NEWS DESK WHAT’S NEW IN MANUFACTURING n FABTECH Creates Buzz About a Better 2017 W
hen FABTECH 2016 took over Las Vegas with the latest advanced metal forming, fabricating, welding, tube and pipe, and fi nishing technolo-
gies, you could be sure that what happened in Vegas would surely not stay in Vegas.
In this case, what happened in Vegas was a buzz that 2017 will be a better year for manufacturing. Fabtech 2016 welcomed 1500 exhibiting companies and a total of 31,110 attendees from over 120 countries in November to the Las Vegas Convention Center. Advanced technology suppliers of manufacturers, ma- chine tool builders, distributors, and suppliers found a ready, willing, and able audience among the visitors who attended this year’s annual version of the fabricating event co-spon- sored by SME, FMA, AWS, PMA, and CCAI. With the presidential election decided in favor of Republican
Donald Trump, exhibitors reported new optimism from attend- ees who were enthusiastically bringing projects for quote that had hitherto been delayed, put under wraps, or totally forgotten. FABTECH attendees from the ranks of manufacturing en- gineers, fabricators, welders, precision metal formers, and coil coaters heard a memorable keynote speech by six-time world champion fi ghter in fi ve weight classes, Sugar Ray Leonard, whose appearance was sponsored by Mitsubishi Laser.
an active display of sheetmetal processing machines and systems for laser cutting, punching, combined punch/shear and punch/laser, bending, and automation. And the road work began on the show fl oor of the Las Ve- gas Convention Center where attendees could see the latest developments in hot wire welding and lasing, stamping, coil handling and coating, fi xturing, and bending.
At FABTECH 2016, Amada demonstrated automated bending of large parts via live feed from its Schaumburg, IL, Solution Center.
Advanced technologies continued their inevitable march to-
ward improved productivity and part quality through speed, ac- curacy, and automation. Fiber lasers with powers of 8 kW and in particular 10 kW are cutting parts so fast that material handling,
FABTECH exhibitors reported new optimism as attendees brought projects, which had been delayed, for quote.
A standing room throng of more than 1000 listened to
Leonard’s prescription for personal and professional success interspersed with clips from his memorable fi ghts with Mar- velous Marvin Hagler, Tommy “Hit Man” Hearns, and Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran. Leonard’s message: Set fear aside with preparation, focus, discipline, determination, and the right attitude…and a lot of road work. FABTECH exhibitors displayed a wide variety of new tech- nology and new applications that are advancing productivity in several key areas of fabrication, including sheetmetal, laser, automation, robotics and software, among others. For ex- ample, Prima Power’s Wall of Greater Productivity presented
stackers and loaders and unloaders are being re-engineered to keep up where an operator simply can’t be expected to. Robots continue to provide sophisticated automation for traditional processes like tending press brakes with automatic tool changing and sophisticated automation for bending large parts. Or in the case of new additive manufacturing processes, a robot builds a part from scratch or repairs an existing high- value workpiece, combining laser power with traditional hot wire welding technology for large metal part manufacturing. Software remains the source of a common thread for
increased visibility of manufacturing processes that can be monitored and tracked through the entire shop and out into
January 2017 |
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