Showcase for industry and engineering

COMPANIES ON the lookout for new ideas on how to boost order intake in 2023 and ways to increase operational efficiency and profitability will be treated to a wealth of mechanical and electronics engineering expertise. It is undoubtedly the go-to place to address multiple sourcing requirements efficiently under one roof, especially these days when supply chains are under pressure.

The show is the UK’s largest and longest running annual engineering show and arguably the most comprehensive. It is not just a showcase for industry and engineering in the UK and Ireland, but also a major venue for companies from continental Europe and further afield to present their latest products and services.

Despite offering a multitude of solutions within two very distinct categories, the event is a unified whole without any physical barriers. Visitors are able to walk freely between all the stands, which can lead to the discovery of companies and technologies that could otherwise be missed. Firms with expertise in similar areas are grouped together, allowing Technology Trails to guide visitors logically around the showground.

Industry 4.0

Many hundreds of firms will highlight a vast array of high technology mechanical, electrical, electronic, optoelectronic, electromechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic assemblies, components and consumables, PCBs, connectors, sensors, as well as such items as drives, rotary encoders and linear scales. Industry 4.0 solutions will be in evidence alongside controls, displays, HMIs, data acquisition systems, augmented, mixed, and virtual reality, robot and cobot machine tending and other automation solutions.

Visitors can also expect to see machine tools and tooling, workholding systems, metrology equipment for both tactile and non-contact measurement and inspection, automation equipment, finishing machines, laser cutting and marking equipment, handling and storage solutions, plant for electronics production and assembly, additive manufacturing machines, workshop equipment, production and planning aids, and software for business and engineering applications. Experienced staff will be on hand to explain how they can help industrial companies maintain momentum and profitability throughout 2023, despite the well-publicised headwinds they are encountering.

Other no less essential products and services on offer will encompass oil and coolant supply, workshop equipment, dust and fume extraction, humidity control, workplace storage systems, bespoke case and foam manufacture, plastic packaging and injection moulding, hand tools, adhesives, industrial flooring, waste removal and recycling, training, freight services and financial consultancy. The event is an important destination for sourcing subcontract services as well.

Seminar programme

Alongside the exhibition, over the three days there will be an extensive technical seminar programme, which will be especially strong this time. It will give visitors and exhibitors alike valuable learning opportunities, with a particular focus on the technical, managerial and environmental issues facing manufacturers today. There will be two programmes, one covering mechanical engineering and the other electrical and electronic engineering.

The former will span such topics as lean continuous improvement, design for test, marketing, team motivation, additive manufacturing, and business succession planning. The manufacturing sessions will focus, amongst other things, on management techniques, CE and UKCA marking, the role of IP in commerce, social media for lead generation and other marketing strategies, commercialisation of ideas, and testing. A full list of sessions and pre-registration are available on the show organiser’s website.

Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2023 co-locates with AutoAero, a specialist theme within the exhibition devoted to aerospace and automotive engineering. There is a regular, free bus service between Farnborough’s Main and North Camp railway stations and the show. Admission and parking are also free of charge. More information and tickets are available from southeditorial@etes.co.uk

www.industrysouth.co.uk