amerimold expo 2014: Buzzing with Business

At the close of last week's amerimold expo, attendees and exhibitors alike were enlightened, excited and engaged by the technology displayed on the show floor, the best practices highlighted in the knowledge centers, the lessons learned shared in the technical conference, the Leadtime Leaders recognized during the awards ceremony and the new connections made at the networking reception.

It was two days full of enough information specific to the mold that everyone went back to their shops with new ways to improve their processes and businesses--from ways to de-risk the product launch and make that quoted cycle time to driving the next generation of skilled workers and implementing technology to developing skills and systems necessary to reduce unscheduled mold stops and improving your maintenance environment.

Whether a small, new moldmaking enterprise or a large veteran shop in the industry, the exhibits displayed much of the technology and services needed for running your shops more efficiently.

Some attendees shared their feedback with MMT:

"I am a new shop owner with limited machine tools, so it was pretty amazing to see the CNC mills, lathes and EDMs in action on the exhibit floor. I often look at a machine in a catalog and wonder if it is as well-built as the manufacturer photos show. Seeing the machines in person, in one place saved me thousands of dollars in trips to see them firsthand at a distributor's building or at another shop."

"It was good to see a variety of different machine tool manufacturers on the exhibition floor. The factory reps were there to answer any questions about the machine and to demonstrate different features of the machine. It was a great experience that you just don't get flipping through the pages of a sales brochure."

"While walking the exhibit hall floor I ran into an engineer from North Carolina who happens to be one on my customers. We hadn't spoken in a while, so it was nice to catch up. We even discussed a project that they want me to take on soon."

"I'm in the market to purchase a CAD system soon and was delighted to sit in on two of the presentations in the Knowledge Centers: one on animation and the other on a CAD system that I am considering."

Technologies on display ranged from CAD/CAM designed to machine molds that require minimal to no polishing to five-axis vertical machining designed specifically for complex, 3D contouring to high-strength copper alloys for full core and cavity, core pins and hot runner components to vertical lifters designed to function with just one set of ejector plates to an open laser welding workstation, designed for general welding of large parts, tool and die repair, injection mold repair, and other applications.

amerimold 2015 will take place June 17-18 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, alongside Molding 2015. Mark your calendars!