Business performance goes hand in hand with power availability in manufacturing, food and beverages, water, rail, chemical and other industries. However, ongoing change in the energy landscape can introduce power quality issues that pose risks to the reliability of electrical networks.

As companies push towards decarbonisation and digitalisation, technologies such as EV chargers, renewable energies and variable speed drives are cutting energy consumption and carbon footprint. The result is that electrical networks that were originally designed for predictable and lower-power patterns must now cope with higher loads and dynamic supply and demand.

Introducing new technologies is done with the best of intentions, but they can unintentionally affect power quality, leading to issues such as harmonics, low power factor, and phase imbalance. These conditions can result in increased apparent power consumption, overheating of equipment, and voltage disturbances — including flickering lights or unexpected shutdowns of sensitive electronic systems.

A smarter energy strategy

With all this in mind, it’s become critical for site managers to prioritise their electrical networks and create a strategy to future-proof their electrical networks for long-term protection of business continuity, profitability, safety, and sustainability.

It’s no longer enough to measure energy consumption alone, or reactively install some Power Factor Correction units, establishing a smarter energy strategy means gathering, tracking and analysing data to identify insights and improve performance.

For example, using submetering across a facility will provide deeper insight into the processes and times of day where energy consumption is high. This can identify opportunities to save energy without compromising on productivity, for example by understanding variance in of energy in manufactured products or the working practices of sets of shift workers. The right visibility and insights at the asset level helps businesses progress meaningfully towards Net Zero targets.

One important consideration when adding meters into the facility for sub metering, is that it’s worth investing in meters that allow for the measurement of key power quality indicators such as harmonics and power factor. These have the ability to sense micro disturbances and their root cause, helping to diagnose power quality issues.

It's not unusual to find sites where Power Factor Correction units, Harmonic Filters and Voltage Optimisers have been installed and have since been taken offline and are now sitting on facility networks, unmaintained, and unmonitored. Often these technologies were installed with the best intentions at the time, but they may have been superseded by installation of new loads and new technologies in the factory over time. To get the best performance from these types of equipment, it’s critical to monitor the network as it evolves and adjust power quality systems so that they continue to deliver long term performance and impact.

Gathering data from critical systems

Looking at reliability and efficient maintenance, deploying sensors on critical assets will provide deeper insight into operations and support a move to condition-based maintenance of electrical assets. In turn, operational managers can react to electrical stresses before they escalate into equipment failures. This proactive approach also strengthens the network’s capacity to absorb new technology.

In low voltage switchgear and motor control centres, it’s never been easier to retrofit sensors to measure factors such as temperature and humidity. In addition, the latest circuit breakers often have untapped diagnostic data available. All of these data sources provide indications of asset health and risk of impending failure and inform maintenance practices.

In high voltage assets, it is worth deploying sensing technology that continuously monitors for partial discharge (PD) risk. One in four medium-voltage failures involves PD, which can lead to significant periods of unplanned outage. For example, one pharmaceutical manufacturer reported a PD incident on a switchgear unit, leading to a major safety incident, an unplanned halt of production for several days and a need for temporary switching arrangements over the 12-week lead time for replacement switchgear. The total financial impact for this single event was £450k due to lost production, reactive costs, new switchgear and installation – a cost that is avoidable with an early warning from the latest monitoring systems. This could have been avoided with a modern continuous monitoring system.

There are four steps to a smarter energy strategy:

• Audit – analysing energy use across all assets and establishing the current status and criticality of assets. This is the essential first step before mapping out a path to meet future goals and achieving smarter performance. 
• Digitalise – with the status of assets in place, the next step is setting priorities to modernise, upgrade and retrofit assets with digital connectivity, starting with critical systems. This step will provide operators with data to see more, know more, and drive performance where it matters most. 
• Visualise – with data in place, it’s possible to analyse trends and track patterns in asset health to identify and mitigate risks to the electrical network. 
• Optimise – recording data is vital, but don't stop there. Deploy a continuous process of reviewing insights from operational performance and taking data-driven decisions to improve operational and energy efficiency, and asset life. 

