B&R Industrial Automation GmbH - Experts & Thought Leaders

At this year's SPS event from November 12-14 in Nuremberg, Germany, visitors to Booth 206 in Hall 7 will experience how B&R is helping machine builders, integrators, owners and operators unlock new levels of productivity. More than 150 B&R experts are on hand to show the company's latest innovations – from new AI-assisted coding and cloud-based engineering to interoperable Industrial IoT solutions, AI-enhanced machine vision and a new open approach to safety engineering. Interconnected digital ecosystems "Whether you're designing machines or operating them, the ultimate goal is always maximum efficiency and productivity. The tricky part is balancing that with the flexibility and simplicity that have become so essential in a world of accelerating complexity, shifting consumer demands, environmental pressures, and interconnected digital ecosystems," says B&R Chief Technology Officer Florian Schneeberger. "That's why every innovation step we take supports our customers in mastering this balancing act – enabling them to achieve both efficiency and flexibility through our advanced, open and interconnected automation solutions." B&R's commitment B&R booth at this year's SPS event showcases how B&R's commitment to openness helps it connect people The B&R booth at this year's SPS event showcases how B&R's commitment to openness helps it connect people, platforms, and products to drive productivity. Connecting a comprehensive machine automation portfolio through a global network of experts and partners enables B&R to offer hardware, software, and mechatronics that solve real-world needs. Open and interoperable solutions connect the B&R ecosystem beyond boundaries – to existing brownfield architectures, multi-vendor ecosystems, and new cloud-based tools. "In all cases," notes Schneeberger, "the focus is on connecting each customer to their best solution." Live and interactive at the B&R booth Visitors to SPS 2024 will be among the first to get their hands on the new version of B&R's automation software. With an all-new interface featuring AI-assisted coding and flexible cloud-based engineering, it promises to elevate the automation engineering experience with more productivity and better collaboration. At the interactive workstations, they can put that claim to the test, as well as try out B&R's new safety engineering experience with an open code base and a variety of new programming options. B&R's latest developments The B&R booth also presents B&R's latest developments in open robot mechanics and mechatronic product transport – including 3D digital twin simulation for conceptual design, capacity optimization and energy balancing. Also on display are B&R's open and interoperable Industrial IoT and edge solutions with AI-powered apps for live optimization of performance and energy, predictive maintenance of track systems and more. Over 150 B&R experts look forward to guiding visitors through 20 live demos and seven interactive workstations, where they will experience the power of adaptive manufacturing to fit more flexibility and productivity on a smaller footprint and discover the potential of open standards to deliver more performance, easy scaling and new business models.

At a time when the global manufacturing landscape is more competitive than ever, industry and academia are collaborating to overcome complex new challenges in engineering and at the same time, inspire future engineers. The B&R Education Network in India is continuously working as the interface between educational institutions and the automation industry. To help make the next generation of engineers ready for industry, the B&R Education Network partnered with the Dr. D. Y. Patil Institute of Technology in Pimpri-Pune to organize the Open Automation Challenge 2024. B&R Education Network in India Fourteen teams were shortlisted based on their innovative approach and application The event paired engineering students with B&R mentors to bring their ideas to reality using the state-of-the-art technologies in the field of automation engineering. The event started in June 2024 with over 50 teams across India registering their groundbreaking ideas. Fourteen teams were shortlisted based on their innovative approach and application. The selected teams completed training on B&R's Automation Studio engineering software and other B&R technologies to finally execute their projects and bring their ideas to life. Understanding the gap In a fast-paced world, technological transformation leads to better productivity. It is necessary that the engineers of today understand the industry challenges. Today, automation is considered a key element in all manufacturing operations, and the industry expects new recruits to have the required skills in this technology. Moreover, in the era of industrial IoT and Industry 4.0, the evolution of technology is growing rapidly, and the engineering curriculum often struggles to keep pace with it. B&R’s Education Network is a well-structured program of collaboration to improve the industry knowledge of engineering graduates and make them ready for the industrial world. Open Automation Challenge 2024 Open Automation Challenge 2024 offered fresh inspiration for the engineering students' innovative minds, encouraging curiosity for creative solutions and courage for big ideas. The emerging engineers explored numerous possibilities, the way automation is changing the world and they were intrigued by a presentation delivered by B&R's Regional Managing Director for Southern and Eastern Asia, Mr. Jhankar Dutta. During the presentation, he highlighted important topics like industry trends, the changing demands, sustainability and how the B&R Education Network is bridging the gap between industry and educational institutes. Building the bridge of knowledge Open Automation Challenge 2024 has seen remarkable milestones with new perspectives Open Automation Challenge 2024 has seen remarkable milestones with new perspectives and a fresh outlook on the projects built by students along with their mentor assigned by B&R. The group of students participating in the challenge embarked on a two-week educational adventure that included project development and training on B&R Automation Studio and related technologies. Their dedication and creativity transformed innovative ideas into reality using advanced software and simulation tools. On the final day, each team stepped onto the stage, unveiling their meticulously crafted automation projects before a panel of esteemed judges. Right knowledge is a critically Key first step The students demonstrated not just technical prowess, but the potential to revolutionize sectors ranging from manufacturing to healthcare and agriculture. The top three teams were selected as winners. The right knowledge is a critically important first step and one of the most effective ways to bridge the gap is to mentor the right way. As the automation industry grows across India with rising expectations and demands, engineers are the pioneers of a bright tomorrow. Beyond competition, the Open Automation Challenge 2024 was a celebration of collaboration and learning.

