In the aerospace industry, precision, traceability, and agility are non-negotiable — especially when forging critical components like aircraft compressor blades.
But how do you design and deploy a fully automated, robotized and connected factory capable of delivering one-piece flow at industrial cadence — in a highly demanding environment?
In this Expert Class, we will explore the 9 key pillars that enabled us to build a next-gen Precision Forging 4.0 Ecosystem from scratch
From IT/OT architecture to robotics, from digital twin to real-time data management, from predictive maintenance to cybersecurity — this is a full journey from concept to operational excellence.
Concrete results, lessons learned, pitfalls to avoid — and above all: how to make Industry 4.0 work in the real world, not just on slides.
If you're looking to transform your production model with tangible business outcomes — this session is for you.
We’ll explore:
How we architected a scalable, resilient IT/OT integration
How robotics and automation were synchronized with real-time MES & process controls
How we implemented predictive maintenance and data-driven decision-making
How we ensured full traceability and data integrity
How digital twins and simulation enabled accelerated optimization cycles
You will also learn about the challenges we faced, mistakes we avoided, and the operational results we achieved — all grounded in real-world experience.
Whether you are planning a Smart Factory deployment, a plant retrofit, or scaling an Industry 4.0 architecture, this session will provide practical insights you can directly apply to your own projects.
Stijn Van Uytfanghe & Dieter Van de Velde
Premium sound Solutions
Jan van Looy
Deloitte
Michael D'Hoore & Seppe Bodequin
Picanol group & Flanders Make
Tatiana Galibus
Sirris
Daniel Guzman Vargas
Ugent
Johann Marquez-Barja
IMEC
Matthias Keller
Vlerick Business School
Boris Van de Loock & Sven Nys
Crops
Jan Van Nylen
ZF Wind Power
Johan Van Campenhout
Advario Stolthaven Antwerp
Vincent Haerinck
Toreon
Tijl Deneut en Ruben Verbrugghe
e-BO Enterprises & Norther Offshore Wind Farm