Amerimold at a Glance

Although every trade show involves some ebb and flow, feedback from exhibitors was largely positive, and every aisle was bustling during peak periods.

Amerimold’s official tagline, “the event for mold manufacturing,” isn’t just talk. The annual show is the only event in North America targeted specifically at the plastic injection mold manufacturing industry. That makes it the ideal location for industry-specific technology suppliers like PCS.

One niche, mold-industry product on display was this separator/tipper from Die-Sep. This particular model saves time and improves safety when breaking down molds as heavy as 2,000 pounds.

Although the show was a success by any measure, targeting a specific audience naturally limits its size. This more intimate setting certainly has its advantages. Less ground to cover means less time rushing about to make appointments and more time for in-depth conversations that can lead to new business opportunities and new insights about technology and the overall industry.

Some people visited Rosemont for more than just Amerimold. For the first time this year, the show was co-located with the annual Molding Conference, and Molding 2015 attendees received complementary admission to the Amerimold show floor. Here, attendees mingle at a catered networking event in one of the exhibits ballrooms.

In recent years, many of the processors attending the molding conference as well as mold manufacturers with repair/maintenance operations have adopted their first laser welders, such as this model from Laserstar. Advantages of laser welding technology include precision and reduced heat-affected zone (HAZ). Many suppliers have introduced, or are planning to introduce, fiber laser models that reportedly require less maintenance than ND:Yag configurations.

The number of mold manufacturing exhibitors (as opposed to technology suppliers) has been increasing steadily every year. Linear Mold & Engineering, shown here, was just one of 19 mold manufacturers exhibiting at Amerimold 2015, a record number since the show's inception as the Moldmaking Expo in 1999. The reason for that is two fold. First, the show has evolved into a prime locale for companies hoping to start relationships with qualified, domestic mold builders. Show organizer and MoldMaking Technology publisher Gardner Business Media has also made a concerted effort to attract more shops to the show.

For many shops, competitiveness increasingly depends on reducing setup time and eliminating variation. As a result, standardized fixturing, like the FCS system from Single Source Technologies, has become increasingly popular in the industry.

Even the most effective product can be limited in capability if the rest of the process isn’t sound. That’s why Vero Software works closely with CNC manufacturers like Heidenhain so that CAD/CAM products like WorkNC can take full advantage of control software capabilities. Closing the loop between CAD/CAM and metrology instruments is also a prime focus, given the company’s recent acquisition by Hexagon Metrology. Integration between CAD and CAM has also been a hot topic industry-wide, according to the many other software developer exhibitors.

Cutting tool manufacturers were well represented at the show as well. Here, a representative from Sumitomo goes over the company’s latest offerings.

An 8 a.m. start time wasn’t enough to discourage these attendees from getting an education at this presentation on mold steel (exhibits opened at 9 a.m.). Courtesy of Ellwood Specialty Steel, this was one of many 45-minute presentations conducted throughout the show and divided into Engineer, Build and Maintain tracks. On Thursday, June 18, attendees also had the opportunity to attend two in-depth, four-hour workshops, which covered 3D part programming and making mold maintenance profitable, respectively.

Every year, MoldMaking Technology recognizes shops that are raising the bar for modern mold engineering, building and repair with the Leadtime Leader awards. At the close of the first day of the show, attendees gathered to watch the team from Windsor, Ontario-based Cavalier Tool and Manufacturing accept this year’s award. Shortly after, the team from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-based Dynamic Tool & Design took to the stage to accept this year’s Leadtime Leader: Honorable Mention award.

The Leadtime Leader program wasn’t the only example of celebrating innovation and skill at Amerimold. Here, Harry Raimondi of Bales Metal Surface Solutions accepts the SPE’s annual “Mold Maker of the Year” award from Glenn Starkey of Progressive Components, a sponsor of the awards.

The SPE also recognized Chris Hanes of Micro Mold Company and Plastikos Inc. with its annual Mold Designer of the Year Award.

Amerimold isn’t all business—there’s plenty of time for fun, too. Every year, attendees and exhibitors gather for a Casino-themed networking party complete with tabletop games, music (in this case, progressive rock for a progressive industry) and plenty of food and drink.

Attendees visiting show organizer and MoldMaking Technology publisher Gardner Business Media’s booth were treated to a free “Top 10 Reasons to be a Moldmaker” T-shirt. Readers submit new suggestions each year for the shirt. This year’s top-voted choice: “There is no crying in moldmaking!”