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The sixth edition of the Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific (ITAP 2023) event concluded in mid-October. With more than 100 speakers, 18,000 attendees, and over 300 exhibitors—a notable 12% increase in participation—ITAP 2023 set the stage for future collaborations in establishing an innovative, resilient, and purposeful Industry 4.0 landscape in the region.
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister, Heng Swee Keat, graced the event, emphasizing the manufacturing sector's vital role, contributing about 20% of Singapore's GDP, totaling over $130 billion. Singapore aims for ambitious growth, targeting $160 billion by 2030. The sector's strong performance in the first half of 2023, resulting in the creation of 4,440 new jobs, highlights its robust contribution to the economy. In his opening speech, Mr. Heng also stressed the pivotal role of innovation in manufacturing, outlining three essential areas: Innovate for Performance, Innovate for the Planet, and Innovate for the People.
Robotics: an essential innovation for automation
The exhibition halls buzzed with activity, showcasing innovations in Industrial Automation, Smart Logistics, Digitalization, Green Factories, Additive Manufacturing, and Intelligent Machine Tools & Engineered Parts. Robotics stood out as a key focus, with various robotic arms displayed by system integrators and distributors. Notably, the exhibition floor came alive with the seamless movements of roboshuttle robots, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), exemplifying cutting-edge technology.
At the I4.0 Tech Capsule stage, Dave Ching, Head of Southeast Asia at Geek+, provided an overview of Geek+'s journey to becoming a market leader in the AMR market. He also briefly shared on the new Roboshuttle Plus system, a hybrid solution that stores P800 racks beneath the Tote to Person shelves. This innovative design eliminates the necessity for multi-zone operations. Additionally, three Geek+ robots (P40, P500, and P800) can now share the same movement path between shelves and coordinate seamlessly with a centralized workstation using the warehouse management software, significantly enhancing vertical warehouse space utilization, and ensuring maximum efficiency.
Future proofing the process industry with MTP and NOA
At the Industrial Innovation Stage section, Module Type Packages (MTP) was a focal point for the Industrial Focused discussions, with panelists and presenters from various companies’ representatives sharing their thoughts on how to future proof the process industry with modular automation and open architecture such as NAMUR.
Arne Modersohn, the Lead Engineer for Process Control at Evonik, discussed the challenges encountered in the specialty chemical business. Apart from the conventional factors such as cost, time to market, and quality standards, he underscored the growing significance of flexible manufacturing. This adaptability is crucial in swiftly responding to the ever-changing demands within today's volatile market landscape, marked by uncertainty. Modersohn also highlighted sustainability as the new solution trend. He emphasized its importance, especially for Evonik, given the chemical industry's substantial consumption of energy and resources. Evonik has made a firm commitment to reducing energy and resource consumption, reflecting the company's dedication to sustainability initiatives.
Growing importance of Vietnam for the electrical and electronics sector
At a different session, the Vietnam Electronic Industry Association (VEIA) reported positive developments in Vietnam's Electrical and Electronics sector. Notably, there was a substantial increase in investments in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2022. This uptick in investment signifies a positive sign for growth and development in the sector. Additionally, it underlines Vietnam's expanding role in the supply chain, emphasizing its increasing importance as a key player in the sector. A commemorative milestone was marked with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Association of Telecommunications & Technology Industry of Singapore (ATiS) and VEIA at the end of the presentation.