March 25, 2014 - The Digital Factory show, which is in its eleventh season this year, is becoming an increasingly prominent part of HANNOVER MESSE because it features exactly the sorts of integrated processes and IT solutions that industry needs as it gears up for the next steps along the road to the fourth industrial revolution. As such, it feeds directly into the “Integrated Industry – NEXT STEPS” lead theme of its parent event, HANNOVER MESSE 2014. The comprehensive range of proven software solutions for product development, manufacturing processes and order management at this year’s Digital Factory show will be complemented by an expanded lineup of solutions that are geared to the next generation of smart, connected products.
“Industry 4.0 will again be at the forefront of discussion at this year’s HANNOVER MESSE. And the Digital Factory exhibitors in Hall 7 will present groundbreaking IT tools that are paving the way for this vision,” said Marc Siemering, Deutsche Messe’s Senior Vice President responsible for HANNOVER MESSE. One of these exhibitors is US company PTC, which has been showcasing its product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions at Digital Factory for many years. In December 2013, PTC purchased ThingWorx, the creators of a leading platform for building and running applications for the Internet of Things.
The move is a strong indication that, in the future, PLM solutions will encompass not just conventional product data, but also the sorts of data that drive the Internet of Things. A further key aspect of Industry 4.0 is the convergence of the real and the virtual industrial worlds. This convergence will not be possible without realistic simulation solutions that drive the design, development and implementation of future products and services. Digital Factory 2013 marked the first time that exhibitors of simulation software had their own dedicated dialogue platform – the CAE-Forum showcase – in Hall 7.
The event, which included some 64 lectures on numerical simulation, was an instant success and is set to return this year with an expanded format. On the Wednesday of this year’s HANNOVER MESSE, the CAE-Forum will also once again host the second International Simulation Roundtable, a number of offshoots of which have been formed around Germany following last year’s successful debut event. On the Thursday of the fair, the 9th North German Simulation Forum will kick off at the on-site Convention Center at 5 p.m. There, simulation experts will compare notes on the latest simulation solutions by discussing real-life examples from key industries, such as shipbuilding, automotive manufacturing, the wind generation industry and the aerospace industry.
HANNOVER MESSE – Get new technology first! The world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology is staged annually in Hannover, Germany. The next HANNOVER MESSE will run from 7 to 11 April 2014 and feature the Netherlands as its official Partner Country. HANNOVER MESSE 2014 will comprise seven flagship fairs: Industrial Automation • Energy • MobiliTec • Digital Factory • Industrial Supply • IndustrialGreenTec • Research & Technology. The upcoming event will place a strong emphasis on Industrial Automation and IT, Energy and Environmental Technologies, Industrial Subcontracting, Production Engineering and Services and Research & Development.