PM Blog

Making the decision to invest in new equipment can be difficult. There are many aspects to consider, including measuring the costs and benefits of adopting new technology. If the goal of the machine is simply increasing the speed and throughput of an existing process, this process can be straightforward. But if the technology will impact the capabilities, processes or workflow of an operation, the decision becomes complicated.

With IMTS 2018 approaching, this issue is likely on the minds of many. A webinar titled “Weighing Your Future: Evaluating Cost, Profit and Financing when Adopting Transformative Technologies,” presented by Index Traub, can help guide companies through the process. Index Traub’s president and CEO Tom Clark and Equipment Finance Group president and CEO Chris Lyle will cover the methodology to evaluate technologies that significantly alter an operation, give insights into questions to ask exhibitors at trade shows when considering new technologies and offer a comparison of financing options for investing in such technology. 

Nine years ago, Janie was a distribution associate by day and a struggling singer-songwriter in the Nashville scene by night. Then a friend told her about a position opening at Horn USA, and that’s where her career began in manufacturing in 2010. Since then, she has filled many roles at the company, including managing inventory and deliveries in the warehouse, entering orders and managing returns in the customer service department, and now leading the company’s quality department as its quality specialist.

Janie supports industry efforts to bridge the generational gap through her participation on the Precision Machine Products Association's (PMPA's) NextGen Committee. As an inaugural member of the committee, she engages with others to develop initiatives to engage and support the next generation of precision machinists. Janie also helps lead Horn USA's Manufacturing Day open house each October, where the company introduces more than 100 high school and middle school students to modern manufacturing. She discusses her career path and what brought her to manufacturing.

The Parts Cleaning Conference will be held April 3-4, 2019, in Cleveland, Ohio, during the Precision Machining Technology Show (PMTS), and organizers are collecting abstracts from those interested in presenting.

The past three PMTS events have seen record attendance, and the Parts Cleaning Conference provides a venue where cleaning meets machining. Often unfairly viewed as a necessary evil to the machining process, a proper cleaning regiment can save time and money, if properly implemented. This conference is a two-day program offering a robust lineup of technical experts that will review everything from applications and best practices to chemistry and environmental regulations, organizers say.

As the machining technology displayed at IMTS has advanced, so have the discussions that take place between exhibitors and customers at the show’s Metal Cutting Pavilion. According to Marlow Knabach, executive V.P., National Engineering at DMG MORI USA, “The conversations at IMTS have changed from spindle speeds and traverse rates to how to deliver pertinent information so job shops and manufacturers can better manage their assets.”

Demonstrations from exhibitors will help start these conversations. Mr. Knabach predicts that visitors will be able to see smart machines that can monitor critical elements including spindle bearing temperature, spindle vibration, ballscrew temperature, coolant level and tool wear. This can help users identify potential sources of downtime before they occur.

The invitation and registration documents for EMO Hannover 2019 are currently being sent out to companies in about 60 different countries. "We contact almost every company in the world that does international business and that has some connection with the manufacture of machine tools, tools, components, software and automation for industrial production," says Carl Martin Welcker, general commissioner of the show. From September 16 to 21, 2019, EMO Hannover will once again be providing a platform for innovative solutions, industrial applications and future technologies in the field of metalworking. "It includes the entire international production technology value chain, covering everything from cut-to-length machines to cylinder saws. That's exactly what makes it so attractive," Mr. Welcker says, describing the advantages of the event.

About 2,200 exhibitors are expected, more than half of them from outside Germany. According to the organizers, EMO exhibitors have responded well to the early-bird discount, which runs until October 15 this year. "Not only does it provide planning security, it’s also a great offer—especially for companies with large stands," explains Mr. Welcker.