Tracking the future: The Future Production/ Smart Factory Cluster

The purpose of trade fairs and exhibitions has always been to give insights into and examine the outlook for the future. That applies even more so when a leading international exhibition wants to present electronics production and development in a manner that is both comprehensive and unique.

NEW: Printed Electronics Pavilion powered by LOPEC

Printed electronics is a key technology. It is thin, light, robust, cost effective, flexible and, at the very least, more sustainable due to the reduced use of resources. These characteristics enable individual product solutions without compromising on design, making it a true enabler of new innovative applications and products for a wide range of major industries.For the first time at the upcoming productronica, there will be a separate exhibition area for companies that develop and manufacture flexible and printed electronics solutions and products.

The Printed Electronics Pavilion will be located in Hall B2, which is also home to the Future Production / Smart Factory Cluster. This is productronica's special area for IT to production, Industry 4.0, manufacturing technologies for batteries and electrical energy storage systems, organic and printed electronics, 3D printing and additive manufacturing. Exhibitors in the Printed Electronics Pavilion also have the opportunity to take part in a Forum with a presentation.

Here you will find information about the booth package in the Printed Electronics Pavilion.

Future Markets—Where is electronics manufacturing going?

Industry 4.0, the Smart Factory, 3D printing in electronics manufacturing: Things that sounded like science fiction a few years ago are now technically feasible and offer unlimited potential for the widest variety of applications. But what will actually prevail, and what will remain little more than an empty theory?

Due to the industrial Internet of Things, the prerequisites for production and manufacturing electronics are undergoing fundamental change. The “smart factory” is just around the corner: In the future, production facilities and value chains will be connected to one another digitally. Which poses some considerable challenges to companies: How can they prepare for this development? What opportunities and what risks are associated with this development? How can intelligent production planning further optimize the utilization rate of manufacturing facilities? What is important when it comes to infrastructure and security of industrial IT? How can existing systems be adapted for modern cloud, mobility and analysis functions? Within the scope of productronica, companies can exchange ideas and information about these questions and profit from the best-practice examples of others.

3D printing: expanding production possibilities

Among other things, 3D printing in the electronics industry plays an important role in the Future Production / Smart Factory Cluster at this year's productronica. After all, this new technology will have a strong influence on the market in the future, particularly given the fact that it has almost unlimited potential for new products. The possibilities are practically endless. While plastic is currently the focus of the materials being used, there are also concepts that call for the use of metals or would even make electrically conductive connections possible. Future capabilities will increase the potential even further.

Even if high-end, professional-quality 3D printers are still relatively expensive right now, they will become increasing affordable as the use of this new technology continues to spread. Like mobile telephones, it is even conceivable that 3D printers could be an everyday product for normal consumers in the foreseeable future. Could this even cause innovation and production processes to shift to consumers in the long term? One thing is certain: 3D printing is advancing both in the private and professional industrial sectors and will change our living and working world's immensely. productronica's Future Markets cluster will provide insights into and a look at the prospects for the future.

What sectors does the Future Production/ Smart Factory Cluster cover?

  • Cyber-physical systems
  • Industry 4.0 in electronics manufacturing/the smart factory
  • 3D printing in electronics manufacturing
  • IT to Production
  • Manufacturing technologies for batteries and electrical energy storage
  • Organic and printed electronics
  • Additive manufacturing

What awaits visitors and exhibitors in the Future Production/ Smart Factory Cluster ?

Where is electronics manufacturing going? What trends are shaping manufacturers and consumers? Visitors and exhibitors in productronica's Future Production/ Smart Factory Cluster gain insights because the world's leading trade fair has its own platform for particularly interesting innovations. Whether it's networked, organic or printed: Future Markets covers the entire spectrum of current trends in electronics production. Visitors learn about exciting topics such as autonomously networked microsystems, sensor and actuator networks or cyber-physical systems. Future-oriented developments will also be on display in the sector for manufacturing technologies for batteries and electrical energy storage. New materials, new manufacturing techniques and test systems are driving these developments further. The range of new developments that could be significant to many sectors in the future will be rounded out by exhibits on the topics of organic and printed electronics, photovoltaics and 3D printing and/or additive manufacturing.

The great interest in these topics is also proven by the great success of the last few years: At productronica 2019, 183 exhibitors presented their ideas in the Future Markets area and took advantage of the opportunities for exchange, dialog and market orientation. 8,400 visitors informed themselves about the new possibilities and opportunities.We are looking ahead to productronica 2023 with confidence and expect lively interest and numerous exhibitors in this area again.

The exhibitor directory contains lists of all exhibitors, products and services.

Supporting program
productronica Innovation Award 2021

All about the productronica Innovation Award: Application criteria, panel of judges, award ceremony and application deadline

productronica Innovation Award
Exhibitors
Information for exhibitors

Information for exhibitors: Good reasons to exhibit at the fair, aids to help you plan your success, and how to book stand space and order services.

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Visitors
Welcome! Your look into the future.

The future of electronics production, all of the industry's key players and you—at one location. It only exists in this form at productronica in...

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