SME sets October date for Canadian Manufacturing Week show

With a new format, new location and new program, the Canadian Manufacturing Week (CMW) 2010 event has been set for October 5-7 in Toronto.

“In the face of what’s being called the new industrial revolution, the manufacturing sector is being asked to rebrand, to look for innovative ways to decrease costs while producing high quality products,” said Mark Tomlinson, executive director and general manager of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), organizer of the event. “Canadian Manufacturing Week 2010 is responding with a more streamlined format that will make it easier for visitors to find the answers they need.”

New to this year’s event is a three-zoned format that SPE says more clearly and conveniently groups the latest manufacturing technologies and solutions into specific areas. First, the so-called Advanced Manufacturing Zone will focus on automation and assembly, design engineering and software, additive manufacturing and reverse engineering and electronics manufacturing. Technologies on display will include robotics, sensors, machine vision, virtual reality, simulation, three-dimensional imaging and more.

Second is the Physical Asset Management Zone, where manufacturers can gather information about running an efficient operation. In addition to green solutions for fluid and waste management or air quality control, it will feature products for asset tracking and management, plant engineering and maintenance, as well as lean manufacturing.

Third, Weld Expo Canada will highlight information about sheet metal operations, from laser, arc and robotic welding to stamping, waterjet cutting and pressworking, to coating equipment, electroplating and automated finishing.

According to Tomlinson, more than half of CMW visitors are expected to be high-level manufacturing professionals, accompanied by buying teams with significant equipment budgets. “According to a February 2010 SME survey that polled 552 Canadian manufacturers, 70 per cent of respondents see their businesses increasing in the next 12 to 18 months,” he said. “More than 14 per cent of respondents say they are likely to spend $1 million or more on manufacturing equipment in the next year to year-and-a-half, with almost 23 per cent citing budgets in excess of $250,000.”

“Our improved format offers an unprecedented opportunity for networking and taking part in expert-led industry sessions, providing a comprehensive manufacturing resource that’s unparalleled in the industry today,” Tomlinson added.

Technologies and solutions will be showcased for many industries including: aerospace, automotive, construction, defence, electronics, fabricated metal/stampings, government, industrial machinery/equipment, medical devices/pharmaceuticals, transportation, steel manufacturing, and utilities/energy.

The event will be held at Toronto Congress Centre, North Hall, 650 Dixon Road. For more information, or to register or exhibit, visit this link.