IMTS 2002: Opens on a positive note

By Control Engineering Staff September 6, 2002

Chicago, IL— Indications appear positive that the 75th anniversary edition of the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) is off to a good start into the second day of its eight-day run here at McCormick Place. (The show has been held 23 times previously in various forms and locales since 1927.) At the end of day two, 73,585 people had registered for the show-a number that includes more than 67,000 pre-registrants and another 6,235 who registered on-site during Sept. 4 and 5.

This year’s show is on course to handle 1,300 exhibitors from the U.S. and 40 other nations, occupying 1.3 million square feet of display space. All three exhibition halls of McCormick Place are in use to accommodate the exhibitors.

Under the banner of “The New Manufacturing Age,” IMTS 2002 focuses on how to unite ma-chine-tool technologies with manufacturing processes that are becoming increasingly IT-based-“to create the most productive edge for companies”-according to the show’s management, the Association for Manufacturing Technology (McLean, VA.)

A popular feature at IMTS is the “Pavilion” theme or the grouping of companies with similar technologies and product in one convenient show sector. This year, nine pavilions are “in play,” namely:

Abrasive machining, sawing and finishing;

Metal cutting;

Quality assurance;

Electric-discharge machining (EDM);

Controls and CAD/CAM;

Machine components, cleaning and environmental;

Gear generation;

Metal forming and fabricating; and

Tooling and workholding systems.

IMTS 2002 continues through Sept. 11 at McCormick Place. For more information, visit www.imtsnet.org .

Control Engineering Daily News DeskFrank Bartos, executive editor fbartos@reedbusiness.com