Hannover Messe 2008: Digital Factory: a top showcase for integrated processes and IT solutions

Hannover Messe 2008: As a well-established trade fair under the umbrella of HANNOVER MESSE (the Hannover Fair), in just a few years Digital Factory has become an internationally leading showcase for integrated processes and IT solutions for industrial challenges. Digital Factory at HANNOVER MESSE 2008 (21 to 25 April) is expected s to fill over 5,000 square meters of floorspace with displays by some 250 exhibitors.

All the IT tools that industry could possibly need for designing, manufacturing, marketing and supporting products throughout their entire life cycle can be found under one roof at Digital Factory. Core areas include product development (for example PLM/CAD), planning (for example ERP/PPS), production (for example MES) and related services (for example service management, CRM). In short, the full range of IT solutions will be on show.

This year, 47,000 visitors took the opportunity to catch the latest trends and developments at Digital Factory (compared with 35,000 in 2006). “This shows that IT solutions for industry have become an established part of HANNOVER MESSE. SMEs in particular are using Digital Factory to find innovations to help them develop new products and cut costs,” underlines Wolfgang Pech, Senior Vice President of HANNOVER MESSE.
 

RapidX special display
RapidX, the new special display, will be a highlight of Digital Factory next year. Organized in collaboration with NC Gesellschaft, Autodesk, sideloader manufacturer Hubtex and other partners, RapidX will demonstrate the digital engineering of prototypes, tools and “real” products, covering everything from simulation to actual production. Visitors will get a front-row view of how it all fits together, and maybe even be able to take home some of the items produced. RapidX will provide insight on how products can make their way from the digital drawing board to the physical world in a series of well-orchestrated steps.

Special pavilion for young start-up companies
As an export-oriented industry platform in Germany, Digital Factory has been adopted as part of a new program by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) aimed at giving young, innovative companies a boost at leading trade fairs of international scope. For the first time, promising start-ups are being given the chance to showcase their products and innovations at HANNOVER MESSE 2008 at a pavilion of their own, thus helping them to tap into international market opportunities.

Guided tours
After the successful premiere of the “Digital Factory 2007 Guided Tours”, experts will take to the floor again this year to give tours dedicated to specific themes. Deutsche Messe AG has joined forces with the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) and Trovarit AG to offer tours focusing on product development, planning, production and service. “The guided tours are an excellent opportunity for people who do not specialize in IT to familiarize themselves with IT topics – and to do so live and under the guidance of industry experts,” emphasizes Rainer Glatz, Managing Director of the Software Trade Association within the VDMA.

Engineering produktiv!
The “Engineering produktiv!” initiative by Autodesk, Eplan, Microsoft and Siemens PLM Software – supported by the VDMA and the faculty for Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at the University of Magdeburg – aims to provide SMEs in the production industry with new impetus by means of an engineering check. The initial results of this initiative will be unveiled at a press conference (22 April 2008) at Digital Factory 2008. The aim is to optimize product development in manufacturing companies through the use of innovative technologies.

About HANNOVER MESSE (the Hannover Fair)
The world’s leading showcase for industrial technology is staged annually at the Hannover Exhibition Center in Hannover, Germany. The next HANNOVER MESSE will be staged from 21 to 25 April 2008, with Japan as its official Partner Country. The lineup of flagship fairs taking place under the umbrella of HANNOVER MESSE 2008 is as follows:
INTERKAMA+ • Factory Automation • Industrial Building Automation • Digital Factory • Subcontracting • Energy • Pipeline Technology • Power Plant Technology • MicroTechnology • Research & Technology
In 2008 the spotlight will be on the fields of industrial automation, energy technology and subcontracting, as well as on cutting-edge technologies.