The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has joined the Automation Federation (AF) – a global umbrella organisation for associations and societies involved in manufacturing and process automation, whose goals are to advance the science and engineering of automation technologies and applications, and to develop the workforce needed to capitalise on the benefits of automation.

As a member of the AF, the IET will join the International Society of Automation (ISA), the Organization for Machine Automation and Control (OMAC), and the Wireless Industrial Network Alliance (WINA) in joint activities to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and to advance public awareness of automation and technology. The AF, which was founded in 2006, aims to become the “voice of automation”.

“The IET is pleased to be an active part of the Automation Federation,” says Steve Mustard, who chairs the IET’s Americas regional board. “AF has accomplished so much of value in such a short amount of time, and we welcome the opportunity to be an integral part of their efforts.”

The IET is the world’s second-largest professional body of engineers, with 150,000 members in 127 countries.