Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2023, the UK’s largest and longest running annual engineering show and arguably the most comprehensive, will be held from 7th to 9th February at the 20,000 sq ft Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre. The event has been running continuously since 1998, except for in 2021 due to Covid-19.
As usual, suppliers of machine tools, tooling, workholding, automation, metrology equipment, finishing machines, laser cutting and marking equipment, additive manufacturing machines, components, software and engineering services will be taking stands to promote their latest offerings. Industry 4.0 solutions will be in evidence alongside controls, displays, HMIs, software and data acquisition systems, plus augmented, mixed, and virtual reality, robot and cobot machine tending and other automation solutions. Many subcontractors from across the UK and beyond specialising in the production of metal and plastic machined parts and sheet metalworking will present their capabilities and international reach.
At Southern, the worlds of mechanical engineering and electronics converge, the show being split approximately equally between the two. Although the technologies and industries covered are diverse, there are no physical barriers between the areas, allowing cross-over between the various engineering disciplines. Visitors often say this is one of the show’s main attractions, as it leads to the discovery of companies that would not normally be seen. Technology Trails guide visitors around the event, grouping firms having expertise in particular areas.
The UK subsidiaries and agents of multinational machine tool manufacturers will form a significant part of the mechanical engineering side of the show. Attendees already confirmed include Ajax Machine Tools International, Citizen Machinery, Haas Automation, Hurco Europe, Matsuura Machinery, Mills CNC, NCMT, Yamazaki Mazak UK and YMT Technologies. In addition, XYZ Machine Tools has taken two stands, one of which will be dedicated to the launch of its new TMC range of machining centres fitted with the latest ProtoTRAK control.
Among the cutting tool companies taking stands are Guhring and Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC), while the latest workholding equipment will be demonstrated by 1st Machine Tool Accessories, Lang Technik UK and Thame. Solutions from some of the world’s leading companies in metrology, such as ARC, Blum Novotest, Carfulan Group companies OGP UK and VICIVISION UK, Central Scanning UK (part of the Zeiss/GOM “HandsOnMetrology” network) and Status will bring visitors up to date with the latest inspection and measurement technology.
Additive manufacturing equipment suppliers, service bureaux and subcontractors specialising in the area will be very much in evidence next year, as befits a technology that is being increasingly adopted by industry. Other established names in the field include Advent 3D, Bowman Additive Production, Boxford, CDG 3D Printers, CREAT3D, Central Scanning UK, Europac3D, GTX Europe, IPFL, Laser Lines, Matsuura Machinery, MHP Industries and Rowan Precision.
Co-located with Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2023 is AutoAero, a specialised event focusing on suppliers to the aerospace and automotive engineering sectors. In addition to the exhibition and demonstration areas, there will be an informative seminar programme, a blend of technical and business topics covering a wide range of issues facing manufacturing businesses today.
The event opens from 7th to 9th February and admission and parking are free of charge. There is also a regular free shuttle bus service between Farnborough’s train stations directly to the show. More information and tickets are available from www.industrysouth.co.uk
