Precisely tailored sensor technology in production is a basic prerequisite for the implementation of Industry 4.0. It captures process data and the machine status and makes them available.

The order books are still full. But incoming orders have declined significantly. High time for companies to use the economic slowdown to adjust their strategic course.

Amendate GmbH aims to relieve engineers of tedious routines in order to create more scope for creative activity: The company wants to raise additive manufacturing to a new level. The young company will be presenting its new development at the joint startup stand of the EMO Hannover trade fair with software that is to be ready for the market on time.

German machine tool builders are facing tougher times: In the first quarter of 2019, order intake fell by 21 % year-on-year.

According to a survey conducted by the organizer of Metav 2018, around one-third of the visitors indicated that they are planning investments, especially in machine tools, measuring technology, production and process automation as well as in precision tools.

The 20th Metav 2018, the trade fair for metalworking technologies, will take place in Düsseldorf from February 20 to 24, 2018. Metav's core topics are traditional subjects of the metalworking industry, such as machine tools, manufacturing systems, precision tools, automated material flow, computer technology, industrial electronics, and accessories.

Metav 2018 once again will be complemented by a number of special areas related to metalworking technologies, such as Moulding, Medical and Quality. Among them is this year a Additive Manufacturing Area. Renishaw's Rainer Lotz talks about the current state of the technology, trends and Renishaw's participation at Metav 2018.

As a core technology of Industry 4.0, self-learning systems are likely to find their way into factories, especially if they are introduced step-by-step and prove that machine learning can make money.