Automation and networking of industrial production systems are also causing movement in the quality assurance (QA) market. This development is evident in the rapidly growing segment of machine vision and vision systems. At this year's Control, more than 250 Control exhibitors presented components, assemblies, subsystems and complete systems in this area alone, representing the current range of machine vision, vision, camera and sensor systems.

New fields of application for machine vision, both in everyday industrial use and in autonomous vehicles for goods and passenger transportation as well as intralogistics, are proof of the need and necessity to implement modern quality assurance with future-oriented machine vision systems. Machine vision and vision systems are increasingly replacing conventional measuring and testing equipment and are establishing themselves as the key technology for automation as such. This is because one hundred percent inline inspection is increasingly taking hold in industrial production, and the development from tactile measurement technology to optical inspection is progressing rapidly.

Systems, software and services
Trade fair organizer Schall has themed Hall 8 this year in order to divide Control into themed and relevant competence blocks with an enlarged exhibition area. With this restructuring, Control was not least responding to the growing demands on the QA market, which is undergoing radical change as a result of digitalization and networking. QS systems, QS software and QS services were concentrated and clearly arranged in Hall 8 for optimal guidance of trade visitors, enabling targeted information and continuous consultation with short distances.

The event forum of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) in this hall showed how quality in industrial production can be increased in concrete terms. "Machine learning and vision - a technological revolution thanks to artificial intelligence and modern image processing" was a key topic that demonstrated the industrial applicability of innovative image and signal analysis as well as artificial intelligence in practice.

As part of a special show, which has now been taking place for 15 years, around 20 exhibitors in Hall 6 presented various technologies and processes for non-contact and non-destructive measuring and testing technology; these are both ready-to-use developments and forward-looking concepts.

The trade fair organizer also focused on the working and business atmosphere for both exhibitors and trade visitors and created a new service for Control: With four lounges - workstation, espresso bar, refreshment zone, quiet area - in the peripheral areas of each hall, areas were available where everyone was welcome: "Electricity, internet, coffee, water or just a quiet armchair - that's what I call hospitality!", stated one trade fair visitor, who was happy to take advantage of this new service because it benefits work. Schall wants to establish the new concept of lounges at all trade fairs in future.

Control has become increasingly international with 33 percent of exhibitors coming from abroad. More than half of all discussions are already held in English. The next Control is on its way to the Stuttgart exhibition halls from May 5 to 8, 2020. as