IMTS 2018 Showtime: Metal Cutting

IMTS 2018 is the 32nd edition of the premier manufacturing technology show in North America. More than 2,400 exhibiting companies are expected to occupy 1.37 million net sq ft of exhibit space at the McCormick Place complex in Chicago, IL. This event is held every even-numbered year in Chicago and attracts more than 115,000 buyers and sellers from over 117 countries. This year’s show runs from September 10-15. On-site registration opens Monday, September 10 through Saturday, September 15, in all four buildings of McCormick Place:

• East Building Level 2 & West Building, Level 3 Annex 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
• East Building Level 3 & West Building, Level 3 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
• North Building Level 3 & South Building, Level 3 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

To help you plan your trip to the show, here are technical reviews of some of the machine tools, tooling, systems and accessories that will be exhibited in the Metal Cutting Pavilion to help you navigate the show floor and manage your time while you’re there:

Unmanned Horizontal Manufacturing Cell for Fast-Paced Machining of Complex Parts
Using a a 20-station APC with work ID system, Automatic Work Handling Robot and 174-tool matrix-style tool changer, the SUPERCELL-300G 5-axis horizontal flexible manufacturing cell from Kitamura Machinery is a space-saving production center that can run small to medium sized, highly complex parts completely unmanned.

Plug-and-Play Robotic Manufacturing Cells Increase Productivity, Lower Costs
Dual-spindle BA 222 or BA WO2-22 machining centers integrated with a 6-axis robot from SW North America provide high speed machining of complex parts made of non-magnetic materials, watchmaking components, automotive impellers and other precision engineering work.

Immediate High Productivity Machining of Diverse and Complex Shapes
Lynx 2100LY compact turning centers with Y-axis from Doosan come fully loaded with both static and live tool holders, a toolsetter, a parts catcher and a parts conveyor to make machining diverse and complex shapes up to 11.8 in diameter and 20 in long faster and easier with one set up.

Highly Productive Heavy Duty Turning and Milling of Large Parts
The You Ji VTL-1200ATC+C swing vertical turning lathe from Absolute Machine Tools is suitable for aerospace, oil-field and energy operations, and can be customized to meet any production requirement.

Flexible Horizontal Machining for Small to Mid-Size Parts
The GE40H horizontal machining center from Enshu is perfect for secondary operations and die cast processing, with 19.7 in XYZ-axis travels and full 4th (B) axis that provide great flexibility for small to mid-size parts machining as a standalone machine or as multiples in lean line production.

Automation Systems for Economic Small Batch Production
To automate high mix, low volume production operations, Fastems offers the FMS ONE fully configurable machine tool pallet system, Manufacturing Management Software with extended capabilities for controlling robotics, and the Halter Load Assistant compact loading robot cell.

Turning Centers for Heavy, Chatter-Free Cutting and Improved Part Finish
Ideal for jet engine builders machining hard aerospace alloys, the V 1600 mid-range vertical lathe from Fives Giddings & Lewis incorporates a hydrostatic ram to maximize rigidity and a programmable infinitely-adjustable cross rail positioning axis that allows shops to minimize ram extension.

High Volume Gundrilling of Scroll Compressor Drive Shafts
The DeHoff 518 Cell from Kays Engineering uses nine gundrilling spindles to drill opposing holes in balanced throughput: three on a single machine base for the larger diameter shorter hole, and six others on two separate machine bases for the smaller diameter deeper hole.

Ultra-Precision Machining for Stamping, Fine Blanking, Electric Motor Stator Die Tooling
The UP6 HEAT wire EDM with HyperDrive Extreme wire drive and wire threading system from Makino uses AC motor tensioning to expand the range and stability of wire tension, reduce maintenance, provide both Jet and Jet-less threading modes, and rethread the wire in the gap at a break point.

Bridge Mills for High Speed Machining of Large Parts at a Reduced Cost
The long base casting of Johnford DMC LH Series double-column moving table bridge mills from Absolute Machine Tools provides complete support of the table over the full X-axis travel so that massive loads can be machined.

What is Possible with Deep Hole Drilling?
Deep hole gundrilling, BTA drilling, bottle boring and skiving/roller burnishing machines from UNISIG can make components for medical, aerospace, die and mold, automotive, oil and gas, energy, firearms and hydraulic cylinder applications, as well as the tools used to produce those components.

Innovative Manufacturing for the Factory of the Future
A wide range of high speed milling, EDM, laser texturing, additive manufacturing, micromachining, automation, tooling and connectivity systems from GF Machining Solutions are designed for manufacturing automotive, aerospace, medical, information and communications technology, electrical components, and mold and die components.

Bridge-Type Machining for Mold and Aerospace Precision
With the spindle center line being closer to the supporting structure, the dual column bridge-type BX50i from Hurco minimizes machine distortion and thermal deformation and increases rigidity with maximum support to the head casting.

Mill/Turn Center Produces Parts Faster than Twin Spindle, Single Turret Machines
With up to five tools in the cut simultaneously, the LICO LND-65D-S3 from Absolute Machine Tools is an 11-axis mill/turn center that can often produce parts faster than conventional machines.

High Precision Machining, Lower Cost Metal 3D Hybrid Machining of Large Parts
Large scale machining centers from Takumi USA are integrated with Metal 3D Printing Tools from 3D-Hybrid Solutions to break new ground in aerospace, tooling, mold and die applications.