Manufacturers are under pressure to take on a digital transformation that will add flexibility on the plant floor while increasing productivity. Key drivers of this technology step change include the need to reduce operating expenses and improve efficiency, all while facing a skills shortage and a lack of visibility across the supply chain.

Recognizing this critical time for manufacturers, Design World — the essential resource for engineers and manufacturing executives, and The Robot Report‘s sister site — is launching the Digital Transformation Forum on May 1-2, 2024, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

This can’t-miss event will delve deeper into technology integration for manufacturing, discussing not just the “why” but also the “how” of digital transformation. It will highlight case studies of successful digital deployments, focusing on strategies that enhance operational efficiency and market competitiveness.

Digital Transformation Forum to share expert advice

The opening keynote speaker is industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) expert Walker Reynolds, a solutions architect and founder of Intellic Integration. Reynolds will outline the critical first steps required to navigate manufacturing’s digital frontier.

Day 2 keynote speakers feature Anthony DeTullio, a reliability engineer at Sikorsky Lockheed Martin, and Chris Gilman, industrial transformation program manager at Strategic Maintenance Solutions. The two will discuss adaptive artificial intelligence for machine data. Together, they built a machine learning tool that automates the process of setting thresholds for industrial metric data to ensure users receive the right information at the right time.

Other sessions will explore various aspects of digital transformation in manufacturing, including the role of AI in predictive maintenance, the integration of IoT for real-time data analysis, and the impact of cloud computing on product development and supply chain management. Interactive sessions will focus on understanding the risks and rewards of digital transformation, addressing cybersecurity concerns, and evaluating the return on their digital investments.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to network with peers, share experiences, and learn from the successes and failures of others already on a digital transformation journey.

This comprehensive agenda aims to equip participants with a holistic understanding of digital transformation in the manufacturing sector, preparing them to navigate the complexities and seize the real opportunities in this new digital era.

Learn from Agility Robotics, Amazon, Disney, Teradyne and many more.

Attend with an all-inclusive package

Registration is now open, and discounts are available for academia, associations, and corporate groups. The Digital Transformation Forum will be co-located with two renowned events: the Robotics Summit & Expo and DeviceTalks Boston.

The Robotics Summit & Expo is the world’s leading robotics development event, providing engineers with the information they need to successfully develop the next generation of commercial robots. DeviceTalks is the premier industry event for medical technology professionals and attracts engineering and business professionals from a broad range of healthcare and medical technology backgrounds.

Attendees of the Digital Transformation Forum will have access to both events and the combined exhibit floor. More than 100 exhibitors will showcase live demonstrations and emerging technologies pegged to revolutionize industries.

To learn more and register, visit digitaltransformationforum.com.

Editor’s Note: This article was syndicated from The Robot Report’s sister site Engineering.com. 

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Digital transformation is becoming a major concern for engineers across industries. Source: Adobe Stock

Over the past year, I’ve spent a lot of time speaking with manufacturers about their digital transformation projects. They all have very different stories to tell because their application needs are distinct. But whether it’s a food manufacturer, a beverage producer, an automaker or a machine builder, they all have one thing in common: The need for community.

Turns out, digital transformation can be a lonely road where engineers are given a directive to “go digital,” and then left on their own to figure it out.

This exact scenario is happening at a large consumer packaged goods (CPG) company that makes many things, including toothpaste and dish detergent. An individual in charge of plant systems told me that he needs help sorting out where to start, what technologies to use, and who to involve in the process.

“Having a connection with people to bounce ideas off, or just understand what others have done to solve common digital transformation problems, would be helpful,” he said.

Attendees of Design World’s first annual Digital Transformation Forum, happening May 1-2, 2024 in Boston, will get that personal storytelling from some major manufacturers. Two of those in attendance include Sikorsky Lockheed Martin and ALTA Refrigeration, both sharing technology implementations that solve engineering and business problems while optimizing the way they work.

Learn from Agility Robotics, Amazon, Disney, Teradyne and many more.

Sikorsky’s digital transformation story

Sikorsky makes commercial and military aircraft, including the best-in-class Black Hawk helicopter. It needed to correct years of manually setting thresholds that have contributed to alert fatigue on operators. The company needed a way to streamline actionable alerts in a busy production environment.

Together with technology partner Strategic Maintenance Solutions, Sikorsky built a machine learning tool that automates the threshold-setting process for industrial metric data and delivers the right information to the right user at the right time. One of the key takeaways from this session is that you don’t have to be a data scientist to take action and find value with AI tools.

ALTA Refrigeration will outline a very different scenario that includes the adoption of an edge control architecture and the message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) machine-to-machine communication protocol to completely change its business model.

The company has been designing and installing refrigeration systems across the U.S. for more than 45 years. For a long time, they were large, custom-designed systems that used a central machine room to deliver refrigerant to various facility areas through long, overhead piping runs.

Now, with modular refrigeration control units, ALTA can monitor its entire install base in minutes and energy usage per unit. When an alarm occurs, the system creates an interactive timeline of events. Using data analytics with remote monitoring improves serviceability, scalability, customer support, and operational efficiency.

Connect with the engineering community

Those are just two examples of the presentations at this live event. Attendees will also be able to interact with thought leaders from Intellic Integration, MIT, Deloitte, Siemens, PTC, and more. Networking is encouraged via a welcome reception and a mix and mingle with attendees from the two co-located events, the Robotics Summit & Expo and DeviceTalks Boston, to provide ample opportunity to meet engineers from other industries.

You can freely exchange ideas and make new connections at this forum. More importantly, it’s the start of your new digital transformation community. If you’re an engineer, technology decision-maker or an executive on a journey to modernize manufacturing, you need to be here.

The inspiration from your peers can lead to new ideas for your organization and, ultimately, innovation that will make your organization more competitive in the market.

Editor’s note: This article is syndicated from Design World, a sibling site to The Robot Report, and the Digital Transformation Forum is co-located with the Robotics Summit & Expo. Registration is now open.

About the author

Stephanie Neil is an executive editor at WTWH Media specializing in digital transformation, automation, AI, analytics, IoT, cybersecurity, robotics, simulation, and workforce issues. She shares the end-user perspective on the business value of operations processes.

Neil previously worked at CPG Next, OEM Magazine, and Automation World. She is based in Scituate, Mass.

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