The automotive industry has always been particularly open to innovation. Manufacturers and suppliers are often in the vanguard when it comes to integrating new manufacturing technologies and processes. And for good reason – competition and price pressure are incredibly high, as are the levels of quality and performance expected by international customers.

Substantial change is currently taking place in the industry. On the one hand, the demand for alternative drive systems such as electric and hybrid motors is increasing. The design and construction of these systems is considerably different to that of gasoline and diesel engines, which have dominated the industry to date.

On the other hand, the increasing individualization of society requires companies to be incredibly flexible – every customer wants a car that is as unique as possible, thus increasing the number of variants considerably. Vehicle manufacturers are reacting to this changing market by developing new business models that place huge importance on digitization and networking.

“JOINING SMART TECHNOLOGIES”: AUTOMOTIVE CONFERENCE

These trends will also be the focus of the sixth international Automotive Conference. Under the motto “Joining Smart Technologies,” the conference will take place on May 8 and 9, 2019, at the Fronius production site in Sattledt, Austria. The changes currently taking place in the automotive industry are presenting new challenges for manufacturing technology, including welding technology. Welding systems need to have extensive communication functions to enable them to be seamlessly integrated into a digitized and networked production process. At the same time, an increasing number of special materials are being used, for which the optimum joining processes need to be found.

Humans working side by side with robots is also an important topic for the industry, as the production lines of many manufacturers are now largely automated. “At the same time, companies must remain flexible enough to be able to fulfill the diverse wishes of their customers in a cost-effective manner. That’s why welding technology that can be effortlessly adapted to different processes and changing requirements is so sought after.”

INNOVATIONS AS THE RESULT OF MUTUAL DIALOGUE

For Fronius and its customers from the industry, the Automotive Conference is a welcome opportunity to open up dialogue. “The automotive industry is a key sector for us,” explains CEO Elisabeth Engelbrechtsmüller-Strauß. “Many of our product innovations are the result of an intensive discussion about our customers’ requirements. That’s why I’m so pleased to be hosting this valuable event here at Fronius.” As a long-time partner of the automotive industry, Fronius knows all the ins and outs of the sector and works closely together with a number of users. Many new products are used in vehicle manufacturing first. This type of cooperation helps Fronius and its innovations to meet the needs of the market, while our customers are able to effortlessly master current and future manufacturing challenges.