“We innovate, so we are”

is the perfect phrasing of Actemium & Axians’ positioning within the Industry 4.0-story: innovation as an existential part of the industry and evolution. Main purpose of this Smart Industry Day was to add a concrete dimension to the omnipresent terms Industry 4.0 and the Factory of the Future, letting them get truly ‘experienced’ by customers. By means of 6 proactive tracks – Eco Production, Smart Production, Digital Factory, Human-Centered Production, Smart Services & Integrated ICT – Actemium and Axians guide companies in their transformation towards the Factory of the Future. A transformation that does not only offer an answer to the industry’s actual challenges, but also presents a lot of benefits: shorter time to market, advanced product flexibility, lower energy- and material use, superior added value, etc.

The introductory plenary session put those transformations to the Factory of the Future at the center, with customer testimonials and practical cases to ensure a good theory/practice balance. Furthermore, an Innovation Village was set up around the auditorium: during the entire afternoon the guests were invited to discover the transformations and the suppliers & start-ups by visiting their booth. Hands-on demos of among others a smart helmet, smart glasses and a robot provided an interactive touch. After the presentations, Actemium, Axians and the partners assembled around the table for a debate on the poll results, which were collected throughout the day via the Smart Industry Day-app.

The uniqueness of the Smart Industry Day was certainly in the involvement of suppliers and start-ups. This way an eco-system was set up, in which customers, partners and the academic world could co-operate, an important principle of the Factory of the Future. The suppliers were invited to actively participate in the event, with a proper booth at the Innovation Village and a presentation in the auditorium. Cisco, Endress+Hauser, Kuka, RedHat, Siemens, Rockwell and Schneider enlisted as partners and were present to introduce their solutions & vision. The link to the academic world was ensured by 4 start-ups, offering an outside-the-box view and alternative solutions like smart glasses.

The brand-new Barco building perfectly fitted in as a location with the event program: an inspiring and open environment, breathing the alternative working practices and co-creation.

With about 150 persons present the Smart Industry Day proved to be a successful and informative afternoon, during which the path towards the Factory of the Future was further traced out, in co-operation with customers & partners. For more information on the approach & tracks of Actemium and Axians visit http://innovation.actemium.be.