IMTS was a worthy experience

If you’re not aware, IMTS is a spectacle full of machining and related technologies that will excite anyone in this business—and if it doesn’t, perhaps another career is in order. In addition to seeing the newest machining centers, we witnessed an entire world of new cutting tools, fixtures, software, inspection equipment—the list goes on.

A variety of demos, as well as personal discussions with technical experts, were helpful, but, unfortunately, the 2 days we allotted was barely enough time. Another full day would’ve let us explore more of the smaller companies and their many innovative products and services.

While these two machinists have attended smaller machine tool events, many of them local, neither had been to Chicago or to a trade show of IMTS’ magnitude. They were in a heavenly playground of metalworking technology that really opened their eyes to new possibilities. They work hard and produce a lot of parts for our company, and we knew the show would be a big deal for them.

Like any small business, we’re careful with expenses and wanted to ensure this was worthwhile. Directing funds for a trade show isn’t easy or even possible for many shops, especially when considering the absence of key employees. However, when I evaluated the big picture, an investment of 3 days and $3,000 wasn’t out of line with the benefits we expected in return.

We conducted business right on the show floor. First, we purchased a right-angle head for a CNC mill to machine longer parts for several customers. We also made a deal on a 4th-axis accessory for jobs that are difficult or impossible to handle otherwise.