For businesses without extensive in house electrical resources, these steps may seem daunting. They require knowledge and skills of electrical technology, awareness of current and future digital technology and regulations. They also require experience of operation, maintenance and monitoring of industrial assets and possibly also industry-specific certifications. In addition, a successful strategy requires an understanding of long-term objectives, availability of budget and organisation constraints.   

Typically, in-house operations managers are stretched and need to keep their focus on the full-time job of ensuring optimal production, profitability and safe operations. Taking time out of the business to upskill may not be practical so calling in an expert in asset management will fast-track development of an asset strategy. The partner can act as an extension to the in-house team to provide guidance where and when it’s needed. They will bring experience from many industrial sites to recommend the best course of action to meet business objectives – whether that is delivering an urgent repair on a critical system or identifying where to deploy sensor technologies to achieve maximum benefit within a budget.

The important factors when looking for an electrical asset management partner are: extensive experience of maintenance, monitoring and operations in the field; certifications covering electrical and industrial settings; and an unbiased, open approach. A good partner will be technology-agnostic, which means they are not tied to a specific technology and will suggest the best approach to meet their customer’s goals.

Another essential factor in today’s digital age is expertise in digital technologies. What that means for a site manager is being able to draw on advice on where and how to deploy sensors, which technologies and platforms will provide interoperability over the long term, and how best to interpret data.  

Improving long-term reliability As the UK drives towards Net Zero targets, electrical networks can’t be an afterthought. A smarter energy strategy is central to cutting energy consumption, improving the efficiency of manufacturing and protecting valuable uptime. By working with an asset management partner like Acteniq, operations managers in industry can gain a competitive edge, futureproof their business, and be free to unlock the full potential of electrification and automation.

Site managers can get a view on smart their energy strategy is within minutes by with a free energy IQ assessment that benchmarks operations across energy, assets, and process. 

Nathan Ghundoo is operations director at Acteniq

acteniq.com/energy-iq

Explosion-proof emergency stop devices are subject to both Directive 2014/34/EU (ATEX 114) and Machine Directive 2006/42/EC.

The emergency stop function must be designed in such a way that the decision to operate the emergency stop devices does not require the person to think about any consequences resulting from it.

The emergency stop devices must be permanently installed, so that it is easy for the operator to press in the event of danger. When pushbuttons are used, it should be possible to actuate them easily with the palm of one’s hand.

The emergency stop function must be available and operational at all times. It must have priority over all other functions and work processes in all types of operations of the machine without adversely affecting other protective functions.

The emergency stop function must be designed in such a way that, once the emergency stop devices has been actuated, any dangerous movements are stopped and the operation of the machine is suitably prevented without causing additional hazards and without any further intervention.

An electrical emergency stop device must apply the compulsory opening principle with a mechanical locking function. Electrical emergency stop devices meet the requirements of EN 60947-5-5.

Colours and texts

The button of the emergency stop device must be RED. If there is a background behind the actuator and inasmuch as it is realizable, this must be YELLOW.

Neither the control device nor the background of the control device is marked with a text or a symbol. If, for the sake of clarity, a symbol is required, the symbol must comply with IEC 60417-5638.

Resetting

If the emergency stop function has been activated:

• it must be maintained until it is reset manually
• a renewed starting of the work processes that were stopped by the initiation of the emergency stop function must not be possible.

The emergency stop function must be reset by a conscious act of one person. An emergency stop function must be reset by unlocking an emergency stop device. The reset must not initiate a restarting of the machine or installation.

The emergency stop function must not adversely affect the effectiveness of other safety functions.

Measures against unintentional activation

The emergency stop device must be designed in such a way that any unintentional activation is avoided. Measures against the unintentional activation of an emergency stop device must not create a risk of hindering the operation or the accessibility of the emergency stop devices. Provided that it is feasible, any unintentional activation must preferably be avoided by the arrangement than by constructional measures.

Certain precautions can be taken to avoid an unintentional activation, for example:

• positioning the emergency stop device far from areas that are expected to be very busy,
• selection of the type of emergency stop device,
• selection of the suitable size and form of the emergency stop device, or
• mounting the emergency stop device in a recessed surface of the surrounding control station.

