'Fourth Industrial Revolution' In The Spotlight At Upcoming Manufacturing Technology Conference In Detroit

Integr8, a Nov. 9 conference in Detroit organized by Automation Alley, will focus on the technologies that are driving what’s being called the fourth Industrial Revolution.

It’s the first cross-discipline global conference to be held in the U.S. on Industry 4.0, according to Automation Alley, a Michigan-based nonprofit technology and manufacturing business association.

Integr8 serves as a call to action for the manufacturing sector as technological changes digitize the industrial economy, Tom Kelly, the nonprofit’s executive director and CEO, said in a statement.

“Smart, connected factories have created both immense opportunities and great challenges for manufacturers both locally and across the globe. Because the speed of change related to Industry 4.0 is so rapid, manufacturers, especially the small- and medium-sized manufacturers, need help navigating this uncharted territory,” Kelly said.

“That’s why we created Integr8.”

Keynote speakers include Howard Heppelmann, the divisional vice president and general manager of connected operations solutions at PTC Inc PTC — a leader in the Internet of Things sector — as well as Kenneth Hyatt, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s deputy undersecretary for international trade.

The eight key technologies being discussed at the conference are:

• 1. Cybersecurity.
  2. Big data and artificial intelligence.
  3. Additive manufacturing.
  4. Advanced materials.
  5. Robotics.
  6. The industrial Internet of Things.
  7. Cloud computing and modeling.
  8. Simulation and visualization.

The conference includes a targeted technology expo, panel discussions and breakout sessions, according to Automation Alley.

About 500 manufacturing and technology professionals are expected to attend Integr8, which is being held at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center — the skyscraper that’s home to General Motors Company GM.

For more information, visit automationalley.com/integr8.

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