Automation and handling are increasingly gaining in significance in industrial manufacturing. The problem of skilled workers is becoming ever more serious, especially in these difficult times when many companies are under pressure from high costs. At the same time, there are enormously high demands on the quality of products, meaning that businesses are now well advised to consider automation.

Dr Wilfried Schäfer (pictured below), executive director of VDW (German Machine Tool Builders' Association) which organises the METAV exhibition in Frankfurt am Main, said: "We know from a recent VDMA survey that 23% of machinery manufacturers will have to adjust capacity levels.”

“When business picks up again, many companies will then find it difficult to process orders quickly enough and at the required quality level. In such times, having a consistent automation strategy can be essential for survival. Against this background, the question of automation could soon become even more pressing.”

Ten companies will be presenting their solutions as part of the Automation and Handling Theme Days in the third edition of the METAV Web Sessions on 3 and 4 November 2020.

These include Allmatic-Jakob clamping systems, Erowa System Technologien/Certa Systems, Gressel, Halter CNC Automation, HandlingTech Automations-Systeme, Industrie Partner, Isra Vision, Müller Maschinentechnik and Zeltwanger Automation.

They are all specialists in this particular field and are looking to inspire their customers with their solutions and offers.

Jörg Franz, head of project planning at the German special-purpose machine builder Industrie-Partner GmbH in Coswig, will be presenting the company's newly developed robot automation kit. He said: "It enables robot-supported sorting, assembly, cleaning and measuring of parts weighing up to 5kg using standardised, individually combinable function modules.

“It is aimed at producers of serial products in all sectors, from mechanical engineering and battery cell production to automotive and aerospace.”

Also taking part is Halter CNC Automation based in Hoevelaken in the Netherlands. Area sales manager Oliver Löffler will be showcasing a software tool that allows customers to calculate the payback time of their investment on the basis of their own particular parameters. He said: “We use the app when advising our customers about our machine loading systems. The resulting calculation provides on-the-spot answers to any questions concerning the expected returns following an acquisition.”

The Automation and Handling Theme Days are aimed at all manufacturing industry sectors. Each presentation lasts 30min and is followed by a 15min chat session in which participants can ask questions and discuss issues. In addition, it is also possible to arrange a video chat with the speaker to discuss specific questions on a one-to-one basis.

On request, METAV Web Sessions participants can obtain a certificate of participation as documentation of their further training. There has been strong uptake of this attractive and valuable service feature.

For further information please contact Stephanie Simon, VDW Trade Fairs project officer, on +49 69 756081-53, or email .

The full programme and registration details can be found at the Web site (www.metav-websessions.de).