The use of a protective collar around the emergency stop device to avoid any unintentional operation should be restricted to applications where other measures are not practicable.

A protective collar must not have sharp corners or edges or rough surfaces that could cause injury. Corners and edges must be deburred and the contact areas of surfaces must be smooth.

www.thuba.com/en

Built on Honeywell's flagship distributed control system, Experion Operations Assistant is an advanced AI-powered solution designed to transform the way operators monitor plant operations from the control room. By merging operational analytics with real real-time predictive insights, the solution facilitates a more efficient workflow within critical refinery operations. With the integration of this new solution, operators in the control room can forecast potential maintenance events before they happen and minimise risks associated with unsafe operations and production losses.

"Partnering with Honeywell at our Port Arthur Refinery represents an important step in our journey toward operational excellence across our facility," said Raphael Duflos, VP and general manager of TotalEnergies' Port Arthur Platform. "We believe this solution could contribute to safer operations, reduced downtime, and minimised product losses."

TotalEnergies has already implemented an initial pilot of Experion Operations Assistant at the Port Arthur site's Delayed Coking Unit (DCU). Preliminary results show the AI-assisted solution has successfully forecasted five potential events, helping to minimise downtime and reduce emissions from flaring. The predictions were made an average of 12 minutes in advance of an alarm incident, enabling operators to quickly implement corrective actions before an event.

"Honeywell's decades of domain expertise and industry knowledge are helping to solve our customers' toughest challenges with tangible solutions like Experion Operations Assistant," said Jim Masso, president and CEO of Honeywell Process Solutions. "This pilot with TotalEnergies will mark a meaningful milestone for bridging the gap between autonomous technology and the operators that keep these facilities running safely and efficiently every day."

Located in Southeast Texas near the Gulf Coast, TotalEnergies' Port Arthur Platform refines crude oil into transportation fuels and produces petrochemicals used in a wide range of products like plastics, rubber, and pharmaceuticals. The pilot is a successful collaboration between Honeywell, TotalEnergies' Port Arthur platform and its technology headquarter branch OneTech.

process.honeywell.com/us/en/solutions/industrial-ai-solutions

Anglian is based in Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, England, and was founded in 1977. The company has 28 employees.

Anglian offers energy-saving advice and solutions to manufacturers and other industries with applications that rely on compressed air and related systems and services. This includes compressors, gas generators and chillers. Customers are found in all types of manufacturing industries, such as such as food & beverages, Agri-tech, digital technologies, general manufacturing, energy & environment working with companies focused on sustainability and the environment.

“Anglian Compressors & Equipment showcases strong sales and service presence in the East of England which will open additional opportunities for us going forward," said Ariel Rubinstein, general manager, Atlas Copco Compressors UK & Ireland. “I would like to welcome our new colleagues from Anglian to Atlas Copco Group.”

“This marks an important milestone in our history. Our name, our people, and our commitment to excellence remain unchanged – our team and our customers will see only positive results from this move. Atlas Copco represents an exciting new chapter going forward, we will be able to create new opportunities for growth, all while staying true to our values,” said Richard Hewitt, managing director, Anglian Compressors & Equipment.

The purchase price is not disclosed. Anglian has become part of the service division within Atlas Copco’s Compressor Technique business area.

www.atlascopco.com/en-uk/compressors

Machine builders supplying customers in the European Union will already be aware of the Machinery Directive. Its replacement, the Machine Regulation, comes into force in January 2027 and introduces requirements relating to cybersecurity. However, there is another new piece of European legislation that already has implications for machine builders and system integrators. This is Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 on harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data – which can be shortened to the Data Act. Although the Data Act covers a wide range of products, this present article is concerned solely with how the legislation impacts machine builders and system integrators; for simplicity, we will just refer to machine builders.

What is covered?

Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 has been applied since 12 September 2025, though some aspects do not apply until September 2026 or September 2027. It covers ‘connected products’ and, for the avoidance of doubt, this includes products with on-device access, products with wireless connectivity, and products that require a physical connection to be made when needed. ‘Data’ includes data generated by use of the product or related service, metadata necessary to interpret and use the data, and data created when users interact with the product. Even if data is only stored and not processed, then it still falls within the scope if it can be accessed.

Paragraph 14 of the preamble lists various types of connected product, with industrial machinery being one such type. This paragraph also states that prototypes do not fall within the scope of the Data Act, but machine builders should not assume that a one-off special-purpose machine is exempt, even though it could be argued that it is a prototype. Article 31 excludes custom-built data processing, as well as data processing services provided as a non-production version for test/evaluation over a limited time period.

If any data can be accessed by the machine builder, then it is covered by the Data Act. It must therefore be sharable with the end user and, by implication, third parties. On the other hand, information that has been derived from data is excluded from the scope of the Data Act and does not need to be sharable. If data, such as from sensors, is processed but not stored, then it does not need to be sharable. Personal data is covered by other EU legislation, though the Data Act covers personal data that has been anonymised.

Article 7 states that the Data Act does not apply to products manufactured or designed by microenterprises and small enterprises provided they do not have a partner enterprise or linked enterprise and the enterprise is not subcontracted to design or manufacture the product. The same applies to an enterprise that has qualified as a medium-sized enterprise for less than one year, and to connected products for one year after the date on which they were placed on the market by a medium-sized enterprise.

Why is the Data Act needed?

The Data Act recognises the value of data for businesses, consumers and society, largely as a result of the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT). Furthermore, the European Commission believes that high-quality and interoperable data increases competitiveness and innovation and, therefore, ensures sustainable economic growth. Consequently, the Data Act aims to make it easier for users to share data with third parties or use it themselves, rather than having the data restricted to being stored or processed by, for example, a machine builder. The situation is the same, whether the user has purchased, leased or rented the product.

Standardisation

In common with many EU Regulations, the Data Act contains essential requirements that must be met. In this case, the requirements relate to the form of the data and its usability. Data must always be accessible to a user easily, securely, free of charge, and in a comprehensive, structured, commonly used and machine-readable format.

Clauses in the Data Act provide for harmonised standards that, if complied with in full, would provide a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements. In the absence of such standards, ‘common specifications’ can provide a presumption of conformity. At the time of writing, no harmonised standards or common specifications have been published but these may follow in due course.

Contractual arrangements

When a machine is placed on the market in the EU, whether for sale, lease or rent, information about sharable data must be provided before a contract is concluded. This includes the data functions available, how they can be accessed, the type and volume and format of the data, whether data is generated continuously and/or in real time, and the nature, location and retention period of data.

A contract must cover the basis for a manufacturer’s use of product data, and the terms could exclude or limit the user from accessing all or some of the data. Some data might be classified as trade secrets, in which case the data holder can require data users to treat it as trade secrets.

Within the Data Act, there are clauses to prevent product suppliers from imposing unfair contractual terms on customers. The EC has published non-binding model contractual terms in a document ‘Final Report of the Expert Group on B2B data sharing and cloud computing contracts.’ Nevertheless, Article 1, Clause 6 of the Data Act states that it does not apply when voluntary agreements are in place for exchanging data.

Compensation

If a data holder (such as a machine builder) is requested by the user to make data available to a third party, then the data holder can require the third party, not the user, to pay reasonable compensation for the cost of providing the data, but not for the data itself.

The EC has foreseen that levels of compensation might be contentious, so the Data Act sets out arrangements for resolving disputes and lays the foundations for dispute settlement bodies that can decide whether compensation is reasonable.

Initially, providers of data processing services can charge users for switching between different providers. However, these switching charges will be abolished after three years.

Sharing data with authorities

So far, we have focused on situations where, typically, a user wishes to share data with a third party of their choosing. In addition, the Data Act covers the requirement for data holders to make data available to public sector bodies, the Commission, the European Central Bank and Union bodies when there is an exceptional need, such as in the event of a public emergency. Data holders are entitled to compensation for making the data available. Micro and small businesses are exempt from the requirement to share data with authorities.

