Some of the machine tool industry's biggest companies and
more than 90,000 attendees are gathering at the International Manufacturing
Technology Show (IMTS08) this week.
Held in
Chicago's McCormick Place, this year's IMTS has approximately 1,300 exhibitors,
including such names as Toshiba
Machine Co., Fuji Machine America,
Mitsubishi, Bosch
Rexroth, GE Fanuc, Mazak Corp. and MTS Systems Corp. The exhibitors,
showing technology ranging from milling machines to electric discharge
machining systems, and from sensors to cylinders, are demonstrating technology
in four giant halls covering 1.2 mil sq ft of space.
"Our 2006
show was very strong and we expect this one to be as strong, if not exceed it,"
says Mary Uhrina, a spokeswoman for IMTS.
This year's
show is highlighting technology standardization. A Manufacturing Business and
Technology Forum at the show is showcasing a collaboration between
manufacturing technology and computer science that aims to create a new
standard for accessing and displaying machine data in a more understandable
manner. Known as MTConnect, the new
standard is being demonstrated at the show by remotely displaying data from 24
companies at 24 locations on the show floor.
IMTS 2008
began Monday and will run through Saturday, September 13. The next IMTS
will be held in 2010.
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