COPA DATA UK LTD

The dawn of the mechanical machines were first, followed closely by the introduction of electricity, and then we saw the third industrial era, the advent of computers and the internet. Now we enter the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ Industry 4.0 is bouncing from buzzword to reality. It is finally here, so Martyn Williams, Managing Director of industrial software provider, COPA-DATA UK, here examines what is needed to achieve Britain’s goal of becoming an Industry 4.0 leader in 2018.

Martyn Williams, Managing Director of industrial software specialist COPA-DATA UK, explains why manufacturers should consider independence when striving for more collaborative facilities and supply chains. Independence for collaboration. This concept might sound like an oxymoron, but in the era of smart manufacturing, valuing independence can be the difference between failure and success. 

Taking place at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool on 15th-16th November, the Smart Factory Expo 2017, has been hailed as the UK’s biggest showcase for the fourth industrial revolution.

The results of an Industry 4.0 study by PwC show that manufacturers intend to invest five percent of their revenue on digitisation by 2020. The most substantial part of the $907bn investment will be spent on digital hardware like sensors and Human-Machine Interface (HMI) panels - but what about the software that brings this equipment together?

Manufacturing has traditionally been seen as a predominantly manual industry, but now, industrial automation has transformed the way manufacturers operate. As of 2015, the booming industrial automation industry is worth more than $200bn globally. Enabling organisations to mass produce commodities and complete tasks with increased speed and quality, industrial automation has become an unbeatable ally in manufacturing environments.

On September 1 this year, COPA-DATA will celebrate its 30th anniversary. The company had its genesis when two brothers,Thomas and Alexander Punzenberger, recognised the potential software systems offer to industry – and to the energy industry in particular. With a vision of making automation in industry a hands-on and enjoyable experience, Thomas Punzenberger (pictured) founded Ing. Punzenberger COPA-DATA in 1987 in Salzburg.

Investments in smart manufacturing are set to drive a 27% increase in efficiency over the next five years, boosting the global economy by a colossal $500bn. This is according to the recent Smart Factories and the Modern Manufacturer report. Here, Lee Sullivan, Regional Manager for COPA-DATA UK examines one of the key choices manufacturers will make during their digital transformation - choosing the right software.

One of the most talked-about technology trends of the past decade is big data. However, drawing valuable insights from large datasets is not a modern practice. In fact, the catalyst for big data occurred in the 1960s. A 1967 paper by B.A Marron discussed the growing amount of data that the world was producing – referred to as the ‘information explosion’. 

Back in the dim and distant past of the mining industry, canaries were used as gas detectors in poorly ventilated mines in order to protect workers. These birds were made redundant in the 20th century as the advances in technology negated their role.

  The two new versions of the automation software systems from COPA-DATA,  zenon 7.60 and zenon Analazer 3.10, help present further milestones for ergonomic working for project engineers and operators in manufacturing companies and the energy sector.

Showcasing its Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology and smart factory solutions, COPA-DATA UK will be at this year’s Industry 4.0 Summit. The conference will be held at the Manchester Convention Centre on Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th April and will run parallel to the Factories of the Future Expo where COPA-DATA will be exhibiting at booth R35.

Back in December 2015 hackers hijacked the electrical systems of three major Ukrainian power distributors, and over 230,000 people were left without power for several hours. The uncertainty caused by the attack lasted much longer, especially since employees in both engineering and IT teams alike were initially unclear about how the hackers managed to infiltrate the system.

Back in the 1920s to keep five light bulbs running for an entire day cost the same as a week’s wages for the average Brit, no wonder only six percent of British homes had access to electricity.

  There is a growing demand for new technologies, especially as manufacturing facilities incorporate greater levels of automation. As several different trends have come around in recent years, it has created a shift in the way industry operates.

In the modern hydraulics environment, traceability, data logging and graphical displays are all in high demand. The hydraulic control experts at machine builder Pressure Design are focusing on increasing their automated solutions offering, as customer’s requirements become more complex, with the support of COPA-DATA’s HMI/SCADA software, zenon.

As a nation, Britain has a knack for producing and harbouring engineering talent. Throughout history, its resourceful and practical people have poured their energy into infrastructure, innovation and technology. John Logie Baird gifted the world with colour television, Richard Trevithick created the first railway steam locomotive and British mathematician, Charles Babbage, is widely regarded as the ‘father of computers’ after inventing the world’s first programmable computer.

The pharmaceutical industry today operates in one of the world’s most heavily regulated environments. Over the past few years, the industry has experienced significant regulatory change and looking to the future, the strict nature of the industry doesn’t appear to be slacking.

The current version of COPA-DATA's automation software, zenon 7.20, has successfully passed Microsoft’s Windows 10 compatibility test. The software runs reliably on the new operating system and supports all quality and security requirements.

This year's BrauBeviale in Nuremberg (November 10-12, is where COPA-DATA will be illustrating how the zenon Product Family is already supporting the Smart Brewery. This includes the networking of all production areas, comprehensive line management, batch control for creative brewing processes, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) monitoring, and optimised energy consumption.

COPA-DATA will be exhibiting at this year’s SPE Offshore Europe event, 8th to 11th September at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, alongside Beckhoff Automation and APD. The three companies will present a united front at Stand 2C27 in order to showcase their collaborative start to finish automation solutions: ‘Process Automation – Integrated’.