The Fourth Industrial Revolution will herald the transformation of entire systems of production, management and governance says Bob Williamson Chair of the Future Production Technologies Conference taking place in Cape Town (South Africa) on the 31 July & 1 August 2019.
There is already a lot of hype around the rapid advances in technology and the disruptive change 4IR will bring and its potential says Williamson. The challenge facing manufacturers in South Africa is grasping and understanding the complex technologies and how these integrate into their manufacturing systems.
To help delegates understand how 4IR will affect their business, experts will present overviews of the different technologies, their application and how these can be integrated into a company's manufacturing system. These include: Robotics, AI, Nano Technology, Quantum Computing, Biotechnology, IOT, 3D Printing and Autonomous Vehicles.
Among keys speakers is Dr Bradd Libby, Research Fellow, RethinkX, UK presenting a mind-blowing synopses on how autonomous and electric vehicles will revolution future transport and the disruptive impact on society and manufacturing.
We are on the cusp of one of the fastest, deepest, most consequential disruptions of transportation in history says Libby. By 2030, within 10 years of regulatory approval of autonomous vehicles (AVs), 95% of U.S. passenger miles travelled will be served by on-demand autonomous electric vehicles owned by fleets, not individuals; in a new business model we call "transport-as-a-service" (TaaS).
Demand for new vehicles will plummet: 70% fewer passenger cars and trucks will be manufactured each year. This could result in total disruption of the car value chain, with car dealers, maintenance and insurance companies suffering almost complete destruction. Oil demand and prices will plummet, destroying trillions of dollars in investor value. But, savings on transportation costs will result in a permanent boost in annual disposable income for households, totalling US$1 trillion in the US alone by 2030.
In addition there will be interactive discussion sessions with manufacturing CEOs, production engineers, entrepreneurs and economists to discuss the economic impact of 4IR and the future outlook for manufacture in South Africa.
The event is hosted by the Production Technologies Association South Africa in association with Instimbi, NTiP and SBS Conferences & Exhibitions with the support of ISTMA, BRICS, DTI, SAIME, SAEEC, Manufacturing Circle, and Mandela Bay Composites Cluster.
Special conditions applied to ISTMA members. Program, full details, costs and on-line registration visit at: www.sbs.co.za/fptc2019/
Program 