Tool and metrological technology indispensable for Industry 4.0

On one side of the world is the USA, with its exceptional software competence and not least its digital entrepreneurship when it comes to new business models. On the other side of the globe is China, which with its ‘Made in China 2025’ and ‘Internet Plus’ programmes is channelling substantial resources into digital transformation. So despite the good starting position that German companies have created for themselves, they would be well advised not to rest on their laurels.

The German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association’s (VDMA) Metrological and Testing Technology and High-Precision Tools will accordingly be spotlighting ideas and products from the Industry 4.0 environment. At the VDMA’s stand (Hall 4 / D44), member companies and partners from the research community will from 19^th to 21^st September be contributing 30 brief presentations, focusing primarily on high-precision tools, metrological and testing technology, research, and tool data interchange.

“At the VDMA forum, we shall be aiming to show what solutions our sectors are offering in order to translate the concept of Industry 4.0 into shop-floor reality,” explained Markus Heseding, Executive Director of the two associations. “We already have a good track record with a forum of this kind, and are looking forward to a high attendance.”

Specifically, the ‘Innovative Solutions for Industry 4.0’ event will be informing its participants on issues like intelligent clamping systems and how production processes can be simulated by networking tools and software, tool life-cycles monitored, and costs reduced. The presentations there will elucidate how the self-monitoring machine tool support the quality assurance processes involved, or what an automated measuring cell can achieve in a production process featuring Industry 4.0.

Contributions from the companies concerned offer insights into highly sophisticated metrological technology and high-precision tools for challenging tasks. The presentations will cover the advantages of standardised tool data for simulations, tool management and pre-setting, as well as the research work being performed at the universities.