Day 1: BlueCompetence – Sustainability with and in automation: The trade-fair motto "BlueCompetence" is AUTOMATICA's way of revisiting the sustainability theme from 2010 (Green Automation) again in 2012 – but as part of the VDMA-wide "BlueCompetence" sustainability initiative. Still, whether blue or green, ultimately it is still about the same primary objectives: Sustainable production and production for a sustainable world.




Preliminary agenda:

Tuesday, May 22, 2012: BlueCompetence – Sustainability with and in automation

13:00 – 13:45	What kind of world are we leaving our children? From the Desertec initiative to the global Marshall Plan for a world in balance Andreas Huber, Managing Director, Club of Rome German Association
13:45 – 14:30	Resource-efficient production in practice: A family-company's experiences with energy management Harald Vogelsang, Director, Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. KG
14:30 – 15:15	Price is what you pay, value is what you get. Lars Keller, Authorized Signatory, costdata Cost Engineering
15:15 – 16:00	High-tech solar module production using machines made in Germany Dr. Peter Fath, Technology Director at centrotherm photovoltaics AG and Chairman of the Board, VDMA Photovoltaic Equipment

Day 2: Challenges in the automotive industry: Lightweight design, e-mobility: On Wednesday the forum is dedicated to the challenges facing the automotive industry, which is one of the traditional core industries for robotics and automation. Automobile manufacturers and their suppliers are currently facing a paradigm change – because lightweight design and the use of composite materials call for new approaches to manufacturing, as does the trend toward electromobility. Therefore, the Automatica Forum titled "Automation in Dialog" in der Communication Area in Hall B1 will explain what challenges await automakers and what opportunities and risks this means for machine manufacturers and automotive-supply companies.


Preliminary agenda:

Wednesday, May 23, 2012: Challenges in the automotive industry: Lightweight design and e-mobility

10:00 – 10:45	Keynote - "Vorsprung durch Technik (Progress through Technology) in products and processes" Arne Lakeit, Head of Production/Plant Planning, Audi AG
10:45– 11:30	Lightweight design using robot cells: Learning from practical experiences in the aviation industry Stephan Vogl, Industrial Technology – Eurocopter Group
11:30 – 12:15	How much of CFK technology in aircraft production can be transferred to other branches of industry Prof. Dr.-Ing. Axel Herrmann, Managing Director of CTC, a member of CFK-Valley Stade
12:15 – 13:00	BMW Megacity Vehicle – Launching a new automotive age with carbon composites Daniel Schäfer, Director project i Production Concept, BMW Group
13:00 – 13:45	Challenges associated with e-mobile and (plug-in) hybrid assembly Thomas Zembok, Project Director e.Motion Production Volkswagen Brand (PMS-E)/ Head of Production Strategies e.Motion
13:45 – 14:30	E-mobility assembly in Germany: Using modern robot concepts to meet challenges Dipl.-Ing. Benjamin Bickel, Member of Scientific Staff, Bavarian Technology Center for Electrical Drive Technology (E|Drive Center) at the Faculty for Production Automation and Production Systems, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
14:30 – 15:15	High-performance Li-Ion Cells "Made in Germany" – Application sectors and technology roadmap Dr. Andreas Gutsch, Project Coordinator Competence E, Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT), Ex-Managing Director of Li-Tec Battery
15:15 – 16:00	Panel discussion: "Battery production in Germany – How is automation helping?" Dr. Andreas Gutsch, Project Coordinator Competence E, Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Achim Kampker, WZL - Machine Tool Laboratory, Faculty for Production Management, RWTH Aachen, Paul Merz, CEO, Reis Robotics, Peter Haan, Siemens Industrial Automation Division, Michael Karcher, Head of Market Development e-Mobility, Festo, Dr. Eric Maiser, Head of Industry Group Battery Production in Forum E-Motive, VDMA

Day 3: Focusing on growth sectors: Food, medicine, pharma and biotech. Day three is dedicated to automation opportunities in emerging markets. After all, according to the experts, the food, pharma, medicine and biotech sectors still have a great deal of potential when it comes to process optimization using robotics and automation. And the problem is not necessarily a lack of technology: "Potential users often lack the know-how that it takes for automation solutions to pay off quickly," reports the VDMA. This is exactly what the forum is supposed to change with practice- and solution-oriented lectures addressing decision-makers, particularly in the food, pharma, medicine and biotech sectors.


