An automated self-contained miniature factory — developed by the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry in partnership with the Universities of Birmingham and Loughborough — is set to give SMEs fast access to Industry 4.0 technologies.

Fitted within a portable unit the size of a shipping container, the fully digital Factory in a Box (FIAB) can be linked to a control centre with remote monitoring and predictive-maintenance capability.

It is part of a new Smart Manufacturing Accelerator (SMA), set up to bring smart digitally driven manufacturing within the grasp of SMEs.

Industry 4.0 has the potential to revolutionise the way manufacturing is done, not only by introducing ‘state of the art’ manufacturing techniques but also by connecting intelligently to the supply chain and customers to optimise production.

Martin Freer, director of the Birmingham Energy Institute and the Energy Research Accelerator, said: “This is a ground-breaking initiative, which gives small companies the opportunity to rapidly transition from technology developer to having a product stream to market.

"It helps small companies developing step-change energy technologies to have a real impact in terms of the global transition to low-carbon energy generation.”

Industry leaders, academia, partners and stakeholders will come together on 13 March for the official launch of the SMA and a FIAB demonstration, hosted by the MTC (www.the-mtc.org) in Ansty Park.

Delegates will be shown how industrial digital technologies can change the way businesses operate.
Visit the Web site to register for this free-to-attend event (smartmanufacturingaccelerator.co.uk/launch).