Advances in additive manufacturing and materials, from metals to advanced engineering polymers, have made production parts a reality and accessible. From functional prototypes to working end use parts, additive manufacturing has allowed companies to increase production and advanced workflows in-house and cut down lead times. 

This presentation will focus on the Mazak manufacturing plant in Florence, Kentucky, built in 1974 and expanded numerous times since then. The plant utilizes the highly advanced Mazak iSMART Factory concept, which encompasses the complete digital integration of the factory with state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, automation and advanced manufacturing practices. It hinges on the free flow and sharing of data in terms of process control and operation monitoring. In the factory, the MTConnect® open communications protocol works with process support software and provides connectivity and the capability to monitor, then harvest, data from all the different production floor machines, cells, devices and processes. Gain ideas that could benefit your facility.

In these days of common labor shortages within industry, robots are viewed as viable alternatives within many manufacturing tasks.  But whereas industrial robots must be isolated from humans for safety reasons, in machine shops collaborative robots (cobots), which are designed for safe human-robot proximity, can provide a welcome productivity solution. This presentation will examine some of the applications for cobots in machine shops, including machine tending, parts loading/unloading, inspection, and surface finishing.  Learn how cobots have advanced in recent years and how safety is ensured.

In digital manufacturing, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) is the primary language to communicate geometric specifications. This seminar will cover the topic of GD&T, with updates from the ASME Y14.5 - 2018 standard.  Learn how GD&T resolves the ambiguities of coordinate dimensioned drawings and inspection issues.

This presentation will give a general overview of the rules, hazards and controls involved with machine operation. As long as workers need machines to help them process material – to cut, shear, punch, bend, or drill – they will be exposed to moving parts that can hurt them. This is why OSHA machine guarding regulations are so important.  Learn what you need to know to be in compliance.

Hundreds of older machine tools in the U.S. are becoming more difficult to use and expensive to maintain. The good news! Older machine tools were built like tanks. They are often twice the weight of a newer machine with the same travel/footprint. The ball screws and other components were often overbuilt for most applications. Retrofitting new control and servo systems onto these machines can give the best of both worlds, offering a better-supported and more capable machine tool. Attendees will learn about the benefits of retrofitting machine tools. They will learn how to identify if their machine tool is a good candidate for retrofit, and how to get started. They will also learn the difference between “rebuild” and “control retrofit.”

Unlock the potential of artificial intelligence in your machine shop with this practical and approachable presentation. Discover the advantages and limitations of AI, understand what it excels at, and learn about the tasks it will never replace. With real-world examples of AI software, this session will empower you to confidently explore AI's role in modern manufacturing. Whether you're curious or cautious, you'll leave with insights to enhance your operations.

This presentation will provide attendees with an overview of 3D printing and additive manufacturing. Included will be a look at how material properties affect print quality, durability and functionality.  Also, details on best practices in CAD design specifically tailored for 3D printing, maximizing the potential of additive manufacturing. The speaker also will describe common 3D printing problems, and discuss future trends and innovations.