Legal representation

For machine builders based outside the EU, a key point to note is Article 37, Clause 11: ‘Any entity falling within the scope of this Regulation that makes connected products available or offers services in the Union, and which is not established in the Union, shall designate a legal representative in one of the Member States.’ Clause 12 explains what the legal representative is mandated to do, which is essentially to act on behalf of an entity to cooperate with the relevant authorities and, upon request, demonstrate how connected products and related services are in compliance with the Data Act.

Hold Tech Files Ltd is based in the Republic of Ireland and is therefore established in the EU. Hold Tech Files performs numerous roles for non-EU machine builders in accordance with various EU legislation, including acting as a legal representative in line with the requirements of the Data Act.

Summary

From the perspective of a non-EU machine builder exporting to the EU, complying with the Data Act requires the following unless there are relevant exemptions:

• Certain information about the data and its usability must be made available before a sale, lease or rental contract is concluded;
• There must be an agreement with the data user regarding which data is sharable, the characteristics of that data and how it would be shared, and this agreement must be fair to both parties;
• If harmonised standards or common specifications have been published, then the data should comply with these unless it can be shown to meet the essential requirements (stated in Article 33) another way;
• Data and metadata must be suitable for sharing with the data user or, upon request from the user, a third party;
• Upon request from the user, the data holder must be ready to share the data with the user or a third party;
• A method should be established for calculating the reasonable level of compensation that can be claimed for transferring data to a third party or the authorities; and
• Before placing the product on the market, a machine builder outside the EU must appoint a legal representative who is established in the EU.

For information about appointing an EU legal representative, contact Hold Tech Files.

www.holdtechfiles.eu

The new application release includes:

• Object Detection – Vending Machine: An AI-powered object detection solution tailored for smart vending systems, enabling real-time recognition of products and interactions to optimise inventory.
• Emotion Recognition: A deep learning–based emotion detection system that analyses facial expressions to provide adaptive user experiences, personalised engagement, and human–machine feedback in vending environments.
• Facial Attribute Detection with Qualcomm: An application leveraging Qualcomm AI hardware acceleration to identify facial attributes, offering efficient, privacy-preserving analytics for embedded edge systems.
• Background Removal in Industrial Field: An advanced vision model for precise segmentation and background removal, enabling improved quality control, safety monitoring, and process automation.
• Audio Classification – Industrial Noise Environments: A robust sound classification application that distinguishes between different types of industrial noise, supporting preventive maintenance, anomaly detection, and acoustic monitoring in complex environments.
• Inception – Training Experience: A flexible training experience based on the Inception architecture, allowing users to experiment, retrain, and validate models in their preferred environment, and then deploy them on SECO hardware.

“Our goal is to make AI deployment at the edge as straightforward and reliable as possible,” says Fausto Di Segni, head of IoT and AI at SECO. “By combining a growing portfolio of validated applications with the Clea Framework and the resources of our Developer Centre, we help companies accelerate their AI journey from concept to production, while ensuring full compatibility with existing ecosystems.”

All SECO applications are validated for deployment across platforms from Intel, Qualcomm, NXP, AMD, Rockchip, and MediaTek, supported by enterprise-grade Long-Term Support for operational stability and seamless integration.

The new AI applications are now available on the SECO Application Hub, with technical details and documentation available through the SECO Developer Centre and the opportunity for a free trial of the Clea Framework.

www.seco.com

“Extreme temperatures, high humidity, explosion hazards, or constant vibration – none of thesepose a problem for the 1 kV frequency converters,” says Thomas Zirk-Gunnemann, CEO of AuCom Applied Motor Controls. “Whether in mining, the steel industry, the energy sector,water management, marine applications, or the chemical, oil, and gas industries – companies in these fields benefit from the strengths of the HM Series.”

Offering performance and precision, the HM Series covers a power range from 45 to 1250 W (31–750A, 1000–1300V). The energy-efficient NPC three-level topology achieves a frequency conversion efficiency of up to 98% while reducing harmonics. Available in 2- and 4-quadrant versions, the VFDs allow fast braking as well as regenerative feedback into the grid. The integrated Active Front End (AFE) ensures minimal grid disturbances.

