Engineers create conference to advance industrial digitalisation

Ruth Powell talks to the co-chairs of the Advances in the Digitalisation of the Process Industries conference about moving beyond the hype and sharing lessons that engineers can put into action

AS THE PACE of digital transformation accelerates, this year’s Advances in the Digitalisation of the Process Industries conference arrives at a pivotal moment for the chemical and process engineering community. With technologies like generative AI, digital twins and integrated data environments moving rapidly from pilot projects to operational reality, the conference brings together leaders, innovators and practitioners to exchange ideas, share progress and shape the future.

Ahead of Advances taking place in October, I caught up with its co-chairs Bhavik Mehta and Zaid Rawi to learn how they will bring together users, suppliers and automation experts to reflect on where digital transformation stands today and where it’s headed next.

Rawi says the conference is about showcasing practical insights and real-world experiences.

“We want to highlight how digital tools are already being used to improve asset performance, sustainability, and safety. It’s about turning potential into performance.”

Delegates will hear industry leaders speak honestly about their vision, mission and goals for digitalisation, Mehta adds, in an effort to move the conversation beyond the buzzwords that often surround these topics.

From hype to reality

Since the last Advances conference in 2021, digitalisation has made significant strides. We’re seeing AI, particularly generative AI, embedded in daily operations, enabling faster decision-making and more intelligent systems. Digital twins, once experimental, are proving their value by identifying opportunities for optimisation and driving better financial and environmental outcomes. Rawi says the ability to digitise asset data and sustain it over time is one of the most exciting shifts he’s seen in recent years.

 “Unlike events focused on a single sector, this one brings together the entire process industries community,” Rawi explains. “That diversity fosters cross-pollination of ideas that can lead to innovative solutions.”

Themes that will receive significant attention this year include the integration of digital tools, model-predictive control and how to simplify the deployment of digital solutions.

With hype dominating discussions about AI and digitalisation, Rawi and Mehta have instead set out to design a well-balanced conference focussed on substance.

“It’s important to cover the full spectrum of digitalisation topics, from advanced analytics to data governance,” says Mehta. “We want attendees to walk away with ideas they can actually apply.”

Asked to predict what the future holds, Rawi expects engineers will see full lifecycle digitalisation. He thinks projects will be designed and built using digital twins from the outset, with data passed seamlessly to operations so benefits are realised from day one.

Real-world examples, practical insights

The conference will feature speakers from organisations that are already taking a lead on digitalisation. Rawi is looking forward to the plenary presentation from Daniel Simkiss of British Sugar on how AI has been used to improve operations. Simkiss is expected to discuss the creation of British Sugar’s Advanced Insight Centre and how digital twins, predictive models and generative AI are being used to build scalable, decision support systems that replicate expert insight.

Other plenary speakers include Costas Pantelides (Siemens and Imperial College London), who will explore the path from automation to autonomy through AI and model-based monitoring; Valentijn de Leeuw (ARC Advisory Group), who will discuss aligning digital change with leadership and workforce development; and Sarat Kumar Reddy Molakaseema (UniversalAutomation.org), who will share his experience of open, distributed control architectures.

To complement these keynotes, Johnson Matthey, PETRONAS and the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will share case studies offering practical insights into the use of digital technologies.

The programme will deliver a well-rounded view of how innovation, strategy and people are shaping the digital future of the process industries.

Building a community for the future

For those attending the event for the first time, Rawi offers a simple piece of advice: plan ahead.

“Choose the sessions most relevant to your role or interests, take advantage of the networking and don’t be afraid to ask questions.”

Importantly, the connections made at the conference don’t have to end when the event does. Rawi encourages attendees to engage with the wider community through IChemE’s Special Interest Groups including the Process Management & Control and CAPE (Computer-Aided Process Engineering) SIGs. He says these groups are valuable spaces for engineers to continue sharing and learning from one another.

More than just a showcase of emerging technology, the Advances in the Digitalisation of the Process Industries conference is a platform for collective progress. As Mehta and Rawi make clear, the future of digitalisation in the process industries will be driven not only by the tools we build, but by the people and partnerships behind them.

Advances takes place 16–17 October, in Manchester, UK. Find out more and register at: www.icheme.org/advances