Welcome to the greatest show on earth

You might read “greatest show on earth” and immediately think of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. However, what I am referring to is the 30th edition of the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS 2014).

To many people exhibiting at the IMTS, preparing for the show sometimes feels like a three-ring circus – juggling many different tasks in order to have just the perfect booth exhibit to wow attendees. The show’s organizer, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, is juggling much more than three rings. As an attendee, you might also feel like you have just entered a circus, since the size and scope of the show is so massive.

IMTS is one of the largest industrial trade shows in the world, featuring more than 1,900 exhibitors and 100,000+ visitors. And it’s so much more than a walk-the-floor trade show. First, the event encompasses all four halls of McCormick Place, and is nicely split into nine pavilions – making it easier to navigate for the areas that interest you. Next, the conferences – Global Automation and Manufacturing Summit; Motion, Drive, & Automation North America; and the IMTS Conference Program – offer more than 70 speaker presentations throughout the week.

Another show-stopping attraction is AMT’s Emerging Technology Center (ETC), which features futuristic views of new technology and emerging trends in manufacturing. This year, practical and actual applications of new technologies will be demonstrated right on the exhibition floor, with a final product being built using parts manufactured by exhibitors during the show.

As IMTS continues to expand, so does the Smartforce Student Summit, which enables students to attend the show in order to encourage careers in the manufacturing technology industry.

Lastly, I would like to invite you to our booth – Today’s Technology Center (TTC), W-20 – where you’ll see how businesses are implementing the latest advancements in manufacturing technology (see pages 30-31). The TTC features advancements from the medical, aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors. Highlights from the medical side will be TMD’s very own Glass-Man showcasing everything from implants to durable equipment. We will also be hosting a game where attendees have a chance to “Implant the Implant” and enter to win an iPad.

This year’s show promises so many options that being prepared for what you want to view at the show is truly a necessity. That is one reason we have published the IMTS 2014 Quick Guide with this issue. The Quick Guide is a fast reference to companies in four key growth sectors – medical, aerospace, energy, and motor vehicles. It also offers all the exhibitors in alphabetical order. I hope you find it useful in your planning.

Finally, if you just picked up this issue at the show – or you are borrowing a colleague’s copy – take the time to turn to page 82 and subscribe to your own copy, or visit www.onlinetmd.com/account/signup.aspx.

I look forward to seeing you at the show. Please stop by booth W-20 to introduce yourself, and let me know what you found to be the most interesting technology.
 

– Elizabeth