Agenda: Technology for Low Carbon, Agile Manufacturing
Digital Agility, Carbon Neutrality
Welcome


KEYNOTE: How digital tools can simultaneously boost responsiveness and cut carbon
KEYNOTE: Making legacy sites data-ready in six weeks
Roundtables explainers
Discussion Round Tables Session 1
Discussion Round Tables Session 2
Discussion Tables
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Round Table 1 - Integrating PLCs with Industrial IoT
Discussion points:
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How can you retrofit existing PLCs to feed real-time data into an IoT platform?
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What are the best practices for selecting sensors and edge gateways that work with legacy control systems?
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Which connectivity protocols balance reliability and security on the factory floor?
Round Table 2 - Edge Computing on a Shoestring
Discussion points:
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What low-cost hardware options exist for adding edge compute capabilities in brownfield sites?
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How do you architect edge deployments to ensure rapid fail-over and minimal disruption?
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Which simple workloads (e.g. data filtering, basic analytics) yield the greatest ROI at the edge?
Round Table 3 - Predictive Maintenance in Practice
Discussion points:
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What key failure modes should you prioritise when building your first predictive maintenance model?
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How do you validate and tune ML algorithms using limited historical data from legacy machines?
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Which maintenance workflows change most with a shift from reactive to predictive approaches?
Round Table 4 - AI-Driven Quality Control
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How can computer-vision techniques be applied to inspect products on legacy production lines?
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What steps ensure AI inspection models generalise across varied part geometries and lighting conditions?
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How do you integrate automated quality feedback into existing operator dashboards and processes?
Round Table 5 - Optimising Energy Peaks with AI
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Which data inputs (e.g. power, temperature, production schedules) are essential for peak-shaving algorithms?
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How can demand-response strategies be automated to minimise costs without impacting throughput?
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What governance is required to balance AI-driven load-shifting with operational constraints?
Round Table 6 - Rapid Sensor Retrofitting Strategies
Discussion points:
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How do you identify the minimal set of sensors needed to unlock high-value insights?
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What installation techniques avoid production downtime when fitting new hardware?
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Which calibration and commissioning practices ensure data accuracy from day one?
Round Table 7 -Stress-Testing Demand Forecasts
Discussion points:
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What scenario-planning methods help you evaluate forecast robustness under extreme market shifts?
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How can you combine internal production data with external indicators (e.g. commodity prices) to refine models?
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Which lead-time buffers deliver resilience without excessive inventory costs?
Round Table 8 - Digital Twin for Logistics
Discussion points:
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What are the critical data feeds required to create a minimal viable digital twin of your supply network?
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How can simulation outputs inform real-time decision-making in warehousing and transportation?
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Which metrics best demonstrate the ROI of a logistics digital twin pilot?
Round Table 9 - Reverse Logistics in Practice
Discussion points:
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How do you design reverse-flow processes that integrate seamlessly with forward production schedules?
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What IT or manual systems best track returned goods for inspection, repair, or recycling?
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Which cost-and-carbon metrics help justify investment in circular logistics programmes?
Round Table 10 - Nearshoring with Low-Carbon Hubs
Discussion points:
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How do you evaluate potential nearshore sites based on energy mix, infrastructure and labour skills?
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What partnership models (e.g. co-investment, public incentives) can reduce capex for green facility upgrades?
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Which logistic strategies ensure agility while maintaining minimal carbon footprint in supply networks?
Round Table 11 - Securing OT–IT Convergence
Discussion points:
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What practical steps can you take to segment networks and protect legacy OT systems when connecting them to corporate IT?
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How do you implement lightweight encryption and authentication on resource-constrained devices?
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Which incident-response processes ensure rapid containment without halting production?
Round Table 12 - Lean Data Architectures for AI
Discussion points:
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How can you design a minimal data-pipeline that collects, cleans and stores only the most valuable machine data?
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Which data-governance practices maintain quality and consistency across legacy and new sources?
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What tools or methods enable rapid onboarding of additional data streams as projects scale?
Round Table 13 - Human–Machine Collaboration
Discussion points:
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How do you redesign workflows to allow operators and automated systems to work side by side safely?
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What training approaches encourage staff to embrace AI-driven recommendations in real time?
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Which KPIs best capture productivity gains from collaborative robotics and decision-support tools?
Round Table 14 -Carbon Accounting for Shop-Floor Activities
Discussion points:
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What methodologies help you attribute energy use and emissions to specific machines or process steps?
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How can simple metering upgrades feed into a carbon-accounting framework without complex ERP changes?
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Which reporting formats satisfy internal stakeholders and regulatory requirements with minimal overhead?
Round Table 15 -Scaling Pilots into Plant-Wide Programmes
Discussion points:
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What governance structures balance agility and oversight when moving from a proof-of-concept to full rollout?
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How do you secure cross-functional buy-in and budget for expanded integration projects?
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Which success metrics and milestones demonstrate sufficient ROI to warrant scaling?