On June 26, budding technologists aged 8 to 19 showcased their technical acumen and problem-solving prowess at the Austrian finals of the World Robot Olympiad. The competition was held for the second year in a row at B&R Headquarters in Eggelsberg, Upper Austria. Under the theme ‘Earth Allies’, contestants illustrated how robots could serve as ‘allies of the earth’, working in harmony with the planet. The triumphant teams - ‘MMG’ from HTL Braunau and ‘Plasma Bots’ from Riedau Middle School are set to compete in the finals in Turkey in November 2024. World Robot Olympiad (WRO) WRO is a global robotics contest that seeks to expose young adults to computer science, robotics early on The World Robot Olympiad (WRO) is a global robotics contest that seeks to expose children and young adults to computer science, robotics, and automation early on, while also promoting potential careers in engineering and IT. “Austria has been participating in this competition since 2018, and we are thrilled to be inspiring an increasing number of young talents,” states Herbert Ibinger, the Organizer of WRO Austria and Managing Director of Techno-Z Braunau. Students challenged to customize a robot For the national Olympiad, the students were challenged to reassemble and customize a robot that they had previously constructed and programmed themselves. The robot's mission was to successfully navigate through four laps of an obstacle course. Together with two graduates from the Austrian HTL (technical college), Herbert Ibinger assessed the participants' performance and selected the victorious teams. Impressive performances and a tight decision Both the younger and older students put forth their best efforts in each round, impressing the judges with their creativity and skills. Team ‘MMG’ from HTL Braunau emerged victorious in the ‘Senior’ category Following a thrilling final round, the winning teams were chosen. Team ‘MMG’ from HTL Braunau emerged victorious in the ‘Senior’ category, ‘Plasma-Bots’ from MS Riedau in the ‘Junior’ category, and the ‘Robo-Hackers’ from MS Riedau in the ‘Elementary’ category. Teams ‘MMG’ and ‘Plasma-Bots’ will represent Austria at the three-day WRO World Final in Izmir, Turkey this November, where they will compete against 94 other countries for the title. Fostering young talent for a sustainable future WRO topics are often closely linked to sustainability. This year, participants will be challenged to leverage cutting-edge technologies to illustrate how robots, as ‘Earth Allies’, can help to coexist with nature and mitigate the impact of environmental disasters. “We are doubly proud to support the World Robot Olympiad this year,” says Florian Schneeberger, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at B&R Industrial Automation GmbH, adding “Not only because of its mission to inspire the next generation of much-needed technology specialists, but also because of this year's theme, which encourages them to think about how technology can be harnessed to address pressing sustainability issues.” Florian Schneeberger continues, “In a world where robotics and automation are instrumental in making industries more sustainable through more efficient use of energy and materials, it is both our vision and duty to support this trend.” B&R's Automation Academy B&R's innovation and training campus in Eggelsberg, where education is a top priority, was once again the perfect venue for the Austrian finals of the WRO. ABB's robust partner program aids educational institutions in preparing future generations B&R's Automation Academy offers training and continuing education opportunities for up to 4,000 individuals annually, including students, apprentices, specialists, B&R employees and customers from around the globe. ABB's robust partner program, which collaborates with over 100 schools and universities, aids educational institutions in preparing future generations. Responsibility and investment in the future As a member of the ABB Group, B&R is committed to ambitious sustainability goals and is working towards achieving a Net Zero future by 2050. Educating and nurturing our younger generation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines and promoting diversity in technical professions are crucial to realizing this goal and addressing the challenges of climate change and resource scarcity. For B&R, supporting such sustainable initiatives is not just a part of its social responsibility, but also an investment in the future.