No fear of AI at Motek/Bondexpo 2024

Companies in the manufacturing industry are facing major challenges – efficiency, cost-effectiveness, conservation of resources and a shortage of skilled labour. From 8 to 11 October 2024, suppliers and users will be exchanging ideas on how to further improve manufacturing processes at the Motek/Bondexpo industry platform being held in Stuttgart, Germany. The stakes are high – and manufacturers need to prepare for the future. The industry’s traditional autumn event, complemented by a high-calibre supporting programme, aims to demonstrate new and viable paths.

Manufacturing companies are facing major challenges – they have to simultaneously focus on efficiency, cost-effectiveness and resource conservation while also addressing skills shortages. At the well-established Motek/Bondexpo industry platform, production automation specialists will discuss how manufacturing processes can be further improved in a hands-on exchange of ideas in the familiar theme-focused working atmosphere. The range of topics to be covered at the trade fair includes defined points of focus: networked, intelligent production components and systems; assembly support systems and workstation systems; solutions for easy implementation and commissioning; object recognition and image processing for inline part recognition. This long-established event provides the right components and solutions for future-proofing processes for anyone looking to automate a process or function.

One of the key themes at Motek/Bondexpo is automatic part recognition, for example in traditional bin picking, multi-bin picking, cable handling or the precise feeding of parts for assembly and placement tasks. For example, Cambrian Robotics will be showcasing a 3D vision system for robots at the trade fair. Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), the robot can recognise objects using a camera and independently perform highly complex tasks in the production environment that previously could only be done manually.

Automatic detection and inspection is also at the heart of the Trevista line scan technology from AIT Goehner in Stuttgart, which contributes to more sustainable production. Surface inspection helps to minimise the amount of rejects and so helps to conserve resources. It meets the increasing demands for quality, surface quality and safety by detecting defects. Automated in-line inspection processes eliminate the need for manual visual inspection and help to address the shortage of skilled labour.

Digitalisation, networking and AI are also becoming more and more important in feeding technology. Manufacturing processes require a wide variety of components, parts, assemblies and finished products to be fed and unloaded in highly unique configurations. Feeding, aligning and separating parts are critical steps in the automated assembly process. That is why modern feeding, sorting and separating technologies are also part of the classic range of topics at Motek/Bondexpo. The trend is towards easy-to-integrate and flexible feeding solutions that use AI. These systems optimise part separation throughput times and contribute to greater efficiency. It is also becoming more common to digitally validate feeding systems in advance using simulations, thereby ensuring that the process will run smoothly even before the physical system is built.
By automating assembly planning, users can also save time and money, reduce resource consumption and create the best possible production conditions. At the same time, the quality and accuracy of assembly planning is improved and error rates reduced. A system made by Assemblio, which will be presented at Motek/Bondexpo, is designed to be extremely user-friendly and easy to operate intuitively without any special prior knowledge.

“Our trade fairs traditionally include a top-class supporting programme, which we consider indispensable because it enriches the trade fair visit with in-depth information and provides another opportunity for in-person interaction”, says Rainer Bachert, long-standing project manager of Motek/Bondexpo for trade fair organiser P. E. Schall. New to the programme this autumn is a lecture forum by Pelemedia GmbH with the title No fear of AI – Tap into potential, remain competitive. It will take place on the second day of the fair, 9 October 2024, starting at 9.30 am. The forum is aimed at companies and professionals who want to explore the opportunities and challenges of AI in industry. The audience will benefit from a deeper understanding of the potential of AI and learn about practical solutions. The goal of the forum is to provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience and to promote networking among participants in order to maximise the potential of AI.

The Fraunhofer talks on the subject of AI should also not be missed: On 10 October 2024, starting at 9:40 a.m., the Fraunhofer IPA is giving a lecture on AI-based robotics – How can production companies get started? And at 10:30, the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS will be discussing Flexible quality control: Solutions to the challenges of AI-based automation.

The Safety + Security in Automation forum, organised by Pilz, is a traditional part of the programme and will take place on the first day of the fair, 8 October 2024. It is a meeting place for experts from associations, the sciences and industry who want to learn more about the hot topics of safe automation and machine safety. The focus will be practical lectures on topics such as safety and security in machine engineering, safe production, the new Machinery Directive and sustainability in companies. All lectures can be attended individually and spontaneously without prior registration.

Many exciting talks are already on the agenda of the exhibitor forum. Topics include the revolution in robotics, AI in production, sustainability as an economic success factor for the automation industry, the digitalisation of production and flexible quality control – to name but a few. “The programme is extremely promising and clearly focused on topics relevant to our target audience of production automation specialists”, says Bachert. “Trade visitors will get valuable first-hand insider information and make important business contacts”, says the project manager. And that’s why Motek/Bondexpo 2024 is set to be the industry’s communication and technology platform of choice. What’s more: visitors can use their ticket to enter six trade fairs taking place at the same time in Stuttgart. “These synergies should definitely be harnessed”, emphasises Bachert.

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www.bondexpo-messe.de/en/

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www.motek-messe.de/en/news-stories/

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Schall has developed successful business platforms with internationally recognised trade fairs for quality assurance (Control), optical technologies, components and systems (Optatec), stamping technology (Stanztec), automation in production and assembly (Motek), bonding technology (Bondexpo), plastics processing (Fakuma), sheet metal working (Blechexpo) and joining technology (Schweisstec). This has given rise to entirely new markets in various sectors, whose protagonists are distinguished by tremendous innovative strength, comprehensive systems competence and practical application solutions.