POWTECH 2016 – Innovative powder, granule and bulk solids technologies
POWTECH, the world leading trade fair for the processing, analysis and handling of powder and bulk solids, will take place in Nuremberg from 19 to 21 April 2016 (Fig. 1). About 900 exhibitors will present the latest technologies for processing, analysing and handling powder and bulk solids in Nuremberg. Project engineers, production managers and bulk solids experts come to POWTECH to look for pioneering innovations for size reduction, screening, mixing, conveying, dosing or granulating.
Visitors will have free access to an extensive supporting programme, providing them with first-hand access to the latest process expertise. The VDMA (German Engineering Association) will present best practices in eco-efficiency through its Blue Competence Initiative. Trade visitors will encounter concentrated university research and new talents at the Generation Future special area. The new POWTECH app will help to find personal highlights in the programme.
Three trade forums with non-stop presentations in the exhibition halls reflect the wide range of sectors and topics at POWTECH (Fig. 2). The special areas organised by associations and high-calibre partners at the exhibition also invite visitors to linger, network and exchange knowledge.
The VDMA: Innovation for greater sustainability
The VDMA, represented at POWTECH by its Drying Technology and Air Pollution Control associations, will highlight its Blue Competence sustainability initiative at the exhibition. Visitors to the VDMA stand will find exhibits and success stories showing how process technology helps to foster more sustainable processes that conserve resources. The VDMA and participating companies span the entire exhibition with the Blue Competence network: a special exhibition guide lists all POWTECH exhibitors supporting the initiative and helps to find sustainable solutions.
Expert knowledge to take home
The three presentation areas in the POWTEC exhibition halls will offer non-stop presentations, many of them in English. The 30-minute slots and panel discussions will address current topics in the industry in a useful, compact format. The Pharma.Manufacturing.Excellence expert forum (hall 3A), organised by APV (the International Association for Pharmaceutical Technology), will focus on trends and challenges in pharmaceutical manufacturing, including continuous production, tabletting and testing, 3D printing and serialisation. The POWTECH Expert Forum (hall 2) will provide non-stop presentations on process automation, particle analysis and measurement technology. This is also where the new POWTECH Awards will be presented in three categories: technology, energy excellence and service. In the POWTECH Technology Forum (hall 3), visitors will receive practical tips about handling bulk solids in the food, chemicals and pharmaceutical industries.
A bridge to research and new talents
A total of 15 universities, institutes and institutions will present their research projects in the new special area Generation Future at POWTECH and will provide information about partnerships. Here companies will meet the talents of tomorrow and can recruit new professionals thanks to a constantly updated job board. The DSIV (the German Powder and Bulk Association) invites visitors to network in a relaxed, student atmosphere every day at 16:30.
Experience explosion protection live
The international IND EX Safety Congress will be held at POWTECH on 20 April 2016. Explosion protection experts from all continents will be on hand to explain different legal requirements by region and the latest approaches for greater explosion protection. On all three days of the exhibition, visitors will be able to experience up close how quickly gas or dust explosions can occur during production and how they can be prevented during moderated live explosions in the outdoor area of the exhibition.
Summit meeting for process experts
For the first time, POWTECH visitors can use an app to find out information and the times of all presentations and compile their own personal schedule using their smart phone. If desired, the POWTECH App can remind visitors of selected events at the exhibition and help visitors to find their way around thanks to an interactive hall plan. “In 2016 we are raising the visibility of POWTECH’s high-calibre programme. Nowhere else do so many experts from the bulky solids and process industry meet in one location,” notes Beate Fischer, Project Manager for this event at NürnbergMesse. “Every trade visitor will go home with a wealth of new knowledge – and can start afresh with very tangible solutions and ideas after visiting the exhibition.” Visitors can also find details of all presentations and speakers in the POWTECH programme by visiting: $(LEhttp://
Innovative measurement technology paves the way to “Process Technology 4.0”
At POWTECH 2016 trade visitors can experience first-hand an entire range of mechanical processes – together with all the technologies that support and make the processing operations more efficient, including in particular measurement technology and analytics. The analysis of powders, granules, bulk solids, and fluids not only helps to ensure quality and optimise the end product (Fig. 3). At POWTECH 2016, experts in bulk solids and powders can learn how they can also achieve more efficient production and reduce their energy costs based on strong real-time measurement results and innovative field devices.
In modern production environments, measurement technology is involved in the entire process chain, from initial development to the field level in the plant to shipping to ensure traceability. The nature of each individual particle – along with its shape, size, and surface tension – has an impact on the finished end product. Particle and process parameters, for example, are an important factor when it comes to the correct distribution of active ingredients in tablets or, in the cement industry, they significantly influence the quality and use of the material.
Analytical methods for all industries
Particle and process measurement technology is an integral part of the range of products at POWTECH. After all, one must know about the particle properties and process parameters in order to specifically influence them and achieve the desired results. At the trade fair, manufacturers will find numerous analytical methods for a wide variety of bulk solids, from pressure measurement technology to equipment for measuring temperature or moisture. The range of particle analysis technology extends from simple laboratory sifting equipment to the sizing of coarse granules to laser diffraction systems and systems that are based on dynamic light scattering and precisely output particle sizes in the micro- and nanometre range. There is a growing demand for optical methods for determining the particle shape to optimise the consistency and flow behaviour of a product.
On the path to “Process Technology 4.0”
Measurement and analysis technology provides precisely the kind of data that is driving the fourth industrial revolution and making it possible in the first place. Reliable figures and analyses, frequently supplied in real-time, provide a solid foundation for automation using man-machine communication and for in-depth analyses of big data. In this way, manufacturers are finding new approaches for product optimisation and for greater process efficiency.
At POWTECH, process industry experts can obtain many suggestions and useful practical tips regarding the integration of particle analysis technology and of process measurement systems in Process Technology 4.0. In addition to numerous product presentations in the three expert forums, more than 250 of the roughly 900 exhibitors in total at the trade fair will present solutions, concepts, and innovations relating to analytics and measurement technology.
The latest regarding particle technology
Held concurrently at the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg, PARTEC is the International Congress on Particle Technology. At this congress, leading engineers and scientists meet to share information on the latest developments regarding processes for particle formation, agglomeration, and coating as well as measurement methods and diverse industrial applications for particles.
