Record number of companies at this year's Automation Day

More than 100 companies and 260 participants met on 18 November to take part in the latest in automation and digitalization for the manufacturing industry.

The annual event Automation Day has attracted visitors from technology companies, industry, researchers and university students since 2014. New this year was the participation of the Tillverka i trä project and companies in the wood industry, as interest in new automation solutions is increasing among actors in wooden house construction.

- The large turnout shows that in addition to the interest in finding smart technology solutions, there is also a great need after the Covid restrictions to get outside the company's four walls and get input from others, comments Jan Oscarsson, project manager for Automation Day, Innovatum Science Park.

Through a dozen seminars, current challenges and trends in the manufacturing industry were highlighted. Representatives from Volvo, AFRY, University West, ABB Robotic and GKN Aerospace, among others, gave inspiring lectures on several highly topical issues. For example, how digital twins can facilitate the manufacturing industry. About the wood industry's major challenges around sustainability and digitization. How future collaborative industrial robots can work with operators. 

Demonstrations and new contacts at the Production Technology Center

Particularly appreciated among the participants were the 20 or so exhibitors who showed qualified products and services at the Production Technology Center. The mingle brought together industry colleagues, researchers, suppliers and students to discuss and learn about new technology solutions and services. There was automation equipment, robots, measurement technology, new products and concepts for skills development to be inspired by.

Both from the stage and in one of the booths, Anders Mejlvang talked about sensors from Micro Epsilon Sensotest:

- We have participated in Automation Day for several years. It's better than a regular technology fair because the event is niche and we who meet here are interested in the same thing. In addition to good mingling, I like the mix of seminars and demonstrations," says Anders, Business Development Manager.

Also present were representatives from Saab Surveillance:

- For us, the journey into digitalization is in full swing. At the same time, we are closely following the paths of technological development and we collaborate with colleges and universities in several ways. For example, we see that University West's concept for skills development of professionals is a good complement to our internal training, says Olle Bergh, project manager Business Intelligence.

One of the exhibitors was Shammeran Benjamin from Rebl Industries:

- Automation Day is a good arena for us - both our suppliers and potential customers are here. We market ourselves as a staffing company and rent out robots to industrial companies when they need reinforcement in production.

Among the participants were also researchers from Norway's largest technical university; Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU:

- We are researching the future of wooden house production and are interested in the knowledge that exists here in digitalization and automated production, said Tor Erik Nicolaisen, faculty leader at NTNU.

Tor Erik and many others were interested in the Click In Fixture Systems stand where a new window mounting system was demonstrated:

- "Since we have a new concept for window assembly, it is unbeatable to be able to show it on site here today for companies in the construction industry. We are involved in the Tillverka i trä project where we have found both new business partners and researchers who have helped us develop automation solutions for manufacturing with our click-in system," said Anders Westring, CEO, Click In Fixture Systems.