Editorial
Digitization - again?
In September, EMO in Hanover and Schweissen & Schneiden in Essen are two trade fairs for the metalworking industry that will focus on digitalization, among other things.
"Digitalization - again?", some people might think, and they might not be entirely wrong. Digital technologies have been around for a long time, but they are also constantly changing and evolving. A particular boost came with the emergence of new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), big data analysis and cloud computing. These technologies make it possible to collect and analyse huge amounts of data from operational processes and gain insights for optimizing processes, predicting maintenance requirements and developing new business models.
We are still a long way from the end of developments here; AIs are only just beginning to establish themselves. Although the potential of machine learning and predictive maintenance is well known, it is still a long way from becoming part of everyday production. And so these topics are naturally well represented at this year's fall trade fairs, where hopefully not only the advantages such as increased efficiency, higher precision, sustainable production that conserves resources and flexibility will be praised.
After all, despite all the advantages, weak points or possible disadvantages should not be forgotten, but on the contrary, should be addressed. These usually include high investment costs, growing dependence on the technology, security concerns in times of increasing cyber attacks and, of course, changes to the workplace.
But this is exactly where trade fairs are a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas, discuss and even learn. I can't wait to see what will amaze (or terrify?) us at this year's fall trade fairs. In this issue, we introduce you to some of the innovations that will be presented at EMO (from p. 16) and Schweissen & Schneiden (from p. 24).
This article appeared in issue 9/23
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