The powerful vector control for synchronous and asynchronous motors – with or without encoder – enables precise control and high torque even at low rotational speeds, making it ideal for drives in conveyors, cranes, and winches.

The robust design of the HM Series, featuring laminated busbars and film capacitors, is also exceptionally compact, allowing installation in pressure-resistant and confined enclosures such as those used in mining. The CAN interface enables master-slave operation for multi-motor systems. In addition to the LED keypad, the optional touch

www.aucom.com

The Government's strategy aims to reduce high industrial energy costs and modernise infrastructure to boost the UK's industrial competitiveness. This aligns with IMI's snapshot poll which found that when asked about the biggest opportunity for improvement in their pneumatic or motion systems, 38% of businesses cited energy efficiency. This was followed by system reliability (29%) and maintenance predictability (24%).

And the importance of sustainability was highlighted when companies were asked what they thought are the most significant opportunities for growth or improvement in the engineering sector. To this end, over one in five (22%) companies identified advancing sustainability as a significant opportunity for growth.

However, while sustainability remains high on the agenda, tackling skills shortages was the strongest opportunity, cited by almost half of all respondents (44%). The other two most popular answers were optimising supply chains (24%) and managing rising costs (9%).

The research also found that when selecting a systems solutions manufacturer, engineering expertise is the most valued quality, cited by 65% of respondents. While customised solutions (25%) and training support (10%) were also noted as important factors.

Daniel Coetzee, vice president: growth, industrial automation for IMI, comments, “Our poll highlights the growing demand for energy-efficient solutions, engineering expertise, and strategies to address skills shortages in the industrial sector. However, against this backdrop it is encouraging to see that sustainability remains a priority for many businesses, with the majority of engineering companies recognising this as a business opportunity for them.”

To support the engineering sector, IMI has produced a suite of materials to help companies tackle the impact of energy use, including how to reduce energy bills through optimised compressed air system solutions, as well as improve productivity outcomes. 
 
www.norgren.com/en/services/energy-saving

Advanced Electric Machines (AEM) has revealed its SSRD (Super Speed Reluctance Motor) technology demonstrator for passenger car applications at a critical moment for the UK automotive industry. With it, the firm has also announced that it has secured a major seven-figure contract with a leading global tier one company, to develop SSRD motors for use in high volume passenger car applications.

As global supply chains for rare earth elements are highly concentrated and the UK government's promised Critical Minerals Strategy remaining indefinitely delayed, AEM's demonstration proves that supply chain diversification is not just possible but can significantly boost vehicle performance.

The automotive industry's reliance on rare earth permanent magnet motors has created supply chain concentration that presents strategic challenges for the sector. With over 85% of global rare earth processing concentrated in a single region, manufacturers face potential vulnerabilities from supply disruptions, price volatility, and the natural challenges of highly concentrated supply chains.

AEM's SSRD technology demonstrator addresses these supply chain challenges entirely. Unlike traditional permanent magnet motors that require neodymium, dysprosium, and other elements from concentrated supply chains, the SSRD motor achieves industry-leading performance using only abundant materials available from diverse global sources. The passenger car demonstrator delivers remarkable specifications that match or exceed traditional permanent magnet alternatives. Market-leading performance with up to 30,000 rpm capability, combines with excellent figures on the WLTP drive cycle and superior efficiency in real life driving environments.

The technology's fully recyclable design eliminates permanent magnets entirely, combining simplified construction that enables cost-effective manufacturing with enhanced supply chain resilience. This represents a fundamental breakthrough that proves high-performance electric motors can achieve excellent results using diversified material sources.

"This technology demonstrator proves that British innovation can address one of the automotive industry's key supply chain challenges," said Dr James Widmer, CEO and co-founder of Advanced Electric Machines. "We're demonstrating a path to enhanced supply chain resilience while delivering superior performance outcomes for our customers."

The timing of AEM's demonstration addresses growing industry focus on supply chain diversification. Recent years have highlighted the importance of resilient supply chains, with manufacturers increasingly seeking alternatives that reduce concentration risk and provide greater flexibility in sourcing strategies.

