SMART MANUFACTURING WEEK 2025 EXHIBITION PREVIEW
SHAPING TOMORROW: WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SMART
MANUFACTURING WEEK 2025?
On 4-5 June 2025, the NEC Birmingham will once again play host to the UK's largest event dedicated to manufacturing and engineering: Smart Manufacturing Week, where four major exhibitions will take place under one roof
D
uring Smart Manufacturing Week 2025, there will be four major exhibitions under one roof, including Design & Engineering
Expo, Smart Factory Expo, Drives & Controls, and Maintec, plus two specialised zones for Fluid Power & Systems and Air-Tech. For readers of Design Solutions, a number of
key features stand out in this year’s programme, including Innovation Alley, the Design & Innovation Theatre and, of course, the Design & Engineering Expo itself.
EDUCATION The Design & Innovation Theatre will be particularly valuable for those engineers and designers looking to expand their knowledge. This year’s programme features a range of future-focused sessions tailored to those at the cutting edge of product development, design thinking and sustainability.
strategy while discovering the latest technologies, connecting with suppliers, and learning from innovators driving the field forward. Exhibitors including 3M, VTech and igus will present practical solutions aimed at enhancing design workflows, improving product performance, and solving common development challenges. The Institution of Engineering Designers (IED) will also have a stand, offering networking opportunities and support for professional development in engineering and product design.
highlighting how AI-driven tools are transforming routine tasks into high-speed processes. A headline panel, Designing for the Future: Embedding Circular Economy Principles in Manufacturing, brings together industry leaders including Sandra Gaspar of Eurocell and Nick Kemp of Brompton Bicycles to explore how manufacturers can integrate circular economy principles into product and process design to reduce waste, optimise resource efficiency and create more sustainable, long-lasting products.
Headlining day one is Professor Henrik von Scheel, often referred to as the originator of Industry 4.0, who will explore the megatrends he believes will define manufacturing over the next decade. Cloud-based CAD takes centre stage in Agile Innovation Unleashed: The Future of Cloud-Based CAD in Product Development, led by Neil Cooke of Onshape, who explores how agile methods and cloud tools are accelerating product development. XR-enabled workflows are the focus of JoinXR: How Videojet Technologies Scaled XR for Success with Fracture Reality, showcasing immersive collaboration and real-time CAD reviews. Meanwhile, Alin Dragan of WSCAD presents How AI is Revolutionising Electrical Design,
INNOVATION One of the most exciting areas of the show, Innovation Alley, is where early-stage companies and trailblazing start-ups reveal the ideas and technologies poised to shape the next decade of manufacturing and engineering. Located within Smart Factory Expo, this dynamic area brings together start-ups and university spinouts, each offering something new. Visitors can explore these businesses and engage directly with the entrepreneurs behind them, gaining insights into the ideas and tools that are set to transform manufacturing in the years ahead.
DESIGN & ENGINEERING The Design & Engineering Expo will serve as a key destination, offering direct access to some of the most influential players in the industry. Specifically created for designers and engineers across all tiers of the supply chain, the expo supports those looking to reduce costs, streamline processes, and optimise future
MAY 2025 DESIGN SOLUTIONS 43
ENERGY & EXCELLENCE For some fun, the popular Guitar Legends competition returns, with a 3D-printed guitar for the winner. Plus the house band, The Shadow Monkeys, will pop up all around the event and return with their signature high energy and crowd-pleasing hits to close out the first evening’s visitor party. In addition, new for 2025 is ‘Smart Tank,’
where entrepreneurs can pitch their ideas to a panel of experts.
REGISTER TO ATTEND Smart Manufacturing Week takes place at the NEC Birmingham on the 4-5 June 2025. Other separately organised exhibitions are taking place at the NEC at the same time and these include Automechanika run by Messe Frankfurt; Med-Tech Innovation Expo and TCT 3Sixty from Rapid News Group; and Subcon from the Mark Allen Group. One visitor badge provides access to all events. For more information and to register for Smart
Manufacturing Week for free, visit the website.
www.smartmanufacturingweek.com
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