July/August 2020

| 11 | Is 3D printing (additive manufacturing, or AM)  a serious competitor to established mass manufacturing methods? Andy Pye looks at how the boundaries are being extended. | 13 | With the advent of the smart factory and commercial AI the factory of the very near future is starting to make production efficiency improvement decisions itself. Chris Evans reports. | 16 | Neil Sandhu, SICK UK product manager for Imaging, Measurement and Ranging, takes a look at why in a digitised world no sensor is an island. | 19 | Part one of the Stratus Technologies Smart Factory series delved into what’s driving the adoption of digital technology, what’s holding it back and what the most sought-after benefits are from the factory floor. The results showed that manufacturers are under constant pressure to be more efficient and profitable which is leading them to new technologies. But what about outside of the organisation? Are customers with more information and specific needs driving the need for digitalisation? Greg Hookings, head of business development – digitalisation, Stratus Technologies, explains further. | 24 | The Fourth Industrial Revolution drives digital manufacturing forward by implementing new scenarios into the production process. These scenarios rely on fundamental design principles that include device interconnection, information transparency, technical assistance, and decentralised decisions. The realisation of all these principles in modern smart factories would not be possible without advanced wireless communication technologies. They enable multifaceted applications for a broad range of areas including process automation, asset tracking, machinery control, intralogistics, and infrastructure networking. Smart Machines & Factories reports. | 13 | | 16 | | Features | | Strategies | | Solutions | | CONTENTS | | 0 4 | July/August 2020 www.smartmachinesandfactories.com | Regulars | | 3 | Editor’s comment | 0 | 6 | News | | 28 | Primary Engineer |