Sercos International, supplier of the Sercos automation bus recently held the 2^nd Machine Communication Forum in Würzburg, Germany on October 13, 2016. Users and providers from the machine and plant engineering sector, as well as equipment and automation manufacturers attended this event and were particularly enthused by the wide range of subjects and the opportunities to network.  

The keynote addressed legal challenges of digitalization and inspired many attendees to get a deeper knowledge of the legal aspects in order to find solutions. The main speech by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Birgit Vogel-Heuser from Technical University Munich gave an insight into the dissolution of the automation pyramid and its consequences.

The subsequent presentations dealt not only with technological trends such as TSN and OPC UA, but also with market trends. Markets for the machinery industry which are likely to be of interest in the future, were discussed as well as those that will remain or become difficult in the near to medium future.

The afternoon started with a podium discussion with members from the communication/ IT industry, university, machinery and automation section. Each participant stated his/ her view on IoT, what’s already reality and what will be likely to be realized in the near future. The rest of the day was devoted entirely to break-out sessions and networking.

“We are pleased that the event, which was organized by us in collaboration with the SPS-MAGAZIN, received such positive feedback,” says Ilona Arnold, marketing manager at Sercos International. “Not only the wide range of topics, but also the opportunities to network, made this event informative and versatile for all attendees.”