Okuma America Corp.'s Technology Showcase event, held December 10-12, 2013 in Charlotte, N.C., was the company's largest to date, both in attendance and the number of CNC machines shown, according to the company. Held annually, the event is designed to give attendees the opportunity to see and gain hands-on experience with Okuma's latest technology and discuss their individual needs with a variety of industry experts.

The 2013 showcase drew more than 400 attendees, from three countries and 33 states, displayed 27 machines under power, demonstrated 16 THINC apps (which allow users to perform tasks such as monitoring coolant concentration and pH, limiting operator access and receiving remote alarm and message notifications directly from the CNC machine), according to the company.

"We attribute the strong interest in this year's Technology Showcase to our customers' desire to lead their markets while also enhancing their own productivity," said Tim Thiessen, vice president of sales for Okuma America. "The opportunity to have hands-on, personalized access to such a wide variety of CNC machine technology and expertise can be a game-changer in terms of creating technological advantage."

Next year's Okuma Technology Showcase is scheduled for December 9-11, 2014.