Inspiring the Extraordinary: IMTS 2024 Showcases What’s Possible

As automation continues to evolve, the manufacturing industry can expect even greater advancements and efficiencies on the shop floor. Fabricating & Metalworking continues to report that automation and digitalization of machinery, tools, software, controls and other processes increases productivity, decreases costs of operations, and creates a more sustainable future.

Automated processes are so crucial in the metalworking sector and manufacturing overall that this year the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), being held September 9-14, added the new Automation Sector pavilion, which is accelerated by SPS – Smart Production Solutions. Located in the North Building at McCormick Place in Chicago, the pavilion features companies specializing in robots, collaborative robots (cobots), motion control, data management and automation integration. Additionally, exhibits throughout IMTS will demonstrate automated solutions for CNC machining, additive manufacturing, vision systems, metrology, tooling, workholding, abrasive machining, gear generation, parts handling and cleaning, and other manufacturing technologies, pointed out IMTS officials.

“Automation is omnipresent at IMTS because exhibitors know industry needs automation technologies to leverage worker productivity and boost business profitability,” said Peter R. Eelman, chief experience officer, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, which owns and produces IMTS.

One leading example of automation is cobots, which will be demonstrated in conjunction with tooling and workholding, welding, metrology, machining, part handling, and other applications at IMTS.

Cobot providers have been simplifying the cobot integration experience and improving the cobot operator experience, such as an easy-to-use pendant on a system from Universal Robotics, according to IMTS. One fabricator obtained 24 hours of lights-out operation for more than a 600% productivity boost in machining.

Said Will Healy, global industry leader – welding at Universal Robotics (UR) (Booth N-236131), a cobot can arrive on a loading dock in the morning and be assisting with production by noon because cobot providers have “a hyper focus on simplifying the cobot integration experience and improving the cobot operator experience.”

Machine operators (not robot programmers) can program and staff multiple pieces of equipment, boosting machine utilization numbers and shortening changeover time between parts. With these factors, shops can now run more parts per machine with overnight runs or lights-out manufacturing, boost shop competitiveness, and help company leaders win new business.

“At IMTS 2024, conversations will center around how artificial intelligence and cobots come together to bring new levels of usability and productivity to the shop floor,” Healy said. “As an example of applications that were challenging to automate in the recent past, we will demonstrate how a UR20e cobot can pick a wider variety of parts with an unprecedented reliability.”

What Will You Find?

IMTS 2024 will feature 1,500 exhibits, including more than 65 first-time exhibitors offering innovative solutions. IMTS shared exhibits will include solutions such as haptic feedback to improve remote robot operation and digital training, quality control software that can manage millions of data points, additive manufacturing powders and gases, business services to address labor issues via an app, and much more. IMTS 2024 will truly “Inspire the Extraordinary.” How will you put the solutions to work in your operations?