Milan, December 2017 – The next edition of MECSPE is approaching, the event of the manufacturing sector 4.0 promoted by Senaf (Fiere di Parma, from 22 to 24 March 2018), a fundamental reference point for industry 4.0 makers in Italy. An event that has grown over the years, keeping pace and often anticipating the profound changes in the international competitive scenario due to the advent of new technologies, and above all to digitalisation, robotics and automation, tools that have become key to accompany the transformation of companies.

160 industrial robots for every 10,000 employees (1 for every 62.5 workers) in the Italian manufacturing industry compared to 150 in Spain and 127 in France. This is the most significant figure that emerges from the research conducted by The European House – Ambrosetti on behalf of ADP Italia, which attests how the use of 4.0 technologies in industrial production and services is necessary to ensure the achievement of certain benefits for workers and for the offer of the companies. Primarily, less physical effort and greater occupational safety, as a result of the collaborative robots (so-called “cobots”); the transition from routine work to supervisory and control tasks, with an acceleration in decision-making processes and, thirdly, greater quality and efficiency in the production and provision of services, thanks, for example, to the predictive sensors through which integration of existing machines with sensors allows to verify the functioning of the system and of the processes in real time, so as to identify any malfunctions in time and reduce machine downtime.

All aspects at the centre of MECSPE, which is among the most important events set to be yet another successful edition, will reintroduce “Digital factory 4.0“, the real “heart” of the exhibition where the key innovations of all the product categories present at the fair will converge: in fact, in a single pavilion (South Entrance), the systems and innovations regarding digital integration will be presented and discussed, contributing to designing the industry of tomorrow, showing the decisive role of enabling technologies 4.0 in the various application contexts and sectors.

The guidelines for the 2018 edition of “Digital Factory 4.0“, on which the supply chains will be included and developed, are:

1. Connectivity: tools for small businesses
2. Collaborative robotics in a parametrised and/or small batch production environment
3. Product development, with the aim of proposing a 4.0 methodology
4. Simulation of products and processes
5. Traceability of products and actions
6. Maintenance in all its aspects
7. Additive manufacturing: redesign and produce for lightening
8. Logistics 4.0

Eight supply chains will be present in the area, many dedicated to automation and industrial robotics. Among these, with the participation of over 15 companies, a holistic factory project will be presented, which aims to represent the manufacturing factory of the future, from machining to assembly, as a place where machines, automation and the logic of 4.0 are in balance with the centrality that man and his deepest characteristics must maintain.

A second supply chain will use 3D printing, augmented reality and collaborative robots to illustrate the scenarios opened up by the creation of a “light” factory, for lean, qualitative and convenient production. The objectives are: flexibility when gripping the piece, easy change of production batch thanks to a vision camera, possible operator intervention in the machine moving the robot, human-robot interaction and logistics, flexibility on the end line and generation of data 4.0.

Another important appointment is represented by an intelligent robotised work cell, an innovative project that involves the creation of a device that, thanks to the use of robotics, is able to perform a precision assembly activity in addition to the pick and place function. The supply chain focused on the Flexible manufacturing system entitled “The future FMS: collaborative and holistic“, will focus on a European project (Piros) developed for the EuRoC challenge with ITIA CNR team leader aimed at showing how collaborative robotics technologies offer promising production potential in a context in which the new challenge of production processes is the maximum operational flexibility in terms of the diversification of parts and batches.

As a consequence of the initiatives related to the new challenges and new possibilities offered by robotics in the industries, the “Robotics Innovation Award” returns for the third year, which will conclude on 23 March in the afternoon after the conference that will bring the major industry players on stage.

The Award is aimed at applications designed by Italian companies; a particular section is also dedicated to projects on the “horizon” presented by universities, research centres and spin-offs. The Award, in both categories, will take into account the elements relating to enhancement, uniqueness and innovation of the solution.

However, MECSPE goes beyond the Parma event: after the success in Modena and Brescia, the Italian alternative to the industry 4.0 model will continue with 2 new legs of the “DIGITAL FACTORY MECSPE LABORATORIES, the Italian way for Industry 4.0“: in Naples, on 5 February, in which “Materials, Composites and Aerospace” will be discussed, and at the closing leg during MECSPE, scheduled for 22 March, following the inauguration, which will address the central role that man, with his uniqueness and prerogatives, must continue to maintain in a digitalised world.

I numeri di MECSPE 2017

45.817 visitatori, 105.000 mq di superficie espositiva, 2.051 aziende presenti, 10 Piazze dell’eccellenza, 58 Unità dimostrative e isole di lavorazione, 7 quartieri merceologici, 11 saloni tematici, 75 momenti formativi organizzati da aziende, università e associazioni.

I saloni di MECSPE

Macchine e Utensili – macchine utensili, utensili e attrezzature; Fabbrica Digitale – tecnologie informatiche per la gestione di una fabbrica intelligente; Motek Italy – automazione di fabbrica; Power Drive – Sistemi – Componenti – Meccatronica; Control Italy – metrologia e controllo qualità; Logistica – sistemi per la gestione della logistica, macchine e attrezzature; Subfornitura Meccanica – lavorazioni industriali  in conto terzi; Subfornitura Elettronica – progettazione, lavorazioni elettroniche e componenti e accessori; Eurostampi, Macchine e subfornitura plastica – stampi e stampaggio; lavorazioni delle materie plastiche e della gomma; Additive Manufacturing – rapid prototiping e 3D printing; Trattamenti Superficiali – macchine e impianti per il trattamento e la finitura delle superfici; Nuovo salone dei materiali non ferrosi e leghe – alluminio, titanio, magnesio, compositi e tecnologie.

Per ulteriori informazioni

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Paola Gianderico – Davide Bruzzese

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