The UK’s premier manufacturing technologies exhibition, MACH 2018, is set to return to the NEC in Birmingham, from 9th to 13th April 2018 with a new look and new location. The biennial exhibition has over 100 years of heritage and a reputation for being at the forefront of the latest advances in engineering.
MACH 2018 will take place on the atrium side of the NEC, in Halls 17, 18, 19, 20, 6 and 7. This is the first move of the show since relocating to the NEC when it opened in 1976 and reflects the changing technologies the show covers.
The new halls mean the show will take place in a single uninterrupted space on one level, making it easier for visitors to navigate and providing a unique opportunity to showcase the full range of manufacturing technologies in the UK under one roof.
James Selka, CEO of Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA), which organises MACH 2018 on behalf of the industry, said: “The shift in technology towards a more digitised, automated model of manufacturing is an exciting evolution of the sector, and MACH is at the forefront. As such, we as owners and organisers have decided to refresh the show and enhance the exhibitor and visitor experience by moving to this new location in 2018.
The 2016 edition of the Exhibition was hugely successful, boasting sold-out exhibitor space, a 10% increase in visitors on 2014 and over £150 million worth of business attributed to the show.
The overriding theme running through the show is interconnected technology and the future of manufacturing. MACH showcases live working machinery and brings together the industry’s nest manufacturers across a range of technologies including: milling, turning, metrology, additive manufacturing, tooling and Industry 4.0 technologies.
“WE UNDERSTAND THE COST CONSTRAINTS THAT COME FROM RUNNING AN SME BUSINESS AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO LET COMPANIES KNOW THAT INDUSTRY 4.0 TECHNOLOGY IS ACCESSIBLE TO THEM.” JAMES FUDGE, THE MTA
MACH showcases live working machinery and brings together the industry’s finest manufacturers across a range of technologies
The MTA and the University of Sheffield’s Factory 2050 at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), have partnered together on a unique feature to demonstrate cost effective automation solutions. The feature being unveiled at MACH 2018, will demonstrate ways to adapted Industry 4.0 technologies, to your business needs.
This feature is being specifically aimed at SMEs to aid them their production. Factory 2050 is the UK’s first fully reconfigurable collaborative research facility, dedicated to digital assembly and flexible component manufacturing.
James Fudge, Head of Events at the MTA, said “This is an exciting project we have undertaken with the AMRC’s team at Factory 2050. MACH has always been the place to go to and the latest technologies and this joint venture we have undertaken should prove fascinating for visitors and exhibitors alike.”
He continued “We understand the cost constraints that come from running an SME business and it is important to let companies know that Industry 4.0 technology is accessible to them. You can take an outdated machine and retro fit sensors to them, and then this allows you to get real-time cloud data and to detect through-put fault detection, and you can see how your machine is performing despite it being a bit older.”
This sort of big date can be vital and help companies stream line their production and improve cycle times, without making huge investments in new capital equipment.
COMPANIES INVOLVED IN THE EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT ZONE
- Sandvik Coromant
- Jaguar Landrover
- Bloodhound Supersonic Car
- Yamazaki Mazak
- Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)
- Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre’s Manufacturing Transporter (MANTRA) lorry
- Industrial Cadets
- STEM Learning
- Design & Technology Association
- Imagineering
- University of the West of England (UWE)
- Cranfield University
- Boxford Holdings
- 600 UK
- ABB Robotics
- Siemens
The Next Generation of Engineers
MACH 2018 also plays host to an Education & Development (E&D) Zone specifically designed for students aged 11-19. The E&D Zone will bring together some of the leading advanced engineering companies and educational institutions from across the UK, with the aim to shine a light on the vocational education and training that is imperative to closing the skills gap around the world.
Students grab the chance at the MACH exhibition to get up close with Bloodhound SSC and its technical personnel
The E&D Zone will be manned by a team of apprentices and graduates from exhibiting companies at MACH. The apprentices and graduates will be giving guided tours to the students around the entire exhibition. There will be a range of hands-on, interactive activities and educational seminars throughout the week in the E&D Seminar Theatre. MACH 2018 provides a unique opportunity for students to interact with industry and engage in peer-to-peer networking, to find out about technologies and careers in the following sectors:
- 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing
- CNC
- Automation and Robotics
- Machine Learning
- Artificial Intelligence
- Cyber Security
- Computer Aided Engineering
This is a great chance for our young engineers to speak with future manufacturing employees, to show them the career opportunities that are available to them.
In 2016, over 3,500 students visited the exhibition over five days, and in 2018 that number looks set to increase with more compelling exhibits to attract tomorrow’s engineers to the show.
What Else is On Show?
As well as all the technology on show, there is a vibrant seminar programme, which includes leading speakers from academia, as well as industry, marrying together the theoretical and practical aspects of 21st century manufacturing.
Registration to attend the exhibition is free and you will be able to secure your fast track pass in to the show from early January 2018. MACH 2018 has so much to see and do, alongside all of the traditional machine tool companies which you would expect to find on the floor plans there is so much more going on.
If you only visit one exhibition in the UK next year make sure it is MACH 2018, be part of it.