MTA2017 boosts digitalised manufacturing sector

In light of manufacturing’s shift towards a new era of digitalisation, technologies and solutions for Industry 4.0 such as 3D printing, automation, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and robotics are increasingly being sought after.

Showcases that brought these technologies to light were well-received at MTA2017, Asia’s premier manufacturing technology industry event, which concluded last Friday at the Singapore Expo. The 300-exhibitor event provided a useful platform for companies to conduct business, and tap into the talent and experience from the industry community. Through participating in MTA2017, companies will emerge more agile in adjusting to shifting economic and industry landscapes, and better positioned for business growth in a digitalised future.

“We have gathered global industry experts and brands in one place at MTA to showcase a full spectrum of products, solutions and technologies, from precision engineering capabilities serving high-value sectors, to advanced technologies that empower smart manufacturing,” said Mr. William Lim, Project Director for manufacturing events at UBM SES, organiser of MTA2017.

Siemens, which offers consultancy services and technical expertise to multinationals and SMEs looking to transform traditional factories into digitalised ones, is one such example.

"Manufacturing Technology Asia 2017 was a good platform for us to connect with new and existing customers. Our booth on-site enabled us to showcase our new Digital Enterprise Suite, providing attendees with the visual representation of the whole product portfolio, including the Siemens ZerOne.DesIgn^TM Manufacturing Design Consultancy and MindSphere, our cloud-based, open internet-of-things operating systems. We are excited to bring forward the discussions and look forward to forging new partnerships in Singapore and the overall Southeast Asia region,” said Raimund Klein, Executive Vice President, Country Lead for Digital Factory (DF) and Process Industries and Drives (PD) divisions, Siemens.

MTA2017 underlined how Industry 4.0 technologies can be implemented. At the Smart Manufacturing Pavilion and Smart Manufacturing Asia conference, exhibitors and speakers imparted deep insights and conducted live demonstrations, which enabled attendees to visualise how digitalisation will enhance their processes, operations and services.

“Globally, industrial productivity has declined to less than 1% and many manufacturers are looking at digitalisation to combat this issue,” said exhibitor Alvin Ng, General Manager, GE Digital, ASEAN. “At Smart Manufacturing Asia 2017, we shared our domain expertise in machines and digital transformation from over 500 factories globally, combining our solutions for Brilliant Manufacturing, cyber security, Asset Performance Management with GE's Predix platform. We estimate that digital technologies will create $8.6 trillion in productivity gains in the industrial world over the next decade.”

The Smart Manufacturing Asia 2017 conference gathered more than 30 industry thought leaders and experts who provided deep insights and topical case studies on Industry 4.0, IIoT, augmented reality and robotics.

“For many organisations the advancement into Smart Manufacturing poses a great risk as they may not have the necessary experience required to develop secure policies, defend their assets, identify and respond to cyber threats. Smart Manufacturing Asia provided a meaningful platform to discuss and educate audiences about the need for cyber security as a key enabler for IIoT and Smart Manufacturing. With the continued increase in cyber threats around the world, Honeywell is committed to helping customers address cyber security vulnerabilities with expertise and innovation specifically designed for industrial processes and critical infrastructure protection,” said conference speaker Mirel Sehic, Cyber Security Manager, Honeywell Process Solutions.

“From being doubtful initially about I4.0 and apprehensive about IoT and CF in terms of practicality and act-ability, this seminar has helped me to shift from scepticism to optimism with the excellent contents delivered by some great CEOs, and visionary speakers. This is one of the best seminars I’ve ever attended,” commented conference delegate Toh Kum Woh, Director of Celestica (M) Sdn. Bhd.

3D Printing was a big focus at MTA2017. From show floor exhibits to technology tours and interactive seminars, visitors saw a wide array of industrial applications and innovative concepts across industries from aerospace to medical technology, displayed by exhibitors BeAM, Chemtron, Creatz3D, EOS, Eye-2-Eye Communications, Nanyang Polytechnic, Renishaw, SLM Solutions, TRUMPF and UCT Additive Manufacturing Center.

“We're excited to be at MTA because we see ourselves playing a part in contributing to the factory of the future. When you think about Industry 4.0, we're talking about a new form of agility and flexibility to the manufacturing value chain that can only be enabled by advanced technologies like industrial 3D printing. The trade visitors we met were surprised by how much they stand to gain with Additive Manufacturing. And while the manufacturing sector has been a pillar of growth for Singapore, more still can be done to promote adoption of such technologies, and to that end, the nurturing of specialised talent,” commented exhibitor Terrence Oh, Vice President (Asia Pacific), EOS Singapore.

Visitor Dr Prakash Murawala, Business & Technology Manager, SE Asia & India of SAMCO Inc. Singapore said, “This is the first time I am visiting MTA and am glad to join the 3D printing technology tour. The tour was very well-organised and informative. As 3D printing is new to me, I gained useful learning points from industry leaders such as Creatz3D and UCT Additive Manufacturing Center on the tour. I look forward to explore further collaboration opportunities with these exhibitors.”

The show floor buzzed with excitement as ABB, Epson and Nachi held regular demonstrations of their robots. Epson launched new N2 robots with the world’s first patented compact folding arm technology at the event. The N2 robot is designed for confined workspaces and smaller payloads, and extremely manoeuvrable, thus enabling a more efficient assembly line layout and improved productivity. Nachi showcased its best-selling table top robot and range of robotic arms from its fastest table top articulate 6-axis robot up to its 700kg payload robot arm. Attendees also got first-hand experience of ABB’s collaborative and IoT-enabled robots such as the SafeMove2 that performs safety certified monitoring of robot motion, tool and standstill supervision as well as speed limitation, thus allowing operators and robots to interact directly without physical barriers and enabling more efficient and flexible production scenarios.

“There is a growing demand for industrial robots that can perform extremely high precision tasks in Singapore and SE Asia, as well as for robots that can perform at greater speeds to enhance productivity. MTA provides a good platform to bring the latest in innovative technologies from the region and to network with the manufacturing industry. Epson has seen positive interest with the launch of our new robots at MTA, and the event has brought greater awareness of Epson technology,” remarked exhibitor Ng Ngee Khiang, Regional General Manager (SE Asia), Robotics Division, Epson.

MTA2017 drew more than 10,000 attendees from 43 countries/regions, including exhibiting staff, trade visitors, conference delegates and speakers, and members of the press. This includes 13 group delegations from Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore, comprising of executives from Hewlett Packard Enterprise, the Penang Foundry & Engineering Industries Association, the Philippine Die & Mold Association, Pratt & Whitney, Small & Medium Enterprises Association Malaysia, ST Logistics and Singapore Aerospace Manufacturing.

“It was an informative event, and well-organised. We managed to meet a number of exhibitors such as 3M, Castor & Wheel, Expresso System Technology, Keyence that we are interested to make purchases from,” commented visitor Moey Shen Yu, Plant Manager of Coilcraft, Malaysia.

Another visitor, Conroy Tan of Ancon Anda, Singapore remarked, “This is my first time at MTA. I usually go to shows in Germany. I come here to check out the latest equipment and trends and I am pleasantly surprised to see selected suppliers on the show floor. I managed to meet my objectives of coming to the show. I had a good time!”

“The visit to MTA2017 is fulfilling and we checked out several exhibitors with new and updated equipment. It is well organised and our group also benefited from the site visit at Advanced Remanufacturing Technology Centre. MTA2017 has opened our eyes to the meaning of Industry 4.0!” said Philip Ang, President of the Philippine Die and Mold Association group delegation.