Nearly 19,000 visitors attended the 2004 National Manufacturing Week (February 23-26) to see the wares from more than 1,000 exhibitors. The number of visitors was within 400 of last year—a strong performance in an era where most industry trade shows have fallen dramatically, says John Stuttard, NMW's industry vice president. Signs of jobs—if not the jobs themselves—were surely in the air. Among the many showcased products, gadgets, insights, and solutions, attendees also saw encouraging reports about the economy. Co-organizers Reed Exhibitions and National Association of Manufacturers (http://rbi.ims.ca/3847-517) presented hope to those longing to see a manufacturing rebound in the U.S.:
For 2004, the NAM forecast that manufacturing growth would outpace the gross domestic product increase, adding that NAM members expect more hiring and fewer layoffs, according to its annual survey. By a 5:1 ratio, NAM said, companies plan to hire more employees, with the bulk of those jobs coming from higher-paid fields, such as skilled production and professional positions.
As part of the "Play Your Part" rally by the NAM, speakers were invited to share their thoughts on how manufacturers can help keep jobs in America. "There are places in the U.S. where people are willing to work for $7, $10 an hour," said Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL), urging U.S. companies—large or small—to "outsource to America." Manzullo, also the Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business, added that American CEOs are trapped in a culture where they believe outsourcing could cut costs, hence bolster their companies' stock prices.
Besides choosing the right technology, manufacturers need also an understanding of finances and a ready supply of cash to survive a soft economy. Making that cash available was the point of the Capital Market Pavilion, where 14 equity funds, including Bank of America, the nation's largest financial company, offered financial advice to help companies get the money they need for sustainable growth.
The 2004 National Manufacturing Week was also the first stop on a 10-city U.S. tour of the 1,000-ft Siemens Exider Technology Train. Individual cars showcased such themes as process and discrete manufacturing, machine tool components, commercial and residential power distribution, and engineering services. Education is an important part of the Exider's mission, the company said, and the train was manned with knowledgeable staff to explain the technology, potential applications, and benefits.
Sensors bring real-world data to computer systems, which need many types of input. Mikron Infrared (http://rbi.ims.ca/3847-518), one of the vendors in the Sensors Pavilion, demonstrated sensors that can remotely sense temperature even from shiny metals. Another company, Interface Inc. (http://rbi.ims.ca/3847-519), showcased its High Capacity Series Load cells that feature load capacity of up 1,000 kilos. Also on display were improved switches.
Some hot products at National Manufacturing Week, 2004
MDM's motor-management software. The 1.2.3 Approach package from Motor Decisions Matter (http://rbi.ims.ca/3847-520) can help facility managers reduce downtime and save energy by calculating annual motor operating costs and proactively managing their electric motor resources.
CFD analysis for the masses. FloWizard from Fluent Inc. (http://rbi.ims.ca/3847-521) is a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software that allows design engineers to do first-pass analysis to optimize designs. It has a "Guide me" command rather than "Help" to help engineers overcome their reluctance to ask for assistance.
Collaborative software to cut design time. ImpactXoft (http://rbi.ims.ca/3847-522) said its IX SPeeD V5 Suite could give engineers more time by filling in the gap between product lifecycle management (PLM) and design. The software is natively interoperable and collaborative for the CAA V5 ecosystem, including CATIA V5.
Strain relief for cables. The Tool Replacement Assemblies from Gore (http://rbi.ims.ca/3847-523) comes with strain relief within the area of the potential for greatest bend radius. The design involves the use of a tapered elastomer part that holds the bend radius to an acceptable limit.
Pneumatic actuator choices expand. Firestone Industrial Products (http://rbi.ims.ca/3847-524) introduced the Polyactuator 70-P-13 line, which consists of engineered-plastic molded elements welded together in a sealed unit and has no pistons, rods, or sliding seals. Minimum height is 0.6 inches (16 mm), and the models are capable of strokes up to 0.5 inches (13 mm) and forces over 100 lbs (0.45 kN) at a pressure of 50 psig (3.5 bar).
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