The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and its impact on the ways that products are made and serviced are just some of the forward-looking trends that will be discussed at Maintec 2017, the UK’s leading maintenance and asset management show.
The exhibition takes place at Birmingham’s NEC from 21-23 March, and will also be accompanied by a wide-ranging educational programme, featuring global perspectives on topics such as the latest developments in predictive maintenance and remote condition modelling.
IoT will be a dominant theme at the show. The fitting of myriad equipment with sensors, and the ability to collect, transmit and interpret data in real-time, is enabling improved connectivity across industrial environments. Such IoT architecture is providing companies with far better visibility of their assets, bringing the potential for smarter factories based on preventative maintenance methodologies.
“IoT will lead to fundamental changes in the way that plants and assets are kept in good condition,” says Lee Hibbert, industry analyst and content curator for Maintec 2017. “Instead of performing traditional calendar based maintenance, with the periodic examination of equipment and fixing problems when they occur, the IoT will help companies capture and analyse data, warning of potential problems before they happen. The tracking of patterns to indicate failure would be an enabler of condition based modelling, unleashing the potential of a truly predictive maintenance regime.
“The move towards predictive methodologies means the maintenance role will become less about how quickly employees can fix assets, and much more about preventing equipment from failing in the first place.”
Maintec will also focus on how IoT will transform the way that equipment is monitored and repaired out in the field. For maintenance professionals, the increased connectivity will prompt the use of new technologies such as augmented reality and wearable devices, changing the way they perform their daily roles, and moving them up hierarchical structures.
“Rather than using a service manual to assess a piece of kit, maintenance engineers will increasingly rely on augmented reality – supplementing real-world views with computer-generated graphics,” says Hibbert. “It is already possible to hold an iPad in front of a section of the machine, and repair instructions overlaid as required. Furthermore, in order to bring this technology to an even more user-friendly level, technologies such as line-of-sight augmented reality glasses are also being developed.”
IoT, augmented reality and wearables are just some of the advanced topics which will be included in an extensive conference programme accompanying the event. The program will feature two content streams, amounting to more than 15 hours of free conferences and seminars with more than 30 industry figures, taking place across three days.
“We felt it was important to increase the educational aspect of Maintec to reflect the rapid pace of technological change in the industrial sector,” says Tim Else, Event Director. “The IoT is set to revolutionise the way that modern maintenance engineers go about their daily tasks and it’s important that this trend features prominently at the show.”
Confirmed speakers include Steve Brambley, a director at Gambica, the trade association for instrumentation, control, automation and laboratory technology in the UK, who will speak about smart maintenance, focusing on how the industrial base can get involved with IoT demonstration efforts. Professor Rajkumar Roy, director of Through-life Engineering Services Centre, Operations Excellence Institute at Cranfield University, will speak on how digital technologies will underpin the concept of continuous maintenance, focusing at the foundations and technologies required to offer such service.
Meanwhile, Cyril Deschanel, head of IoT in Northern Europe for Vodafone, will discuss the role of IoT-enabled technologies in supporting reliable preventative maintenance programmes, while Chris Mitchell, principal consultant at US-software giant PTC will look at how augmented reality and wearable technology will change the way that factory equipment is maintained.
In addition to the conference activities, the exhibition halls at Maintec also promise to be packed full of clever companies showcasing interesting technology. Maintec 2017 is expected to feature more than 100 exhibitors, covering a wide range of sectors including electric motors, pumps, lubricants, hydraulic equipment, vibration analysis software and safety products. There will also be interactive demonstration areas, where visitors can view machinery and safety equipment in operation.
The show is expected to attract more than 5,000 delegates from leading companies. Maintec 2016, for instance, had visitors from blue-chip companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, Bentley Motors, Rolls-Royce, Network Rail and Robert Bosch.
To register to your interest in attending Maintec 2017, please visit www.maintec.co.uk
For more information: Contact Ines Astrug at Technical Publicity on 01582 390980 or email IAstrug@technical-group.com.
