IMTS is the Place for Aerospace

Sky’s The Limit… Or is it?

Visitors to the Pratt & Whitney booth get a firsthand look at a model of a turbofan jet engine from the company’s PW300 family of engines designed for mid-size business jets.

Another display at the Pratt & Whitney booth at IMTS.

A display at the Zimmermann booth at IMTS. Zimmermann is virtually displaying three gantry machines that the company says find many applications when machining for and meet the high demands of the aerospace industry.

Attendees are sure to hear much about the evolving aerospace industry and the technology behind it at this year’s IMTS.

As the aerospace industry evolves, so do its demands. With additive manufacturing on the rise, many are looking to see how the aerospace industry would benefit from it. An example of Formlabs 3D printing capabilities showcases attention to detail in this regard.

A closer up photo of the 3D printed model from Formlabs.

In another display of 3D printing’s attention to detail, Formlabs showcases its Selfie Series (made in collaboration with Hasbro). The feature allows customers to make a customized action figure of themselves, shipped to them in full packaging.

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Aerospace, as an industry, gets a lot of attention every IMTS, and for good reason. Aerospace parts tend to be complex, and they often use difficult-to machine materials such as titanium and Inconel and frequently require more advanced technologies such as five-axis machining and additive manufacturing (AM).

With so much advanced technology involved in the production of aerospace parts, it is no wonder that IMTS 2022 has numerous conferences and booths that manufacturers working in the industry will find helpful.

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A Confluence of Conferences

One area of the show that is rife with aerospace content is the conferences. These conferences give successful manufacturers the chance to share their experiences with IMTS visitors, providing insights into various approaches to manufacturing. 

One conference to look out for is Titanium and Inconel Machining On a Grand Scale. Taking place on Wednesday in the West Building (W193-A), the event will have WFL Millturn Technologies Sales Manager John Kelly speaking on the uses of millturn machines in producing aerospace parts.

The Additive Manufacturing Conference includes numerous talks that specifically discuss the use of AM to produce aerospace parts. On Thursday, for example, the AM Conference will present a talk by Norsk Titanium called “Industrialization of Metal AM: Meeting Cost, Quality and Scheduling Expectations.” In it, Norsk CTO Carl Johnson will discuss his company’s approach to using AM to produce aerospace parts at full production levels. Find it, along with the rest of the AM Conference, in the West Ballroom in the West Building.

Other conferences cover specific challenges faced by producing certain kinds of parts, such as Next Generation in Continuous Generating Grinding of Aerospace, ICE, and EV Gears, presented by Norton Saint-Gobain Abrasives Corporate Applications Engineer Spencer Artz. This talk (taking place in the West Building W192-A) will discuss how grinding wheels are meeting the challenges posed by more difficult applications in aerospace and electric vehicle gears.

Additionally, aerospace manufacturers may find value in Layout and Planning Techniques for 5-axis Machining Centers (West Building, W193-A). As the name suggests, this conference focuses on how to develop a plan for five-axis machining in order to maximize your ROI. The speaker will be East at Jergens Technical Sales Manager Jack Rushlander, who will take visitors through a complete planning process in SolidCAM, from raw material to finished part.

Technology To Watch Out For

Of course, aerospace manufacturers have more than just conferences to see. The South Hall is where visitors can find the majority of CNC machines specializing in metal removal. For aerospace shops looking to grow, this is where you will find five-axis mills, millturn machines, multi-spindle machines, and grinding machines.

Over in the West Hall, visitors can find plenty of other companies that serve aerospace manufacturers. In addition to the tooling companies who sell specialized cutting tools for aluminum and titanium parts, this is where more additive manufacturing companies are located.

Of course, plenty of companies throughout the show have technology and expertise that is perfectly suited for aerospace applications, so be sure to explore the floor!

The International Manufacturing Technology Show runs September 12 - 17, 2022 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Register for IMTS today to start planning your show.