ISMR June 2024 | Page 36

focuses on introducing small and mediumsized machining operations to new product technologies , process innovations and business strategies . Shops receive insight on how to implement lights-out machining and automated production with confidence . Gardner Business Media will also be launching the ‘ Succeeding with Powder Bed Fusion Workshop ’ which will cover materials , safety , part design , production workflow and differences between laser and electron beam metal powder bed fusion systems .

‘ The IMTS Supply Chain Forum ’, copresented by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals , will deliver direct strategies and proven techniques for leaner , more agile and more profitable supply chains . ‘ The IMTS Investor Forum ’ connects investment professionals with advanced manufacturing experts so they can learn first-hand about the industry from start-up companies and industry veterans .

“ The IMTS 2024 Conference provides attendees with tangible insights and solutions to take back to company operations for immediate implementation : improving productivity and quality ; Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things ; overall equipment effectiveness and developing a workforce . Other popular and longstanding conferences at IMTS include the ‘ Parts Cleaning Conference ’, presented by GBM , and the ‘ Industrial Laser Conference ’ presented by the Laser Institute

of America ,” explained AMT .

Visitor housing registration for IMTS 2024 is also now open . Housing is managed by Global Housing Solutions ( GHS ), powered by AMT . GHS contracts with more than 90 Chicagoarea hotels to offer benefits for visitor housing that include guaranteed rooms , booking and a free shuttle between the selected hotels and McCormick Place .

Tooling and workholding solutions

A cutting tool becomes more than just a cutting tool when it unlocks transformative potential , and the ‘ Tooling & Workholding Sector ’ at IMTS 2024 offers an entire building of new potential . Demonstrations at the show will emphasise automated systems that integrate multiple functions , enabling users to increase precision and boost productivity with existing staff .

The ‘ Tooling & Workholding Sector ’ features 301 exhibitors occupying 186,245 sq . ft . of exhibit space in the West Building of McCormick Place . Highlights include fully automatic systems for fitting , measuring , shrink-clamping and cooling tools , enabling users to achieve high throughput , precision and tool availability .

“ If a tool or workholding product or process can be digitised , you can count on exhibitors showcasing an innovative new solution at IMTS 2024 ,” confirmed Peter R . Eelman , Chief Experience Officer , AMT . “ High-technology cutting tools deliver a proven productivity payback , while advanced workholding combines accuracy and repeatability while increasing unattended run-time . The ‘ Tooling & Workholding Sector ’ will offer new ways of working more efficiently for shops of every size .”

“ Advances in tool design and workholding solutions continue to evolve . For many job shops , winning a new customer or extending run time often begins with a connection made in the ‘ Tooling & Workholding Sector ’,” continued Eelman .

Jay Simpson is co-owner of Multi-Axis Technologies , a small job shop focusing on high-mix , low-volume parts .

“ We need to reduce our set-up time , and the best way we found to seek solutions was by attending IMTS and really diving into the ‘ Tooling & Workholding Sector ,’” he said . “ We visited every booth and looked at the quick-change items and flexible solutions . We recently purchased the VERO-S modular quickchange pallet system , which reduces set-up times and has a repeat accuracy of one ten thousandth . Now it is growing into this whole other subset of workholding solutions that we needed .”

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