Prominent forum at HANNOVER MESSE now also in Chicago

Industrie 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things enable new forms of innovation transfer as well as new ways of working. These developments are changing how we do business and how we create value chains. What does this mean for the economy? Where are the challenges and opportunities? What is the benefit? Since 2011, the forum Industrie 4.0 meets the Industrial Internet at HANNOVER MESSE has provided answers to these questions and developed into one of the most important platforms for decision-makers from industry, politics and business.

Now for the first time Deutsche Messe is staging the forum outside of Germany. On 10 September 2018, as part of the premiere of HANNOVER MESSE USA, industry experts, scientists and researchers join users to discuss the most pressing issues regarding industrial transformation. Co-organizers are Germany’s Plattform Industrie 4.0 as well as the Industrial Internet Consortium, the Manufacturing Leadership Council, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, and Manufacturing USA.

"Due to globalization, we cannot look at industrial transformation only locally – we need an international exchange," said Arno Reich, global director IAMD and Digital Factory at Deutsche Messe. "The forum ´Industrie 4.0 meets the Industrial Internet’ is one of the most-visited forums at HANNOVER MESSE because the topics are important globally. This is why we are bringing the program to the U.S. We are pleased that we could confirm so many well-known partners and speakers for the first edition."

Industrie 4.0 Meets the Industrial Internet of Things takes place at McCormick Place (Solutions Theater, East Building, Level 2) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and features four sessions: Public Policies, Digital Business Models, Standards, and Security. Participants include representatives from B&R Automation, Festo, the Fraunhofer Society, the Industrial Internet Consortium, the Manufacturing Leadership Council, Robert Bosch, Rockwell Automation, SAP, Schneider Electric, Siemens, and SmartFactory KL as well as the German Engineering Association (VDMA). Professor Detlef Zühlke, chairman of the technology initiative SmartFactory KL and member of the scientific council Plattform Industrie 4.0, holds the keynote speech.

The session Public Policies provides an overview of the digital transformation of manufacturing from political, economic and industrial perspectives. Speakers address such topics as "Where do we stand seven years after the birth of Industrie 4.0?", "Which are the primary challenges for industry and how should we approach them?" and "Which public policies are required to successfully guide the digital transformation in the U.S. and Germany?"

In the age of digitalization, companies must develop digital business models in order to remain competitive. But what are the advantages of these models? How do you organize new value chains so that they function profitably? How do we use data and secure its exchange? What are the challenges for small and mid-sized companies? The session Digital Business Models addresses questions such as these.

Various groups negotiate and develop standards at various levels. However, manufacturers need open and completely compatible standards because their machinery, storage systems, products and employees have to exchange data uniformly with partners, suppliers and customers. Thus, it is important that all standards developers agree to a consistent process. Experts at the session Standards introduce current advances and advise companies about how to apply new standards to the production process.

Digital value chains have the potential to promote strong and sustainable growth. Connectivity and data are the building blocks of such chains, but globally active companies currently encounter different security requirements that are dependent on specific customer demands as well as regulatory demands that vary by country. The session Security brings together international speakers and presents various approaches to securing global industrial value chains.

The Solutions Theater features three additional theme days. On 12 September, the VDMA stages a full-day event under the motto Intelligent Power Transmission and Fluid Technology. On 13 September, GE Ventures sponsors Innovations Day, which includes a pitching event for early-stage startups. The Industrial Internet Consortium follows on 14 September with the session Intelligent Manufacturing Solutions.

Two conferences round out the forum program at HANNOVER MESSE USA. The Integrated Industries Conference on 11 September focuses on power transmission and fluid technology, Industrie 4.0 and the Internet of Things, and integrated industry. The Global Automation & Manufacturing Summit on 12 September features topics such as artificial intelligence, robotics, digital twin, and cyber security.