Winter Showcase 2018: Answering Today’s Toughest Manufacturing Questions

The economy is strong, and this is one of the few times I can ever remember where there are more jobs available than there are candidates to fill them. It truly is an amazing business climate. However, even when times are good, there are challenges that have to be overcome. Virtually every customer I have spoken with during the course of this year speaks to a similar scenario: business is strong, capacity is needed, and hiring skilled employees is difficult. This is a common theme from Maine to California, Washington State to Florida, and everywhere in between.

Based on my experiences and conversations, today’s manufacturers are asking common questions:

• How do I get more productivity out of what I currently have?
• How do I take on—and transition my shop to handle—more complex work?
• How can I get more unmanned runtime from my equipment?
• How do I help my employees adapt to a changing environment and embrace new technologies?

This year our Winter Showcase addressed these questions. Here’s a recap of the event.

The Machines: A Myriad of Solutions for Your Greatest Challenges

With 21 machines running, and 45 technology providers in Okuma’s Partners in THINC program, there were plenty of opportunities to see virtually any type of manufacturing solution. Machines on display ranged from Okuma’s latest LASER EX (a 5-axis laser additive and subtractive hybrid machine) to twin MU-S600Vs with built-in machine-to-machine automation. For those struggling with how to get more unmanned run time from machine tools, Okuma and their partners had that covered, too. Automation solutions included 2-axis lathes, multi-function machines, 5-axis, and HMCs, too.

Technology and Tips from the Experts

Throughout the day there were other learning events centered on manufacturing solutions including:

• Getting the Most From Your HMC: Errol Burrell, a machining center product specialist for Okuma, gave a presentation that taught customers how to get the most from their “speed-up functions” in the OSP-P300 control on the latest HMCs.
• Impact of Automation: I was fortunate enough to join Greg Feix of Gosiger Automation to discuss robotic automation, and the variables that need to be considered when automating a process. Automating a process is more than just integrating a robot; all the variables have to be known, and controlled.
• OSP THINC Developers Group: Members of the THINC Developers Group (TDG) were on hand to discuss what they do as far as utilizing and creating applications for the OSP control (also known as the THINC control).
• New Functions from Esprit: Esprit, a longstanding partner with Okuma – and our partners program —created a new application this year that helps automate the process of going from CAM to Okuma’s 3D Virtual Monitor, and on to Okuma’s Collision Avoidance Software.
• Demos, Demos, Demos: With 21 machines in action, there were a lot of different types of work and manufacturing solutions being demonstrated. One that got the most attention was the “Lion” on the GENOS M460V-5AX. While the finished piece was impressive, the demo was a true case study in teamwork.
• Employee Benefits with Liberty National: Liberty National discussed how they create the most appealing package possible to help employers attract and retain their workforce.

The Innovator: It’s Necessary to Embrace Modern Technology

We also enjoyed a talk by artist Chris Bathgate, who shared an inspiring journey about how he dropped out of art school, became a self-taught machinist, and ultimately built his own CNC machine tool to create his amazing multi-axis machined artwork. Being creative and trying new things not only creates excitement in the individual, but also accelerates innovation. Chris shared a great piece of insight that all of us should take note of: “Innovation does not make you special, innovation is a bare minimum requirement to be relevant.” Though it’s art instead of manufacturing, Chris’s story perfectly illustrated how to leverage contemporary technologies.

Bringing Industry Experts and Customers Together

We feel that our Winter Showcase event serves as the perfect way to close out the year. With the help of our partners, we enjoy using our expertise to help attendees increase overall productivity, maximize the machines they have, and adapt within an ever-changing environment. However, we also enjoy bringing together manufacturers from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, all for the sake of advancing the manufacturing industry as a whole. Internally, with this year’s event we feel as though we set a high standard for our Winter Showcase—but you can be sure we’ll try to outdo ourselves again next year.

We Want to Hear From You

If you attended the event, we’d love to hear your feedback. If you couldn’t make it this year, let us know if there’s an event you’d like us to add, or a specific machine you’d like to see in 2019. Please comment below to share your thoughts.