Companies seeking new technology, advanced manufacturing solutions and valuable industry insight to increase their production efficiency and global competitiveness are invited to attend Mazak Corporation's DISCOVER 2013 event, taking place October 8 - 16, 2013, in Florence, KY.
According to Mazak, DISCOVER 2013 will be the largest private manufacturing event in North America this year, providing attendees with everything they need to run a highly productive, quality-driven manufacturing business today and well into the future.
To kick off DISCOVER 2013, there will be a special pre-event on October 7 focused on the future of U.S. manufacturing and promoting careers within the industry. Local area students and their parents will be invited to tour Mazak's Production-On-Demand manufacturing plant to get an up close look at advanced manufacturing equipment in a real-world scenario. "But most importantly, they will learn that work in today's manufacturing environment is clean, sophisticated, high-tech and lucrative," said a company spokesperson.
For manufacturers, the event will offer technical seminars and industry specific metalworking demonstrations together with a variety of new machine models. Technical seminars will encompass a variety of manufacturing topics and practical solutions presented by industry experts, key Mazak Value Inspired Partner (VIP) companies and other manufacturing suppliers. Intelligence Zones will allow small groups of 10 attendees to receive very specific knowledge on wide ranging topics.
Attendees will learn how to properly implement the latest technologies and processes, as well as how to improve part quality, shorten lead times, reduce operational costs and achieve the lowest cost of ownership. Plus, the event will feature real-time production data monitoring demonstrations inside Mazak's manufacturing plant using the MTConnect protocol. The focus will be on how companies can improve machine utilization using machine tool monitoring software to measure real-time factory performance.
Furthermore, attendees will experience Mazak's continued investment in and improvement of its three core business structures - the North American Manufacturing Plant, National Technology Center and Center for Multi-Tasking and Manufacturing Excellence and the North American Parts Center - that are the foundation of its Kentucky campus.
Currently, Mazak is in the process of expanding its manufacturing plant by adding 200,000 sq. ft. of floor space to the Mazak campus. When the expansion is complete in early 2014, the company will be able to produce between 170 and 200 machine tool units per month, depending on product mix. As a special focus, Mazak will invite event attendees to see some of the new, advanced machines that will be key to the plant expansion and will further enhance the company's Production-On-Demand approach to building machine tools. According to Mazak, these highly automated multi-tasking machines will provide insight into new concepts for manufacturing parts while increasing the efficiency of Mazak's manufacturing facilities.
Mazak's Production-On-Demand is a lean manufacturing approach that gives the company extreme production flexibility to quickly address current market trends while still producing high volumes of machines in a broad product mix. Production-On-Demand also allows Mazak to shorten its production lead times and minimize inventory levels, helping to ensure that each machine coming off the line incorporates the latest, most innovative technology.
Inside the 100,000 sq. ft. National Technology Center and Center for Multi-Tasking and Manufacturing Excellence, attendees will experience advanced machine tools and automation systems in action. With the combination of machines in the National Technology Center and new machines in the Mazak plant, customers can see as many as 40 new machine tool models. Mazak will have these machines categorized by industry application, including aerospace, agriculture, construction, energy, medical and transportation. In particular, these machines will showcase process demonstrations that include Mazak's 5 levels of Multi-Tasking, various approaches to 5 axis machining, high-speed and high-torque machining as well as unattended automation and systems.
Throughout the DISCOVER 2013 event, the company will conduct presentations on its new 3-4-5 "The Next Level of Productivity" manufacturing solution. According to Mazak, it provides everything manufacturers need to develop a highly optimized manufacturing system, from "3 Levels of Control" that offer advanced operator support to "4 Levels of Automation" that focus on better equipment utilization to "5 Levels of Multi-Tasking" that improve throughput by using fewer machines to complete machining operations.
"With the global marketplace more challenging than ever, manufacturers must stay on top of the latest technology trends, which includes lowering production costs and increasing production efficiency through total manufacturing solutions," said Brian Papke, President of Mazak Corporation. "We have designed this event to demonstrate new technology of machine tools, software, accessories, tooling and automation while incorporating opportunities to gain considerable knowledge. This is a technology driven educational event and not the typical open house events of our industry. In response, we are putting a stronger emphasis on such solutions by adding even more process capabilities to our machines and making automation more integral to machine functionality - all things attendees will experience at the DISCOVER 2013 event."
For more information contact:
George Yamane
Mazak Corporation
P.O. Box 970
Florence, KY 41022-0970
859-342-1700
gyamane@mazakcorp.com
www.mazakusa.com