Featuring sessions coordinated by the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC) and Tooling U-SME.

 

Wednesday,  Oct. 11

 

Session 1

9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

The Future of Making Things in Manufacturing

 

David Gray, Autodesk

 

Technology is increasingly being disruptive to manufacturing. How can you incorporate new strategies and work smarter?  The speaker will discuss how the traditional product lifecycle is being replaced by an integrated product development platform and what the manufacturers’ role in may be. Come participate with others who want to better understand how to harness manufacturing trends for success.

 

Session 2

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Increase Profitability With 5-Axis Machining

 

Tim Beer, Hurco

 

Today’s manufacturing companies are under constant pricing pressure. By using 5-axis machining strategies, your team can reduce setup time and improve throughput. As a result, the typical manufacturing firm can realize production savings of 30%. The speaker will discuss the process of multi-sided machining, utilizing CAD/CAM and innovative workholding techniques.

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Session 3

11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Meeting the Challenge of Retirees in Machining and Manufacturing – How to Develop a Formal Workforce Training and Development Program

 

Dave Ewers, Director of Learning Services,  ToolingU-SME

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There is critical skills gap looming for machine shops and manufacturing companies, where two-thirds of the current workforce is going to retire in the next 10-15 years. Qualified workers are needed to replace the retirees, but there is a lack of qualified workers in the job market today. Companies will be at a major disadvantage if they don’t have a structured training program in place to address this workforce reduction. Putting a formal learning and development program in place does not have to be complicated. It just needs to be structured and sustainable. Find out the steps your company can follow to take control of these concerns.

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Session 4

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Metal 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Technologies Today

 

Aaron Minard, Tech-Labs Inc.

 

This session will review 3D printing technologies, followed by a discussion of the growing sector of metal 3D printing and additive manufacturing technologies currently being used in the marketplace. The speaker will describe the collaboration of additive technology with traditional manufacturing, as well as discuss materials, applications, and designing for additive manufacturing. 

 

Session A

2:10 to 2:40 p.m.

Free Screening of SME Film: Electrical Discharge Machining

 

Open to all show and conference attendees is this screening of a Society of Manufacturing Engineers’ film: Electrical Discharge Machining. Part of the SME’s Fundamentals of Manufacturing Processes video series, the film explores the technology of EDM, which shapes metal by creating sparks that melt tiny portions of the workpiece. It is an exceptionally diverse process that generates no cutting forces, especially useful in the production of fragile parts that cannot take the stress of conventional machining. The film examines the two primary forms of the process – ram EDM and wire EDM.

 

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Thursday, Oct. 12

 

Session 5

9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

The Biggest Challenge to Becoming a Lean Organization – and How to Overcome It

 

Diana Martinez, Business Consultant, Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC) at the University of Texas-Arlington

 

Lean is an effective and well-proven methodology that brings value to organizations –  but why do organizations sometimes fail when trying to become lean or sustain lean practices? The speaker will describe the importance of not only understanding the voice of the customer and the voice of the business but also the voice of the employees. To successfully adapt a culture of continuous improvement all people in the organization need to be engaged – and most importantly, people need to understand the benefits of it. At the end of the presentation, attendees will have learned about best practices to engage people into the lean culture and how to measure performance.

 

Session 6

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Modern 3D Scanning for Reverse Engineering, Inspection, and Other Applications

 

Steve Kersen, NVision Inc.

 

This session will describe the methods of 3D scanning, including lasers, structured blue/white light, non-contact CMMs, and  CT/X-ray, with details on how each of the technologies applies to specific applications in terms of accuracy, speed and resolution. The speaker will examine the following major uses for 3D scanned data: reverse engineering, inspection/quality assurance, and rapid prototyping/3D printing.

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Session 7

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Collaborative Robots – Breaking Down the Automation Barrier

 

Early Ewing, Universal Robots

 

Global competition is driving the need to increase output, improve quality, and reduce costs. But many small and mid-sized enterprises believe their volumes are too small or processes too dynamic to be effectively automated, or that they just can't afford robotics. Collaborative robots, or cobots, work alongside human workers to cost-effectively automate even low-volume, fast-changing processes and improve competitiveness. The speaker will describe how manufacturers can benefit from this emerging new robot class.

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