Preliminary agenda:

Thursday, May 24, 2012: Focusing on growth sectors: Food, medicine, pharma and biotech

10:00 – 10:45	Virtobot – Robotics in forensic medicine Robert Breitbeck, Engineer, Institute for Forensic Medicine, Zurich University, and Wolfgang Ptacek, Project Management Medical Robots, Integrated Microsystems Austria GmbH
10:45– 11:30	One square meter of efficiency – Automation concepts in central laboratories now and tomorrow Dr.-Ing. Franziska Heinze, International Product Manager – Marketing, Roche Diagnostics Ltd., Switzerland
11:30 – 12:15	The life sciences as a future opportunity – Why the biotech industry needs automation Dr. Klaus Eichenberg, CEFA Geschäftsführer, BioRegio STERN Management GmbH
12:15 – 13:00	From fruit-bar picker to butcher robots: Vision systems are bringing robots to the food industry. Dr. Carsten Cruse, Managing Director, Cruse Leppelmann Kognitionstechnik GmbH
13:00 – 13:45	Robots that meet hygienic-design requirements: Do they really exist? Demands placed hygienic design in automation. Dipl.-Ing. Manuel Ulmer, Chair of Process Engineering of Disperse Systems, TU Munich
13:45 – 14:30	Robots ensuring flexibility with assorted cases for the food-discounter market Hans Graber, Head of Production & Technology, iglo GmbH
14:30 – 15:15	From bread rolls to teabag packaging – Clean and automatic handling treats food with care Mario Krämer, Managing Director, ASA Automatisierungs- und Fördersysteme GmbH
15:15 – 16:00	Panel discussion: "Pharma, medicine and food as growth markets for robotics: What are the limits?" Dr.-Ing. Andreas Wolf, Managing Director, Robomotion GmbH, Michael Otto, Director Key Technology Management and Industrial Business, Kuka Roboter GmbH, Alexander Steiger, Manager Sales GI Robots & Products, Yaskawa Europe GmbH, ABB (requested), Fanuc (requested), Stäubli (requested)

Day 4: Lightweight, safe and mobile helpers – Future trends in robotics. The fourth and final day is dedicated to the future of robots as lightweight, safe and mobile helpers. After all, the classic image of industrial robotics is changing – instead of steel power packages monotonously performing their tasks behind protective fences, robots are on the verge of leaving their cells and giving people a hand as service-providers – in factories and in everyday life. However, this calls for modern safety and sensory technology as well as lightweight-design approaches.


Preliminary agenda:

Friday May 25, 2012: Lightweight, safe and mobile helpers – Future trends in robotics

10:00 – 10:45	Open robotics: Research and industry are shaping the future of robotics together Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alois Knoll, Chair for Informatics VI - Robotics and Embedded Systems, TU Munich
10:45– 11:30	Lightweight robotics: Flexible automation technology makes lean production processes possible at BJ Gear, a leading supplier of transmission solutions Bjørn Sommer, Plant Manager, BJ Gear (with the support of Thomas Visti, Vice President, Universal Robots) (in English)
11:30 – 12:15	Mobile service robots in industry Stefanie Angerer, Technology Development Assembly, AUDI AG
12:15 – 13:00	Fully automated assembly of photovoltaic modules by mobile, seeing robots in photovoltaic power plants Dr.-Ing. Bernd Brodbeck, Consultant, Kiener Maschinenbau GmbH
13:00 – 13:30	Mobile robotics using a fully automatic laboratory automation system for quality assurance in cement production as an example Reinhard Teutenberg, Project Management Development, ThyssenKrupp Polysius AG, and Michael Mätzler, Managing Board, Servus Robotics GmbH
13:30 – 14:15	Podium: "The future of robotics" Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alois Knoll, Faculty of Informatics - Robotics and Embedded Systems, TU Munich Dr. Martin Hägele, Department Head, Robot Systems, Fraunhofer IPA Dr. Roko Tschakarow, BU Director Mobile Gripping Systems, Schunk GmbH & Co. KG Dr. Ralf Koeppe, Head of Research and Development, KUKA Laboratories GmbH

*Subject to change without notice