The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) and Factory 2050 at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) are jointly putting together a feature for MACH 2018 that is designed to demonstrate the cost-effective adoption of Industry 4.0.

James Selka, CEO of the MTA, said: “The Integrated Manufacturing Group at AMRC Factory 2050 and we at the MTA understand that it is vital to cut through some of the jargon and hyperbole around Industry 4.0 and show at first hand the practical advantages Big Data can bring to an SME business.

In the light of the publication of the Government’s Industrial Digitalisation Review — ‘Made Smarter’ — we must demonstrate to British industry the benefits that this technology can bring to their businesses. It is our job to bridge the gap between industry and academia, and MACH 2018 is exactly the platform to do this.”

The over-riding theme running through MACH 2018 is interconnected technology and the future of manufacturing. This Industry 4.0 feature at MACH will demonstrate up to six separate manufacturing cells, each replicating familiar manufacturing environments that have been integrated with Industry 4.0 technologies.

James Fudge, head of events at the MTA, said: “We understand the cost constraints that face SME businesses; it is important to let companies know that Industry 4.0 technology is accessible to them.

“It will be really useful to businesses to be shown some of the things you can do to an installed base that can make a difference.”

More information can be found at the MACH Web site (www.machexhibition.com).