Trends in automation

A broad spectrum of effective, efficient solutions in automation technology is promised at Automatica 2004, the International Trade Fair for Robotics + Automation, which takes place from 15 to 18 June 2004 at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre.

The exhibitors at this forum for all the latest developments in robots and automation will be displaying primarily hardware in the form of components, assemblies and systems. One of the key criteria in efficient production technology has long been fast and comprehensive service. Increasingly system suppliers are providing online support — via the web. This, too, will be an important theme at Automatica 2004.

The various systems may all have different features, but they all share one thing: information is exchanged via a standard web browser. A separate "˜website', as it were, is set up for the robot controls, and all the information about the system can be called up via that site. Under normal conditions online access to this site is password-protected, as with many intranet sites, which means that only authorised persons from the systems operator can have access to the data on the robotic or automated controls.

Automatica 2004 in Munich will set out the status quo on Internet use in automation techniques. Internet tools, supplemented by mobile communications services, are on the way to becoming an interface technology in automation. In particular, automation customers with continuous production and system operators that have to supply their just-in-time customers, rely on high availability and the productivity of their systems.

Leading manufacturers of robotics and automation have now developed their web servers so far that all participants in an online conference — and that can be more than two — can work and communicate directly with each other on a specific problem from different locations. For the PCs on the network, not even a robot-specific software is needed. An ordinary Internet browser is sufficient for representation on the screen.

Visitors to Automatica will be interested not only in new hardware but also very specifically in software and the related support tools.