A wide range of single-purpose point sensors such as proximity sensors, lasers and photocells have long played a key role in virtually all factory automation systems by detecting the presence of parts or assemblies, performing measurements and identifying colors, among other tasks.
Dominant technologies to watch at IMTS 2018 include an increasing digital thread, robotics and automation, quality assurance and additive manufacturing.
December U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $175 million, according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute and The Association For Manufacturing Technology.
Orders totaled $425.97 million for the month, up 19.0 percent compared to November 2016. At a cumulative total of $4.06 billion for the year, orders were up 9.4 percent compared to the same point in 2016.
The new events will feature a blend of education, applications, and technology innovation, particularly in the areas of digital manufacturing, automation, MTConnect and the Industrial IoT. Mirroring the industry trend of regionalized manufacturing in the U.S., each event will include a mix of topics and technologies that are of specific interest to that region.