Highlights from the International Manufacturing Technology Show

The exhibits at the annual International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) are powerful indicators of industrial manufacturing’s current state and future direction. TXI Digital sent Patrick Turley, Head of Engineering, to the event to analyze trends and products. Here are his major takeaways.

3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing

Makers of industrial 3D printers have completed the beginner phase: 3D printers generally work well across repeating print jobs without needing constant maintenance.

The current stage of 3D printing is improving and expanding the materials used, the “ink.” Additive manufacturing vendors are moving beyond the traditional plastic material to give their products more weight and durability. Formlabs showed off a new resin that creates products that feel like porcelain but are actually much stronger. Formlabs also displayed its Fuse 1+ printer, which uses powder and lasers to create industry-grade metal products efficiently.

According to Turley, the next stage of additive manufacturing is figuring out how to scale up. The industry needs to move 3D printers from being “pets” to being “cattle.”

Automation and Robotics

There were robot arms galore at IMTS. One lifted a car and dangled it around. Another swapped out tools, grabbing replacements from the wall. One even had a glass of champagne on a little tray, flinging it around without losing a single drop.

While there were tons of robot vendors of all shapes and sizes, they didn’t all come with features needed for immediate plug-and-play for an automated production line. They didn’t come with connectivity already built in.

Digital Twins and Connected Systems

Connectivity certainly wasn’t ignored at IMTS, though. Many vendors had some version of digital twins, virtual twins, 3D twins, or whatever nomenclature you prefer. Siemens doubled down on this feature, regaling folks with stories from their Formula 1 race car design work. Even a small shop from Ohio that works on Coordinated Measuring Machines, a small corner of industrial manufacturing, had a digital twin sitting right next to its physical product.

Overall, this year’s IMTS showed that new industrial manufacturing technology is impressive, and with the right guidance, can bring value to businesses.

Produced by NOVA Media