The 9th edition of the SPS/IPC/Drives exposition and congress on Nov. 24, 1998, welcomed visitors with a spectrum of traditional to newer automation technologies. A mostly German show on the upswing, SPS/IPC/Drives had 485 exhibitors, 145 more than in 1997. About 87% were German companies, with other European firms making up the other three-quarters.
The 9th edition of the SPS/IPC/Drives exposition and congress on Nov. 24, 1998, welcomed visitors with a spectrum of traditional to newer automation technologies. A mostly German show on the upswing, SPS/IPC/Drives had 485 exhibitors, 145 more than in 1997. About 87% were German companies, with other European firms making up the other three-quarters. North American highlights included an increased DeviceNet (DN) presence. This was part of ODVA’s (Open DeviceNet Vendor Association, Coral Springs, Fla.) recent push to increase DN’s visibility in Europe. “Device manufacturers now are more aware of DeviceNet. Three to four times more vendors supplying compatible products than previously helps the picture,” says Teja Ulrich, DN’s Munich-based manager in Europe. There were also DN-linked operator interfaces and sensor products.
