Fanuc to put education in the spotlight at Automation UK

As part of its campaign to inspire the next generation of robotics engineers, Fanuc UK will showcase a suite of education-themed initiatives at the first-ever Automation UK exhibition, which is taking place 20-21 June 2023, at the CBS Arena, Coventry (Stand B14).

With a fifth of manufacturing workers set to retire over the next decade, Fanuc believes engaging with young people is crucial to inspiring a future talent pipeline to plug the impending skills gap and ensure the UK remains internationally competitive.

To acheive this, Fanuc is placing education at the front and centre of its activities throughout 2023 and sees the inaugural Automation UK show as a perfect springboard to highlight the benefits of a career in robotics, as well as demonstrate to visitors the myriad applications of Fanuc’s robot and cobot solutions across sectors as wide ranging as food and beverage, pharmaceutical, automotive, aerospace, FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) and general manufacturing.

Collaborative solution
Giving visitors the chance to get up close and personal with working robotic systems, Fanuc UK’s stand will host its standard education cell, an easy-to-use, plug-and-play solution. Featuring a Fanuc ER-4iA industrial robot at its core; this is a popular choice at schools, colleges, universities, training centres and OEM (original equipment manufacturer) training facilities around the world, providing hands-on learning for the development of skills in robotics. Also on display will be a collaborative solution, the CRX educational package, featuring a Fanuc CRX-10iA cobot and all the functions required to teach core programming skills.

Organised by BARA (British Automation & Robot Association), Automation UK will bring together over 50 leading robotics and auxiliary components suppliers and system integrators, enabling visitors to see first-hand the latest industry innovations and receive expert advice on how to implement the right solutions for their projects.

As a founder exhibitor and longstanding BARA member, Fanuc UK is committed to increasing UK uptake of automation through educational outreach, as BARA council member and Fanuc UK’s head of sales, Oliver Selby, said: “Automation presents a solution to several challenges facing manufacturers today, from unskilled labour shortages and increasing product quality to waste reduction. If UK manufacturing is to remain internationally competitive, we need to heavily embrace automation and at Fanuc UK, we are determined to be a key driving force for change.

“From our partnership with WorldSkills UK and our accredited training academy at our Coventry headquarters to the delivery of robotic equipment to training locations such as schools and technical colleges, we are committed to inspiring the next generation towards a career in robotics and automation. We look forward to sharing our vision with visitors to the stand at Automation UK later this month.”

Oliver Selby and Satty Cole, Fanuc UK’s education business development manager, will discuss the importance of reducing the skills gap to support growth in automation adoption at 2pm on 20 June at the Automation UK seminar theatre. For more information, visit the website here.