IMTS 2024

IMTS 2024 at McCormick Place in Chicago featured thousands of manufacturers and a growing number of them were showcasing their technology used in the defense industry. Whether it was a machine tool builder, cutting tool manufacturer, metrology provider, 3D printer, etc., each industry somehow has stepped up to help produce for defense. Rear Adm. Todd Weeks, Program Executive Office, Strategic Submarines, also presented on the Build Submarines initiative spearheaded by Blue Forge Alliance which has already generated 1.2 million job applications in the submarine industrial base. However, it wasn’t just projects as big as submarines that could benefit from the products and technologies at IMTS; here’s a look at some of the 40 million pounds of equipment on display.

Kyocera SGS Precision Tools Group

The cutting tool company showcased several industry-spanning parts manufactured and machined using its tooling, from high-precision circuit boards and medical implants to robust aerospace and automotive components. The company also displayed its variety of tooling and coating options.

New for 2024 is the Z-Carb XPR high performance end mill line. The cutters feature augmented ramping and plunging capabilities, enabling more aggressive tool paths and a wider range of roughing and finishing techniques without sacrificing precision. https://www.ksptg.com

Sodick

Highlighting several electrical discharge machining (EDM) and milling machine tools, the company also spotlighted its increased focus on automation. New products included the UX650L high-speed vertical machining center, which combines rough and fine milling in one operating mode, offering stability and precision.

Also featured were the ALN800G IGE+ and AL400P IGE+ wire EDM machine tools, both equipped with Sodick’s iGroove+ technology that reduces wire consumption up to 39%. The AL40G+ Sinker EDM showcased several automated and robotic features, highlighting an industry-wide move toward greater automation. https://sodick.com

Galorath

Demonstrated during the show was its newly available SEERai platform, a chatbot-based generative artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to help digital engineering professionals plan and estimate projects. SEERai evolved from Galorath’s SEER cost, schedule, and risk estimation platform and is trained with data and methodologies the company gathered and developed over its four decades of experience.

SEERai is designed to continually evolve through user feedback and new data incorporation, allowing it to anticipate future project needs. It’s collaborative AI capable of understanding project- specific language and requirements. https://galorath.com

Vollmer/ultraTEC innovation GmbH

ultraTEC innovation GmbH, part of the Vollmer Group, showcased their ultrasonic power to deburr components. The technology guides components along an ultrasonic horn in a water basin, whose generated vibrations cause the burrs and fibers to break off in an energy-efficient manner.

Non-contact ultrasonic deburring with the patented ultrasonic horn is the foundation of ultraTEC. Whether drilling, milling, turning, or grinding, as soon as machining takes place, unwanted burrs and fibers are created on edges, cross bores, or surfaces. In addition to common metals, ultraTEC systems can also be used to deburr components made of various titanium and nickel alloys or fiber-reinforced plastics.

Components are guided to the high-frequency ultrasonic horn in a process water basin. Stimulated by a generator, it oscillates back and forth over 0.1mm 20,000 times a second. These vibrations move burrs and fibers back and forth until they break off with a sharp edge in a reliable process. Users can easily dispose of the process water without further treatment. https://www.vollmer-group.com; https://ultratec-anlagen.de

Star Cutter/H.B. Carbide

The use of carbide blanks and preforms in defense, firearms, and munition manufacturing was among the technologies on display inside the Star Cutter/H.B. Carbide booth in the North Hall.

H.B. Carbide showcased their optimized solutions from powder production through finished ground blanks with inspection and verification built into each step of the process including ammunition die blanks; casing & bullet die blanks; preform round tool blanks; custom, standard, and altered design blanks; drill & reamer blanks; gundrills blanks; deep hole drills; draw dies; punches; and cartridge drawing die.

H.B. Carbide displayed their cemented carbide grade selection which balances hardness and toughness for fracture resistance along with improved edge wear reliability in cutting applications and superior adhesion in diamond coating applications and grades. https://hbcarbide.com; https://starcutter.com

Mitutoyo

Visitors to the Mitutoyo booth got to see their latest measurement and inspection offerings including the MDE QuantuMike which delivers fast, highly accurate measurements on a thinner spindle. Using a more coarse spindle thread, the new QuantuMike feeds the spindle by 2mm per revolution of the thimble, reducing approach time by about 60%. The coolant-proof ratchet thimble mechanism provides a constant measuring force for accurate measurements down to ±1μm. The SM1008S laser-line smart sensor uses an innovative optical system along with conventional sensor technology to perform 2D profile measurements and 3D dimensional inspections for various in-line inspection needs. The sensor’s on-board software features an array of measurement tools including height, width, volume, flatness, pattern matching, gap & flush, etc., along with features including optical character recognition, barcode reading, and various defect detection tools, including blob and weld/glue bead inspection. https://www.mitutoyo.com

The L.S. Starrett Co.

The L.S. Starrett Co. highlighted the latest multi-sensor vision systems, video-based inspection and measurement systems and optical comparators, DataSure 4.0 which substantially increases the accuracy and speed of data collection, and the No. W4900 Wireless Digital Indicator, a precision digital measurement gage featuring touchscreen technology. Special custom gage solutions, precision granite solutions, gage blocks, and force testing systems featured in our very first issue of Defense and Munitions were also on display in the Starrett booth. https://www.starrett.com

When everything wrapped up in Chicago, more than 89,000 attendees had walked through McCormick Place. It appears the focus on defense manufacturing will continue for many companies as government contracts need to be filled, conflicts wage on in Ukraine and the Middle East, and stockpiling and restocking supplies for national defense keeps going.

About the authors: Jake Kauffman is managing editor for GIE Media’s Manufacturing Group of magazines. He can be reached at JKauffman@gie.net or 216.393.0217. Clare Scott is an associate editor for GIE Media’s Manufacturing Group of magazines. She can be reached at CScott@gie.net or 216.393.0314.