process development
The largest and longest running manufacturing technology trade show in the United
States is held every other year at McCormick Place in Chicago. Innovations this time
around include a Manufacturing Business and Technology Forum.
Technology, ecology and education
IMTS attracts over 90,000 visitors from every from
every level of industry and over 40 countries. It is owned
and managed by AMT - The Association For
Manufacturing Technology which represents
and promotes the interests of American
providers of manufacturing machinery and
equipment. Its goal is to promote technological
advancements and improvements in the design,
manufacture and sale of members’ products.
The 2008 exhibitor kit emphasises the show’s
green aspirations. The kit will be provided on a
memory stick that can be returned to show
management for re-use for IMTS 2010. ‘We
believe it is our responsibility to reduce the
ecological and environmental impact of IMTS
in any way we can’ says Peter Eelman, IMTS
Vice President – Exhibitions. ‘With every showrelated
decision we weigh our options to be
more green. The exhibitor kit is one place we
can potentially reduce the impact to zero.’
IMTS has a history of reducing ecological
and environmental impact. For many years the
exhibitor kit was a several-hundred-page
binder mailed to exhibitors. For IMTS 2006, the
kit was available on a CD; and the practice of
making all exhibitor press releases available
online rather than having paper-intense folders
for the media has been continued for 2008. ‘It is
also fitting that the new McCormick Place
West, one part of the complex in which IMTS is held, is
the largest new construction LEED certified building in
the country’ continues Eelman. LEED (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design) is the green building
rating created by the US Green Building Council. The
rating system is organized into five environmental
categories: sustainable sites, water Efficiency, Energy &
Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, and Indoor
Environmental Quality. To be rated, a project earns points
based on satisfying performance criteria in each category.
This year IMTS will host a new Manufacturing
Business and Technology Forum in partnership with key
industry organisations. ‘Where Technology and Business
Connect’ will feature educational sessions conducted by
SME - Society of Manufacturing Engineers, CAR - Center
for Automotive Research, ASPE - American Society for
Precision Engineering, NTMA - National Tooling and
Machining Association, Tooling U and AMT - The
Association for Manufacturing Technology.
‘By expanding the number of partners participating in
our educational efforts we can offer broad and relevant
content to our IMTS attendees’ says Eelman. ‘More than
ever before, we are designing this education experience for
IMTS launches include
latest versions of software
from MasterCam and
Delcam, and a modular
honing series from Sunnen
36 MWP july 2008
the end-user.’ The sessions will explore technologies that
can change the way companies manufacture, business
development and optimisation, workforce
efficiency and productivity, and MT Connect, a
new interoperability standard for manufacturers.
The show will also combine an interactive
Career Development Center with a dynamic selfguided
tour of the technology and
manufacturing exhibition. Admission to IMTS
2008 for educators and students is free and field
trips are encouraged for students from middle
school through to vocational college levels.
Sponsored by the AMT along with the National
Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS), the
event aims to generate interest and incite
enthusiasm for precision manufacturing
through contact with industry professionals and
state-of-the-art technology. Educators can have
students witness emerging technologies, the
future platform for precision manufacturing.
‘By offering the opportunity for students and
educators to experience IMTS and interact with
exhibitors, as well as take advantage of the
outstanding program NIMS has planned for our
student attendees’ says Eelman. ‘We hope that
students will see first-hand the outstanding,
well-paying career opportunities precision
manufacturing has to offer.’
The NIMS Student Summit will feature the
return of student-friendly exhibitors. Students will be
able to interact with IMTS exhibitor personnel, ask
questions about career opportunities and the skill sets
required for entrance into the precision manufacturing
industry. Examples of Student Friendly Exhibitors for
2008 include Haas Automation, Agie Charmilles,
L.S.Starrett, ToolingU, and Mastercam.
The Career Development Center (CDC) will be the
focal point of the NIMS Student Summit. As part of the
CDC, all students will experience an event orientation
during which they will learn about what they can expect
during their visit, how their IMTS experiences will relate
to future career opportunities in the industry, and they will
also hear from successful, young professionals in the
industry. The CDC will feature interactive exhibits from
colleges and universities, companies and company human
resource representatives, and industry associations.
Continuous door prizes, a group photo opportunity, and
both student and instructor challenges will bring
excitement to the CDC while the Career Resource CD-
ROM, given to each student, as well as the exhibits, will
provide students and educators with important industryrelated
career information. www.imts.com
To view a Ceros magazine you need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser and have the flash player 8 or higher installed. To install the latest flash player, click the icon above, install the flash plugin and then click here to refresh this page.