IMTS 2024 Elevates Job Shops With Innovative Workshops Focused on Digital Manufacturing Technologies

IMTS 2024 is hosting three dynamic workshops at the South Building, Grand Ballroom S100 A&B, aiming to transform job shops with fresh learning and networking opportunities. Powered by AMT – The Association for Manufacturing Technology and Gardner Business Media, these half-day workshops are crafted to help job shop stakeholders innovate and excel in today’s competitive manufacturing landscape with a heavy emphasis on digital manufacturing.

Make Your Shop a Top Shop on Monday afternoon provides insights into the annual Top Shops benchmarking survey. Workshop participants are learning from industry experts and previous Top Shop award winners who participated in Modern Machine Shop’s (MMS) Top Shops benchmarking survey and received a free custom report detailing how they are performing against their peers across a wide array of variables. The editors of MMS scoured the survey response data to select the Top Shops’ honorees in machining technology, business strategies, shopfloor practices and human resources.

“This workshop offers a unique opportunity to see what makes a shop excel. Attendees are gaining a chance to benchmark their operations against the best in the industry,” says Brent Donaldson, MMS editor-in-chief.

The Shop of Our Future on Tuesday afternoon from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. focuses on the rapid changes in manufacturing, including automation, robotics, digital technologies and workforce development. Job shop owners, contract manufacturers and industry peers are exchanging ideas about using the right technologies, strategies and tools to transform their shop and stay competitive, including how to unlock efficiency with automation and machine-to-machine learning.

“The discussions on new technologies and strategies are incredibly enlightening,” remarks Peter Eelman, chief experience officer for AMT.

3D Printing for Job Shops on Thursday afternoon from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. is a chance for job shops to learn the possibilities for part production using 3D printing and additive manufacturing — more specifically, how machining facilities are applying 3D printers for tooling and for runs of parts that do not make sense on traditional machining centers.

“Learning about how 3D printing is being integrated into machining processes is game-changing,” notes Pete Zelinski, editor-in-chief for Additive Manufacturing Media.

Each workshop has been designed to offer practical, actionable insights, helping job shops innovate and improve their operation.