On Monday the 24th the conference opened its doors. The morning and afternoon were reserved for the participants of the WinCC and WinCC OA update training courses. Later, after all our guests had arrived, the evening started with a welcome dinner, where everyone had the chance to meet new contacts and socialize with old ones.
Tuesday kicked off early with the Keynote speeches by Digitalization and SCADA sales managers from HQ as well as regionals.
Andrea Maffioli, VP Factory Automation Italy, opened the day by giving an introductory speech on Siemens Automation in Italy. He spoke about the company’s 120-year history, its past successes and growth, and its current standing as the industry’s #1 in 2018.
Following that, Michael Steigberger, VP Sales Digitalization, talked about how Digitalization is a crucial Game Changer for the future of Automation, in particular to transform it from a strict hierarchical structure to a flexible, networked synthesis of OT and IT. The featured project came from Fiat Chrysler’s Maserati factory, whose successful implementation impressively showcased this concept.
Bernhard Staufer, head of Business Development SIMATIC SCADA, then gave a more in-depth look into the significance of this change for the SIMATIC SCADA portfolio and its functions as the core component for digitalization.
A short coffee break gave all attendees the opportunity to network and visit this year’s Mini Fair. Here interested guests could learn more about the projects our partner companies implemented with WinCC applications and add-ons. Companies like SCADTech, Alarm IT Factory, DCC global GmbH and IDEA SRL were represented.
Keynote presentations then continued with the News of the SIMATIC SCADA portfolio, presented in two parts. First, Roland Melzer, VP HMI-SW / SCADA and IPC, gave a comprehensive overview on the new WinCC Unified, as well as new features in WinCC V7.5. After that, Frank Baudach, Head of Product Management & Marketing, presented some highlights out of WinCC OA version development, such as the latest updates on security certification, a look to the future with the Next Generation Archiver and much more.
After lunch, the stage belonged to our partners, who were invited to present their WinCC solutions. They gave us an interesting insight into the versatility of the SIMATIC SCADA product family, from use in medical science by the Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy to the implementation of a high-speed rail system and much more.
In the evening, we were treated to a very special event – the Alfa Romeo automotive Museum opened its doors for us exclusively. Guests were invited to enjoy the exhibition on historical automobiles and were even got to experience a thrilling 4D movie. The night continued on with drinks on the terrace in the warm Italian evening air before dinner was served in the big Sala Giulia.
The last day of the conference was dedicated primarily to our diverse selection of workshops, such as reference partners presenting more projects, general news on new developments in WinCC technologies, or a purposeful look at current and future trends in the individual branches of WinCC OA, WinCC V7 and TIA. Additionally, a large networking area was available for everyone to meet new people and exchange ideas.
After three days full of new information, new experiences and new acquaintances, our brand new SIMATIC SCADA Conference came to an end. The time was hallmarked by everyone’s enthusiasm for corporate networking and the establishing of new business relationships, and the event gave the participants an exciting look at the future of SIMATIC SCADA products and the way into the age of digitalization.
