Waldkirch, October 2016 – SICK hosted the second developers' conference of the SICK AppSpace Developers Club in Freiburg from September 27 to 29, 2016. The annual event is designed to provide a platform for dialog with SICK developers and other members of the Club and to grow the network in the SICK AppSpace community. The event also gives developers the opportunity to play an active role in the ongoing development of the SICK AppSpace eco-system.

Some 50 delegates attended open workshops to discuss the next stages of development for the platform and share their experiences. They joined forces to collaborate on possible solutions for a variety of problems including how to optimise performance, how to make programming easier and quicker, and how to improve and simplify support.

Detlef Deuil, head of product management for vertical integration products, explains the concept: “Our BarCamps give delegates the opportunity to help shape and develop the content and format of the event. We were able to get direct feedback from our customers, OEMs, and integrators, that's to say our users, to which we can respond directly. Following the end of the conference, we intend to draw up a road map, to set an order of priority for the requirements to be met, and to develop solutions.”

The event program also made provision for a marketplace where delegates were able to look at example applications and watch demonstrations of new SICK AppSpace products. These included, for example, the programmable cameras in the InspectorP family and the SIM4000 Sensor Integration Machine. Tours of the SICK Group headquarters in Waldkirch and the site at Reute were of course also on the agenda. At the feedback workshop held to close the event, delegates were in agreement that it had been a resounding success and very worthwhile for all of them. Alex Heurkens from Pliant bv in the Netherlands summed up his experience: “I really like the concept of the conference and its modern approach to working together. It gives us system integrators the opportunity to be part of the development process. Every delegate gets valuable practical feedback from development experiences. What's more, the event is very well organised and the atmosphere is fantastic.”

The cost of a membership subscription for the SICK AppSpace Developers Club includes a free download of a SICK AppStudio license. Club members have access to regular SICK AppStudio updates and benefit from personal support via the SICK Support Service Portal. Members can use the ticket system and the phone line to access support from skilled partners. Remote access support is also available via these channels. Example apps, tutorials, and FAQs can also be accessed on the SICK AppSpace Support Portal. Developers Club members can even take advantage of special offers for demo kits and lab equipment.