18 October, 2023The 23rd edition of the Advanced Manufacturing and Machine Tool Congress is set to take place from 25 to 27 October 2023 in the Gipuzkoa Science and Technology Park in San Sebastian. The congress, organised by AFM Cluster and held every two years since 1976, is the leading forum of knowledge and experience exchange for advanced manufacturing sector businesses.
Over the last three years, the sector has had to deal with a series of events that have directly affected demand for production equipment and machine tools. However, despite the situation of uncertainty and instability, since the second half of 2020, demand has remained reasonably high thanks to production needs, transformation processes in some sectors, and also thanks to the unfolding of certain supply chains affected by the geopolitical situation. Throughout this year, this has been the prevailing theme despite the significant increase in financing costs.
At present, despite considerable uncertainty and a slowing down of demand, the sector’s companies are, in general terms, holding strong, maintaining a good level of occupancy and with sufficient order portfolios to guarantee activity for a good portion of the coming year. As we await the results of the final stretch of 2023, particularly how some of the key markets for our businesses will evolve, such as Germany, China and the US, we already expect turnover to close out the year positively, up almost 5% on the 2022 year-end figure.
In this unsure yet highly active context, the 23 CMH, which is a benchmark event in the field of advanced and digital manufacturing, will be the meeting point for a broad audience of sector professionals. On one hand, the informative congress will be targeted at senior management and technical staff. This programme will give them the opportunity to get to know the main trends in different fields affecting the world of advanced manufacturing: the multi-dimensional vision of the factory of the future, the technologies and disruptive applications of digitalisation, machine tools, additive manufacturing, robotics and automation, sustainability or attracting talent to the industry, among other topics.
On the other hand, the scientific-technical congress will offer presentations of the results and potential applications of several R&D&i projects being run by technology centres, universities and businesses; geared towards the most technical target audience, eager to ascertain specific details on complex problem solving.
The 23CMH double-bill programme expands to feature the new safety congress in 2023, offering a wide range of debates and presentations, round tables and B2B gatherings, aimed at promoting networking and creating new collaboration opportunities between the 450 participants expected to attend.
This year we will be joined by top companies such as Microsoft, Telefónica, Cipherbit, Siemens, IBM, Renishaw, Aernnova, Gestamp, Petronor, Renfe, Fagor Automation, Tecnalia, Danobatgroup and Airbus, to name but a few.
The congress is supported by the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, the Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment of the Basque Country and the SPRI Group.
Security congress
As a new feature this year, on the second day of the advanced and digital manufacturing congress, a machinery safety congress will be held alongside the other events, aimed at professionals seeking guaranteed conscientious compliance of prevailing regulations in terms of equipment and production plant safety.
The main topics addressed will be, on one hand, the legal and regulatory aspects and new legislative aspects within the framework of industrial equipment safety and, on the other hand, all matters relating to new solutions, with a specific focus on cybersecurity for robots and a third block presenting case studies applied in the industry.
Opening and closing ceremonies
The opening session on 25 October will be presided by the President of the Basque Government, Iñigo Urkullu, and participants will include prestigious journalist and communicator Iñaki Gabilondo and renowned scientist Pedro Miguel Etxenike, who will share a conversation on the challenges posed by technological advancements for present and future society.
The closing ceremony, to be held on 27 October, will include the awards presentation: one prize for the best project presented by a company; another for the best communication presented by a technical-scientific community; a third for the best technical college thesis; and a fourth for the best presentation made in Basque.
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