Industry 4.0 News Consortium holds successful first breakfast event

At a breakfast forum held at the Kooyong Lawn and Tennis Club on 30 May, 60 guests enjoyed a host of speakers and a series of presentations on industrial digitalisation and Industry 4.0.

At the Industry 4.0 News Breakfast Forum, collaborative partners SICK, SEW-EURODRIVE and FESTO led discussions about the concept of industrial digitalisation and highlighted the current and future potential offered by Industry 4.0. The event was an opportunity to hear from industry leaders and learn more about how Industry 4.0 is shaping manufacturing of the future. The forum’s purpose was to start a discussion so that more companies can begin to embrace the concept of Industry 4.0.

The networking aspect of the forum helped people share their interpretations and leverage off each other’s knowledge.

The event kicked off with a welcome address followed by a line-up of speakers which included three industry experts in the field: Ben Horan from Deakin University, David Chuter from IMCRC (Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre) and Dr Nico Adams from Swinburne University. Each speaker provided some great insights on digital advancements which could transform businesses and what funding is available to support these.

Key speakers from SICK, SEW-EURODRIVE and FESTO also shared news about the direction each company is taking moving forward and the opportunities being created through technological developments.

Following the presentations, it was time for a Q&A with panel members Ben Horan, David Chuter and Nico Adams expanding on what was discussed and offering some tips for Industry 4.0 implementation. It was great to see everyone listen in so attentively and engage with one another while enjoying breakfast in the surroundings of the prestigious Kooyong Lawn and Tennis Club.

This was the first event since the collaboration between these three leading automation companies, with more events planned in the future.

Now is the time to make the most of the opportunities presented by Industry 4.0. Digitalisation is a multiyear journey, and it’s important to set a clear vision and strategy as well as ask yourself some fundamental questions before you start the process ‘What do you want to achieve?’