and convey information in an easily digestible format. “Software benefits can be notoriously challenging to demonstrate, so this year we have a touch-screen interactive demo tablet for visitors to try. Also, if they have any specific areas of interest, key topics can be accessed via an interactive info-graphical presentation. These tools, in addition to a video overview, will help clarify how different software products apply to the factory backbone at each manufacturing stage, from supply chain to packaging and distribution.”
As the line between physical assets and intangible data merges, many manufacturers will be looking for guidance on the next step in digitising their processes. According to the Annual Manufacturing Report 2016, 48% of manufacturers still feel they either lack the understanding or knowledge to adopt IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) solutions. Andy Tripp, Astec Managing Director comments, “Without investing in supporting automation and production software, processing and packaging machinery would be rendered obsolete. We work with legacy systems to transform them to the next level, with minimum customisation to ensure long-term reliability. Manufacturers need to plan how they are going to use technology to link their machines and supply chain together. We can help them improve data collection, monitoring and transfer.”
“Manufacturers need to plan how they are going to use technology to link their machines and supply chain together”
GE Digital are already demonstrating the benefits of connected machines and advanced analytics through their worldwide ‘Brilliant Manufacturing’ projects, and market leaders continue to strengthen their position through greater efficiencies and adoption of IIoT. As a respected system integrator and Premier Solutions Partner for GE, Astec has a pivotal role in the adoption of smart digital technologies, as well as a heritage in traditional manufacturing systems, including SCADA, MES and Batch Execution. As such, this year’s PPMA show may prove to be the turning point for many manufacturers on their journey towards big data insight, with Astec Solutions providing the road map to their process optimization.
To register, click here. Further information about the event can also be found on the PPMA website