The SSRD technology demonstrator arrives as policymakers work to finalise the UK's Critical Minerals Strategy. While government strategy development continues, AEM is providing tangible proof that British innovation can deliver immediate solutions to enhance supply chain resilience. The passenger car demonstrator represents a crucial milestone in proving the viability of alternative approaches to motor technology.

"We're proving that supply chain diversification is achievable today," emphasised Dr Widmer. "This demonstrator shows passenger car manufacturers that they can achieve superior performance while building more resilient and flexible supply chains."

Founded in 2017 as a spin-out from Newcastle University, AEM's innovations are protected by 46 international patents covering unique motor designs and manufacturing processes, positioning the company at the forefront of supply chain innovation for the global automotive sector.

advancedelectricmachines.com

ACROSS ITS 15 exhibition halls, SPS 2025 will welcome around 1150 companies from the automation industry to showcase advanced smart production solutions and their latest product ranges. Besides such international industry giants as Siemens, Beckhoff Automation, Phoenix Contact and Bosch Rexroth, a great many British companies, such as Analog Devices, Motortronics, and Mechan Controls will also be in attendance with their own exhibition booths.

Artificial intelligence in production technology will be a central theme of this year’s SPS. Industrial AI is being adopted by a wide range of industrial products and processes to support process engineering, control devices through various AI models, or as a component of smart tools for predictive maintenance, quality control, and adaptive production control. These technologies are fundamentally changing automation technology and opening up new potential for efficiency, flexibility, and resource conservation. As Sylke Schulz-Metzner, Vice President SPS, explains, “In many production environments, industrial AI is no longer a topic for the future, it is already a reality. At the SPS 2025, our exhibitors will be showing how AI is already being used in practice today and its potential for future automation applications.”

The twice-daily guided tours offered by SmartFactory Kaiserslautern offer practical insights into this. Guided by experts, the tours take in innovative companies in the hardware and software sector, highlighting the technical challenges currently being faced. According to Dr. Ingo Herbst, press spokesperson for SmartFactory Kaiserslautern, “The aim of our tours is to provide targeted insights into key technologies such as artificial intelligence, digital twins, and security in system architecture. A key priority for us is facilitating the transfer of technological expertise into industrial practice.”

The diverse solutions, specialist presentations, and live demonstrations also appeal to an international trade audience, including from the UK. In 2024, for example, the number of UK participants exceeded 460. The SPS helps visitors navigate the changing technological landscape and offers inspiration for driving innovation in their own companies.

In addition to the expansive exhibition area, the SPS 2025 will offer a diverse and future-oriented program of supporting events for trade visitors, industry experts, and young talent alike.

Live on stage

A total of four stages in Halls 1, 3, 3C, and 6 offer an opportunity for discussion, knowledge sharing, and inspiration. A particular highlight will be the Technology Stage powered by VDMA/ZVEI in Hall 3, which is organised by the two leading industry associations. In addition to Industrial AI, its focus will be on current developments, trends, and challenges in automation – from digital transformation to sustainable production. 

In Hall 6, three shared booths combine expertise and creative inspiration:

- Automation meets IT: At this booth, visitors can dive into digitalisation, cybersecurity, and Industry 4.0 topics. Here, the world of traditional automation merges with that of cutting-edge IT

- International Start-up Area: At this hotspot for innovation and networking, start-ups from around the world will present fresh ideas and disruptive technologies

- young INNOVATORS: This shared booth, which is sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), offers young, innovative German companies an opportunity to present their developments to a broad trade audience.

Nurturing talent

With the SPS Makeathon and the Young Talents Day, the event also has a clear focus on nurturing young talent. Aimed at school pupils, students, apprentices, and young professionals, the Makeathon, which will run on all three days of the exhibition, gives participants, working in interdisciplinary teams, 2.5 hours in which to develop their own prototypes live on site and in direct exchange with companies. The format is being supported by ITQ, New Automation, NürnbergMesse, as well as dedicated sponsors from among the exhibitors. 

sps.mesago.com