IMTS 2024 Recap: Connections are key for the future

IMTS made its return to McCormick Place in September and was, in some respects, a return to its machine tooling roots. It’s a slight change of pace from past events, which also heavily emphasized automation, the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and digital transformation. Those themes were certainly present, but they were more in the background.

Nevertheless, the show went on and went very successfully with more than 1600 exhibitors across all four halls at McCormick Place.

One main theme throughout the event was improving connectivity for the worker and giving them the tools to make better decisions. Eric Whitley, director of industrial transformation at L2L, said manufacturing productivity has stagnated. Why? Because there’s been too much emphasis on technology at the expense of developing a process to solve the problem.

“We have to get back to the thought process of improvement. We need to have a problem-solving thought process,” he said in his presentation “Transforming Continuous Improvement: The Role of AI and Connected Worker Technology.”

There’s so much data for workers to parse through, but it comes down to the process. Technology is a tool. It’s not a solution. It can be used to find a viable solution, but all too often, it ends up being viewed as the savior without any real thought on what it can do to improve productivity, which hasn’t measurably improved over the last decade.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the same way. There’s been so much discussion about what it can do and how its potential is untapped. All true. AI, coupled with concepts like IIoT, digital transformation and the smart factory, could make workers’ lives a lot easier. It also makes the barrier to entry a lot lower.

The lack of skilled workers is a big enough problem for manufacturers. Chris Kuntz, VP of strategic operations for Augmentir, said manufacturers are facing a $1 trillion problem and the root cause is people in his presentation "The Future of Industrial Work – How the Augmented, Connected Worker is Transforming Manufacturing."

A connected, informed worker with the right tools and a digitized process that gives them the ability to make better and more informed decisions. This also might help with the revolving door of workers who aren’t staying in the same place for years at a time. Even a few years ago, that might have been the case, but that isn’t true anymore. Young workers aren’t gonna stick around if they’re handed a clipboard and pencil. That’s not what they want and it’s not what they need. Manufacturing is the same way.

A connected and informed worker with the right tools can improve operations and productivity, but the process behind it needs to be just as powerful. We’ve gotten away from that and it’s time for manufacturing to learn some lessons from the past.?

Connections are critical in so many ways and we build our personal and professional lives off them. That is something I’m keeping in mind as I embark on the next step in my journey. As most know, I am departing Control Engineering and Plant Engineering and CFE Media/WTWH Media after 13 years.

I am moving on to be the lead editor of OEM Off-Highway, which is part of IRONMARKETS. I’m excited for this next step of my career and seeing what the future holds. It is bittersweet, having made so many valuable and special connections over the years. The truth is, in this industry, I’ll still be seeing them.

Engineering and B2B publishing, in particular, are built on these connections. That, perhaps more than anything, is the most valuable lesson I’ve learned. We are built on the backs of the people we connect with. A good example of that was visiting with several old and new friends at the Columbia Yacht Club with Bundy Group and Manufacturing Happy Hour . It was great meeting with Clint Bundy , Alex Chausovsky , Chris Luecke and Jake Hall . Some very good times indeed. It's great meeting with people and learning as much as I can about an industry that is changing and evolving faster than ever.

During the event, I also saw Jim Langhenry and Steve Rourke , who were running CFE at the start of my tenure and gave me a chance to become what I am today when I was a humble data entry person who came in for a 2-week project and now... 13 years later... here we are.

And for that, I am extremely grateful. I'm also indebted to Paul Brouch , Amara Rozgus , Mark Hoske , Rick Ellis and my dad, Bob Vavra , who were also there at the start and have, in their own ways, guided me along in my professional journey. The lessons I've learned from them and others have allowed me to take this next step

So to my friends and colleagues at CFE/WTWH: This isn’t good-bye. Not by a long shot. I’ll see you later.