Embracing new technologies a necessity

Morris was one of the keynote speakers at the Advanced Manufacturing Conference held at The Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, which also included Dame Julie Kenny DBE DL, Philip Rodrigo, the Master Cutler, Dr Graham Honeyman CBE, Oliver Coppard - Mayor of South Yorkshire and BBC TV’s Amy Garcia.

The event’s main focus was the evolution towards Industry 5.0 and featured key themes including the economic future, skills, adopting new technologies, sustainability and optimising digitalisation.

Morris explains: "In our business, we use technology to make the purchasing of engineering components quicker and easier for our customers.  It’s not just about having great products, but giving a great customer experience too and using the latest technology enables us to do this.”

There were a number of panel discussions throughout the day and the Optimising Digitalisation, Automation and AI panel comprised Alastair Morris of Accu, Jamie Hinton, CEO of Razor, Claire Scott, technology adoption specialist at Made Smarter, and Habiba Lais, NDE research technical fellow at AMRC.

The panel discussed how companies can seamlessly integrate cutting-edge technologies into their operations. Discussions highlighted the importance of digitalisation in enhancing efficiency, reducing errors and accelerating production timelines.

Morris added: "Whether you see technologies, such as AI, as a threat to society or an opportunity to increase productivity, it's undoubtedly here to stay. I think we all need to get our heads around its opportunities, its threats and the barriers to implementing it in our businesses."

Leading manufacturing firms such as Gripple, E-On and RNN Group joined Accu in exhibiting their latest innovations. Educational institutions including Sheffield Hallam University and Barnsley College also took part in the event, bridging the gap between academia and industry and highlighted the need to nurture the next generation of engineers. By involving students and educators, the conference aimed to inspire future leaders to continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in manufacturing.

As a specialist in precision engineering components, Accu is at the forefront of supporting industries that are transitioning into the next industrial revolution. From embracing AI to optimising the pathways through its online store, Accu offers a high quality customer experience thanks to the digitisation of its engineering supply chain.

www.accu.co.uk