Measuring the value of automation is crucial to the long-term success of any automation initiative. Decisions based on gut instinct are not particularly effective in this regard. Only through a data-driven approach can automation leaders identify where automation graves have been created and where automation can be effectively deployed to deliver the best business benefits.

At the Stuttgart Messe from the 13th to the 17th September, workholding experts Hainbuch will be returning to the AMB exhibition to demonstrate a host of new and established workholding technology. On Booth 1E10, the workholding specialists will be introducing their latest innovations.

A new version of the OPC UA for Machine Tools Companion Specification has recently been released. The Joint Working Group of the OPC Foundation is supported by the VDW and has produced a supplement that now makes it possible to integrate existing inventory systems.

The companies Replique and Siena Garden have announced the production of over 1,000 3D printed foot caps for garden chairs, emphasizing the Repair aspect of the 4 R’s of Sustainability (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair). This initiative is part of their Eternal Spare Parts concept, which began under two years ago and aims to promote sustainability.

Marketplaces like AMB 2022 always act as a barometer of industry sentiment and this is because technical details and commercial topics, such as faltering supply chains and delivery deadlines, will be discussed at the event in Stuttgart from 13 to 17 September 2022.

The plastics processing industry is looking forward to the 28th Fakuma from the 17th through the 21st of October, 2023. The trade fair for injection moulding promises to set new performance benchmarks in the fields of extrusion technology, thermoforming and 3D printing, as well as for circular economy.

Thanks to the newly developed Eneskaimpulse 230 welding system for repair welding in tool and mould making, even newcomers no longer need to worry about how to operate correctly.

With its Z4279 mini slide, Strack Norma is responding to the requirements of mould makers to integrate more and more components into an injection mould. This is now available with an extended inclined column for simplified installation.

Complex geometries, large quantities - sintering is popular for the production of ceramic and metallic components. However, perfection is required in the coating process. A Roboworker rotary testing machine with an automation package from SMC ensures quality control.

Fill Maschinenbau and Parat jointly held a two-day Rethink Plastics conference in the Innviertel region of Austria, where they showcased the latest advancements in plastics technology.