Visitors to three key engineering events will have the chance to attend a free conference giving them an insight into the new technologies, materials and ways of working that are shaping the future of manufacturing.
They will also get the chance to get the inside story on the most impressive and innovative engineering stories that are setting the news agenda today, including the construction of our biggest ever naval vessels and the project to land a spacecraft on a comet.
From graphene and 3D printing, to Industry 4.0, reshoring and lightweight components, the conference content covers all the hot spots in today’s engineering landscape.
The conference, organised by The Engineer, runs alongside Subcon, The Advanced Manufacturing Show and The Engineer Design & Innovation Show at the NEC, Birmingham, UK, from 2nd to 4th June.
The programme is organised in three main strands reflecting the focus of the three shows – advanced manufacturing, design & innovation and business partnership and optimisation.
The presentations were specially commissioned based on in-depth research into the most pressing issues for engineers and the input of the Event Advisory Board of senior figures from industry, trade associations and government bodies.
Advanced Manufacturing speakers include Dick Elsy, Chief Executive of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult (HVMC), on how SMEs can plug into the HVMC to drive innovation in small-scale manufacturing, and David Downs, Engineering Director of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, on meeting the challenge of manufacturing the UK’s latest aircraft carrier.
Design & Innovation speakers include Prof Richard Hague on exploring the design freedoms enabled by additive manufacturing and the move to multifunctional design.
Also contributing to this strand is Simon Black, Senior Manager - Body Structures at Jaguar Land Rover who will look at innovation in the design and manufacturing of lightweight structures.
In the Business Partnership and Optimisation strand, Phil Curnock of ADS will be unpicking OEMs’ criteria for selecting supply chain partners, while Andy Bowyer of Magna Parva will look at how SMEs can boost their appeal.
In addition, the conference also includes special showcase sessions featuring impressive and inspiring engineering projects. These include the Rosetta mission to land a spacecraft on a comet and the inspiring tale of the plan to recreate an iconic Bugatti aeroplane from the 1930s.
Grant Burgham, Business Development|Portfolio Director at event organiser Centaur Live said: “The conference will open people’s minds and capture their imagination. It is a splendid complement to three great shows.”
