DMG / Mori Seiki participated as inaugural sponsor exhibitors at imX, a three-day interactive manufacturing experience held September 11-14, 2011 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. With a focus on innovation and knowledge transfer, the event gave attendees from across North America plenty of industry know-how and new business contacts to bring back to their plants and offices.  DMG/Mori Seiki enjoyed a high level of participation at imX, as one of the eight “eXperience Partners” that sponsored the event and formed the core of the exhibit. The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and the American Machine Tools Distributors’ Association (AMTDA) also served as sponsors.

 DMG/Mori Seiki’s large “eXperience Zone” exhibit space and interactive Learning Lab were devoted to “Increased Efficiency through Networking and Communications.”  The theme resonated with more than 900 “eXecutive Guest” visitors, who represented industries including aerospace, automotive, defense, medical device, energy, and heavy equipment, from family-owned machine shops to global manufacturers and everything in between.

Plenty of DMG / Mori Seiki sales and technical personnel were on hand to demonstrate machine capabilities and answer customer questions. The DMU 65 monoBLOCK and the NMV1500DCG shared the floor with the NHX5000 Horizontal Machining Center, the NTX1000/S turn-mill machine, and other exhibited machines. In the Advance Technologies Center, the Lasertec 40 demonstrated laser ablation of 2D and 3D parts, and the Ultrasonic 10 featured 5-axis machining of a 13-part implant bridge made from CoCr alloy. Also of particular interest to imX attendees were DMG / Mori Seiki’s advanced gear milling applications. Three distinct gear production solutions (hobbing, InvoMilling, and 5-axis gear milling using ball end mill) offer the benefits of integrated machining to customers with a wide range of needs.

The Learning Lab featured a rotating schedule of video and live presentations in a comfortable “home theatre” setting – a great way for imX attendees to relax while remaining engaged and informed. Throughout the exhibit, the focus was on technologies to keep machines, processes and people connected. All eight DMG and Mori Seiki machines at imX were linked by MT Connect, an industry standard to improve data exchange between controls, devices and software applications. Six software kiosks showcased leading-edge automation applications including Automation Integration, Shop Floor Monitoring, Production Management, and CAM and Post Processing.

“The emphasis at imX is on technology – new automation solutions,” said John Roufis, Manager, Technical Instruction for DMG / Mori Seiki University, who presented a session titled “The Ins & Outs of Remote Machine Monitoring” in the Learning Lab. “I tell people it is like ‘social networking’ for machines; that makes it relatable. One customer who heard me describe it that way immediately said ‘I’m sold!’ – he instantly understood the benefits for his shop.”

The DMG / Mori Seiki exhibit space also included a hospitality café for convenient networking, and a model of the company’s new North American manufacturing plant in Davis, California. Groundbreaking took place June 22, 2011 for the new high-tech facility, which is located adjacent to the campus of Digital Technology Laboratory. The company expects the plant to produce as many as 100 new machines per month once full-scale operation begins.

The busy exhibit floor and engaged attendees at imX 2011 bode well for manufacturers, said DMG / Mori Seiki’s Gregory Hyatt, VP Engineering and Chief Technical Officer. “Machine tool sales tend to be a good indicator of where the economy is going. When those from the aerospace, automotive, die-mold, and medical industries are all optimistic, that’s a good indicator for everyone.” As he concluded his Learning Lab presentation on “Agile Machines: Special Applications for Standard Equipment,” Hyatt gave attendees this final thougth as they left Las Vegas: “What are your company’s special needs? What I challenge you to do is share your challenges with us.”

The next imX show is scheduled for September 9-11, 2013, returning to the Las Vegas Convention Center. For details, visit www.imXevent.com.