MTConnect at Mori-Seiki Innovation Days With Task Force Tips

Stewart McMillan, president of Task Force Tips, and I presented at Mori-Seiki Innovation Days in Hoffman Estates on May 4th.  It was  BIG success thanks to the great job Stewart did (I did ok too :-)  as well as Stewart's real life experiences in manufacturing and with MTConnect.  Below is a picture of Stewart and I in front of the MTConnect area.  Stewart recommended that EVERYONE should be investigating MTConnect and he is telling vendors he wants to have MTConnect on the manufacturing equipment he is purchasing going forward.  Stewart and I share many things in common include one of the first users of Xenix back in the very early 1980s.

One of Task Force Tips claim to fame is that it was their nozzle that was THE benchmark for AutoCAD back in the day.  I remember running AutoCAD benchmarks on Sun's 386i comparing SunOS versus Windoze.  Below is from Stewart's presentation.

Below is a snippet from an article in Today's Machining World:

DMG / Mori Seiki USA Announces Innovation Days 2011 at Chicago Headquarters & Technical Center on May 3‐5

By Vincent on March 21, 2011

Chicago, Illinois, March 17, 2011 – DMG / Mori Seiki USA has announced the annual Innovation Days event will takeplace at the company’s Headquarters and Chicago Technical Center on May 3 – 5, 2011 where progressive machine technology will collide with the latest tooling, automation, software, training and application strategies. Manufacturers will have the opportunity to experience everything needed to stay at the forefront of manufacturing ‐ all in one place. This once‐yearly event gives machine tool users access to over thirty live cutting demonstrations and dozens of engineers specializing in advanced machining solutions.  Technical seminars at the three‐day event will be presented byindustry experts and span several productivity‐boosting topics including: Expanding Production, Shop Floor Networking & Communication, Machine Tools for the Future, Practical Strategies for Reducing Set Up Times and Laser and Ultrasonic Use In New Markets.

Above and below is inside Mori-Seiki's incredible demonstration hall.

Above is the MTConnect roll out poster that Paul Warndorf said, "Dave, if you lose this, do not come back from Chicago!" :-)

Above is a great example of the size of some of the items being created at the show.  The water bottle gives it perspective.  Below is a gear that you do not want to screw up when making it :-)

Below is Athulan from System Insights discussing their MTConnect product, Vimana, with a prospect. Athulan said it was a great show for their company.

Above is a short video of a machine tool making a part.  This shows the size of this particular DMG machine tool.

The piece you see being made here is about five in diameter.

Bryce Harper at Hagerstown Suns Game

At 5 minutes before 5 last Thursday, I told Julie and Tim to jump in the van because we were going up to see the Nat's hitting sensation Bryce Harper, who is all of 18 years old, play that night for the Hagerstown Suns.  I ordered the 2nd row VIP seats behind third base for $11 EACH.  It was "Thirsty Thursday Night" so beers were $1 each.  I bought some beers for the other folks in our row when I went out and was fairly popular guy after that :-)   It was perfect weather and seeing Bryce Harper up and close will be something that Tim will likely be telling his kids about some day.   Three tickets in the 2nd row, brats, sodas, beer, and popcorn all for below $60 is awfully hard to beat....