Insight into innovation and a blueprint for the future

The leading minds in PROFIBUS and PROFINET gathered in Sydney recently for discussions around industrial networks, automation and innovation.

The day kicked off with the PROFIBUS and PROFINET Technology Forum, with representatives from both PROFIBUS International and prominent industrial automation companies presenting on their areas of expertise.

Mathew Dulcey and Paolo Silva from Procentec covered diagnostics and network maintenance strategies, while the audience gained insight into how Industry 4.0 will impact on manufacturing worldwide, thanks to Karsten Schneider, PI chairman and Martin Mueller, global VP of automation at Phoenix Contact, who spoke about how his company is integrating the technology into its production and the results of that integration.

For attendees looking for the next step up in process automation, networking may be the key, says Karl Buettner, marketing manager at Endress+Hauser (Switzerland), who presented on the latest industrial network technologies.

To explain how PROFINET as a technology works in today’s large industrial networks, Professor Frithjof Klasen, from the Technical University of Cologne and owner of network services company AIT, showed the progressive development of PROFINET in expansive modern networks that can contain tens of thousands of devices.

Australian representative Andrew Brown, Fortescue’s lead control systems engineer, provided a case study on how FMG’s Solomon Mines is utilising PROFIBUS and PROFINET in their operations.

The afternoon was devoted to in-depth analysis on innovation and Australia’s transition to a digital future. Representatives from industry associations, academia and government were on hand to debate the pressing issues during the Automation Innovation Summit.

Organisations interested in taking a systematic approach to building an innovation culture heard from Professor Sam Bucolo from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), who presented on design thinking as a way to foster innovation, while Professor Mark Dodgson from the University of Queensland gave an insight into critical stakeholder dependencies and contrasting practices in other global areas.

Engineers Australia CEO Steve Durkin reflected on the critical role engineers will play in Australia’s industrial innovation and Jennifer Conley from the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council (AAMC) emphasised the innovative possibilities within the local manufacturing industry.

Daniel Boland from the Small Enterprise Association of Australia and New Zealand explained how small and medium-sized businesses can achieve rapid growth and flexibility by leveraging innovation.

Following the individual presentations, representatives then engaged in a podium discussion facilitated by Professor Chris Aldrich from Curtin University, WA.

A key topic was the need for closer collaboration between academia, industry and government. International stakeholders compared the situation in Australia with their experiences back home. The general consensus was that stronger guidance and long-term vision was needed from the government at all levels.

The presenters also agreed that Australia needs to maintain the viability of manufacturing and to improve productivity in the mining industry — to do so will require greater innovation and the adoption of the tools used in Europe and the Americas, namely IIoT and Industry 4.0.

Rafael Koenig, chairman of the PROFIBUS and PROFINET Association of Australia (PAA), said that the event successfully connected technology leaders from around the globe with local technology suppliers, users, academia and the automation and process control community.

“We can now build a network of relevant people and organisations in order to continue contributing to the innovation process in Australia,” he said.