Marketing

Toolmaker Mazak Corp., Florence, Ky., will host a free MTConnect lunch-and-learn event for manufacturers on Thurs., Nov. 6, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at its Northeast Technology Center in Windsor Locks, Conn. The presentation will cover how MTConnect, an open-source, royalty-free manufacturing protocol, can improve the utilization of their equipment and boost productivity, according to the company.

Machine tool builder Okuma America Corp., Charlotte, N.C., will host its 2014 Technology Showcase event December 9-10, 2014. The theme of this year's event is "Make the Leap" and will include demonstrations of simple technology upgrades that enable users to enhance the productivity of their CNC machines and operators and improve overall profitability, according to the company.

The Village of Elk Grove, Ill., will host the second annual Made in Elk Grove Manufacturing and Technology Expo on Oct. 21 at 1925 Busse Road. The Expo provides attendees from around the Midwest an opportunity to connect, collaborate and cultivate relationships with Elk Grove-based manufacturing companies. Over 1,000 people attended the inaugural Expo in 2013, which featured approximately 100 exhibitors from industries ranging from precision machining, plastics and electronics to packaging and industrial services.

Mitee-Bite Products LLC., Center Ossipee, N.H., has expanded its customer service program. The company continues to assist customers with no-cost clamping recommendations and on-site visits through its national sales team, and now also offers workholding design services, from simple conceptual CAD drawings at no cost to top-level CAD designs ready to import into CAM software, which are part of the company's fee-based services. Mitee-Bite engineers work with customers to develop and build turnkey workholding designs at the company's Center Ossipee location.

BENZ Inc., Charlotte, N.C., has released new catalogs for its Solidfix, CAPTO and Trifix modular quick-change tooling systems. BENZ specializes in tooling systems for turning and milling machines such as live and static tools, angle heads, multi-spindle heads, spindle speeders, large scale drill heads, 5-axis heads, and its lines of modular tooling systems. BENZ tooling systems are engineered in Germany and sold and serviced in the U.S. and Canada by Benz Inc.

U.S. Shop Tools, Anaheim, Calif., has released its 2014/15 Express catalog. The 178-page catalog contains information and pricing on the company's most popular offerings, including chuck jaws, lathe chucks, lathe toolholder bushings, collet pads, live centers, internal lathe workholding, ER, TG, DA & AF collets, retention knobs, vise jaws, milling toolholders and indexable drills.

Methods Machine Tools Inc., Sudbury, Mass., a supplier of machine tools, automation and accessories will show 20 new machine tools and demonstrate 40 machines and automation solutions at IMTS 2014, booth S-9119. The show will be held McCormick Place in Chicago, IL from Sept. 8 - 13, 2014. Methods will demonstrate new machine tools and automation from YASDA, KIWA-Japan, Nakamura-Tome, FANUC and FEELER.

Machine tool builder Mazak Corp. has invited manufacturers to its "Discover More With Mazak" event July 29 and 30 at the company's Southwest Technology Center in Houston. The company will demonstrate its latest multitasking, 5-axis, milling and turning processes on Mazak machines. Applications engineers will also be available to discuss new ways attendees can streamline their operations. For example, performing multiple processes in a single setup helps minimize material handling and work-in-process. Furthermore, the company encourages attendees to present their part-production challenges so its engineers can offer solutions for overcoming such difficulties.

Toolmaker Seco Tools LLC, Troy, Mich., a technical and supplier sponsor of Andretti Autosport's Verizon IndyCar Series championship racing team, invited customers from across the Midwest to attend an Indy 500 practice day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The day included a meet and greet with IRL driver Marco Andretti, a tour of the Andretti Autosport garage, a catered lunch in the team's suite at the track and a visit to the pits to watch the Indy cars in action.

Harvey Tool Co. LLC, Rowley, Mass., has released its latest catalog, which includes more than 850 new tools. The Spring 2014 edition introduces 10 new product lines that reflect what the company calls its commitment to "make your specials our standards." In addition to over 9,000 standard tools, special recognition is given in the catalog to Harvey Tool's metric offering, highlighted in both the full catalog and new digital-only metric catalog download.