Italian Builders Focus On High-Tech Solutions

More than 96,000 visitors attended the 26^th edition of Italy’s biennial machine tool show, Bi-Mu, from October 3 through 7 at the Fiera Milano exhibition center in Milan. While attendance remained roughly the same as the previous edition, this figure is “not only positive, but also rewarding, considering the particularly turbulent context,” says Giancarlo Losma, president of Ucimu, the Italian machine tools, robots and automation manufacturer’s association.

Many exhibitors say the financial crisis and dollar-Euro exchange rate have had an adverse impact on business in the U.S. Despite that, the U.S. remains an important market for Italian manufacturers. According to Ucimu, equipment shipped to the U.S. represented 7.3 percent of total Italian machine tool exports in 2007, a figure second only to Germany and China.

Much of the technology displayed by the show’s 1,767 exhibitors is designed for markets that have seen increasing activity the U.S., including energy, aerospace, medical and mold and die. Some companies, including grinding manufacturer Tacchella Machine and EDM builder CDM Rovella, say they are increasingly focusing on these industries to offset declines in the automotive market.

American shops serving these markets call for more than just standard machines—they need suppliers that can provide high-tech, dedicated solutions along with ongoing, quality service and support. This is just fine by Italian machine tool builders, many of which say they can’t compete with the high-volume, low-cost production strategy common to many big names in the industry. To set themselves apart from manufacturers offering standard models, builders such as Pama, Parpas and Breton offer a range of precise, multi-axis equipment for cutting complex geometries.

Modularity and flexibility were key themes among equipment from these exhibitors. Common features include interchangeable spindle heads that allow users to adapt to changing production conditions, as well as automation equipment such as pallet changers and designs that allow complete part machining in one setup. Many exhibitors, such as Fidia, offer dedicated machines for certain types of jobs and/or industries, accounting for the high prevalence of large machines for structural aerospace and wind turbine components. These and other machine tool innovations seen at Bi-Mu will be covered in upcoming issues of Modern Machine Shop.

For more information, visit www.ucimu.it/eng.