Held annually in Nuremberg at the end of November, the SPS IPC Drives Expo is billed as the world’s biggest event for designers, manufacturers and end-users of automation and drives technologies. To quote the organisers: “It is the exhibition for electric automation technology”. A look at the facts and figures from last year’s show substantiates this exuberance, for instance, some 56 000 trade visitors called on the 1400 exhibitors at stands in 12 halls spread over 104 000 square metres of exhibition floor space.
élancommunications’ Process Expo organisers Hanli Kritzinger and Su-Anne Willemse were among the 56 000 crowd at Nuremberg 2011. “This show is way bigger than you could ever imagine,” they explained during that routine meeting which suddenly started to fizz with possibility. Together with my Technews colleagues I love partnering with the passion and enthusiasm of élancommunications. “We should organise a tour that gives our local manufacturing professionals access to an automation extravaganza that might otherwise pass us all by,” someone on my side of the table said. Agreement was unanimous; it was no longer just an idea.
When I pressed Su-Anne for more details she said what she loved about this show is its focus on automation, it does not cover such a broad spectrum as the Hannover Interkama. “Anyone who visits this show, whether you have been in the industry for five or 50 years, you will be amazed by the technology.”
As always, this year’s Expo will offer a window into the global technological future of automation and manufacturing. The trends this year will most probably build on last year’s ‘hot’ topics of industrial network security, improving network and automation components energy efficiencies through the use of smart technologies, higher safety, obtaining greater bandwidth, cloud computing and the increasing drive towards networks for smart grids. I expect we will also see evidence of the increasing demand for industrial video and voice streaming applications as well as all that is new in the world of industrial wireless.
Other things to look out for should include the vendor response to end user demands for more efficient engineering frameworks; something the ARC Advisory Group believes will grow and give automation suppliers the chance to differentiate in the future. It will also be interesting to see if any of the semiconductor manufacturers are showcasing new chips that will accelerate the acceptance of distributed automation.
So, if you are looking for a great way to fill the transition from the end of the work-year to the beginning of the December holidays, why not join us in Nuremberg for a week of automation fest, good food and German beer? Oh, I almost forgot, there are also production process tours to the Audi factory and one of the national brewers. More details in ‘SPS IPC Drives Expo Tour 25 November-2 December 2012’.
Call back the past
The SAIMC turned 55 this year and we plan on commemorating ‘SAIMC through the ages’ in the October issue of SA Instrumentation and Control. We have already received a fair bit of material for this feature in the form of letters and old photographs, but would still like to hear from any past presidents who are interested in contributing. Of course we would also welcome anything else publishable and of a nostalgic nature that members would like to share with our readers. Please send to [email protected]
Thanks to everyone who has already contributed, I hope you enjoy this month’s issue.
Steven Meyer
Editor: SA Instrumentation & Control
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