Industry 4.0 for Fabricators Virtual Conference

Sensible Tips for Smart Manufacturing

The future of manufacturing is here. Digitalization is changing the way parts are fabricated, cut, bent, folded, and assembled. Are you ready?

During this two-day virtual conference, discover what digitalization could mean for your shop by learning about practical applications for machine connectivity, robotics, 3D printing, and more. Through digitization success stories, research, and new products, you’ll gain valuable insights from fabricators who are incorporating disruptive technologies into their daily operations in creative ways.

The virtual conference will be held online from 9 - 11:30 a.m. CST each day. The virtual conference format gives you the opportunity to attend every session and visit every virtual exhibit booth. All at your convenience! The live sessions and virtual exhibits will be accessible to registrants on FMA’s virtual conference platform. Login information will be emailed to you at registration, and reminders sent 3 days before and again on the morning of the event. The session recordings will be available for three months following the event.

You’ll learn what it takes to prepare your operations for this new era of modern manufacturing.

This event has already passed.

Event Details

Industry 4.0 for Fabricators Virtual Conference

Date

December 7-8, 2022

Location

Virtual Event

Registration

Registration for this event is not currently open.

Featured Speakers

FEATURED

Kate Brown

Senior Technology Consulting Manager - Business Intelligence & Analytics
Wipfli - Minneapolis
FEATURED

Caleb Chamberlain

CEO
OSH Cut
FEATURED

Casey Greer

Lead IIoT Professional Service Consultant
AMADA AMERICA Inc
FEATURED

Adria Haines

Regional Head of Smart Factory Solutions
Bystronic Inc
FEATURED

Tim Heston

The Fabricator Senior Editor
FMA
FEATURED

Tom Kirkham

Founder & CEO
IronTech Security
FEATURED

Frank Latino

Global Product Manager for Electric Automation
Festo Corp
FEATURED

Charlie Lenn

General Manager
WST Fab
FEATURED

Ted Rozier

Director of Engineering
Festo Didactic
FEATURED

Felix Weigelt

Smart Factory Consultant
TRUMPF Inc

Sessions

Session Name

Time (CT)

Opening Remarks

Welcome! Learn more about the outstanding lineup of presentations and interviews that will help you rethink the role technology plays in fabrication and start you on your own transformation journey.

9:00 a.m. - 9:05 a.m.

Tech Talk: How Technology is Changing Fabrication

Tim Heston, senior editor, The FABRICATOR® and Caleb Chamberlain will discuss how software and technology are changing fabrication.

9:10 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.

Streamlining Operations Through Digitalization

Get tips and strategies that will help you manage relationships with your customers, plan and schedule operations, and monitor costs and profitability.

9:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Industry 4.0: Are We There Yet?

Learn how automation technology can be used for joining, rotating, gripping, positioning, connecting, holding, testing and checking individual parts, modules or complete products regardless of the type and brand of equipment in the shop.

10:20 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.

Influent - Beyond Machine Monitoring, Custom Integration of CAM, ERP, and IIoT

This session will provide an example of using machine signals to create a finite scheduling tool for the shop floor that can be used to organize what work will be done at which work center. The Planner will update the projected schedule with production signals from the machine and operator. This allows everyone to see the production in real-time and understand when part of the production will be completed.

10:55 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.

Closing Remarks

11:25 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Session Name

Time (CT)

Opening Remarks

Welcome back! Learn more about the outstanding lineup of presentations and interviews that will help you rethink the role technology plays in fabrication.

9:00 a.m. - 9:05 a.m.

Stories from the Plant Floor: Using Automation to Streamline Operations

Tim Heston, senior editor, THE FABRICATOR sits down with Charlie Lenn, general manager at WST Fab, Inc in Manitowoc, Wisc. to discuss what it was like to be a part of a rapidly growing start-up fabrication operation and the decisions they made regarding automation and shop floor layout. He will share how their investments in automation and robotics are streamlining operations and improve customer relationships.

9:10 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.

Cyber Security: Are You Safe from Attacks?

Since 2021, manufacturing has moved into the second most targeted segment for cyber security attacks. What are you doing to protect your business, your data, your customers, and your suppliers? In this session learn the five critical steps needed to protect your business and confidential data from malicious cyber attacks. These crucial steps will dramatically increase your overall security stance and will lessen the chances of you becoming a victim to cybercriminals. Cyber attacks are on the rise and every business is at risk.

9:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Leveraging Data as an Asset

On average, 60% to 73% of all data within an enterprise goes unused for analytics. And although real-time data is the foundation of "smart manufacturing," that statistic is even higher in the manufacturing industry. As companies continue to navigate external economic pressures, it is increasingly important that they have timely insight into all facets of their value stream, from quoting to shipping, to optimize business drivers within their control. In this session we will illustrate how organizations are leveraging data analytics technology to eliminate data silos, decrease manual reporting efforts and increase decision-making velocity across the business.

10:20 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.

The Key to Autonomous Manufacturing: A Step-by-Step Approach

Labor shortages, increasing costs and reshoring of fabrication processes from Asia to North America are the current big drivers in our industry. How can we really start facing those challenges by transforming our operations into a more streamlined and autonomous operation? This session will discuss in detail what it takes, and the steps needed to optimize, streamline, automated and ultimately make our fabrication plants autonomous.