Identify and Navigate the Chaos

Between rising prices, high interest rates, continuing supply-chain challenges and a turbulent geopolitical climate, manufacturing these days is not for the faint of heart. Metal Stamping Technology Conference presentations will provide the insight needed to navigate this mine field. Precisely on this topic is the January 24 keynote, North American Manufacturing: Conquering the Chaos With Flexibility, by Laurie Harbour, president and CEO of Harbour Results Inc. While the North American marketplace continues to be unpredictable and, although the manufacturing industry continues to face challenges, demand for durable goods remains strong, she reports. Die builders and metal formers have been forced to manage the chaos and increase their flexibility to maintain efficient operations and protect profitability. Harbour will provide a look at how the industry has responded to several years of instability and what the future holds for various manufacturing sectors in 2023 and beyond. She also will share critical areas of focus for manufacturers that will help them attain future success.

The path to future success also depends on a strong and flexible workforce that can assess challenges from differing perspectives. Toward this end, the conference offers Inclusion and Diversity in the Manufacturing Workplace, by Dan Krug, vice president, talent, at Nucor Corp., as a January 25 keynote. Krug will address the importance of inclusion as a cultural value and as a leadership expectation, explain what this means, how it impacts the business and how to equip leaders. Additionally, attendees of this presentation will gain an understanding of diversity beyond standard measures, as well as how diversity can be a driver in building a more capable workforce of the future and serve as an opportunity to address organizational capability gaps. 

Manufacturing for the Electrified Auto Industry

At a recent meeting of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association, consensus among speakers from automotive companies and analysts pointed to a continued increase in efforts toward electrified vehicles.

“OEMs are all-in on electrification,” Harbour told attendees.

Forecasts call for huge increases in production of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) through 2030. Considering that the average BEV is expected to use 30 to 40-percent less parts than internal combustion engine vehicles, metal formers would be wise to monitor such developments now and consider, if they haven’t already, where they’ll fit in this scenario.

To help guide decision making, the Metal Stamping Technology Conference will present, on January 25, Mobility in the Future—Disruptive Impacts from Electric and Autonomous Technologies, by Daron Gifford, partner-strategy and automotive consulting leader at Plante Moran. Gifford will summarize extensive research conducted by the Plante Moran Mobility Intelligence Center on technology drivers and growth enablers in the electric and autonomous vehicle sectors, as well as their influence on future personal and commercial transportation. He also will highlight the dramatic impacts on automotive suppliers of key metal components and materials, and challenges in the battery supply chain. 

The latest high-strength materials are sure to be part and parcel of the electrification drive, and, as has been the case, for automotive in general. Tune in to Gen III Steels—A Greener Path to UHSS Performance, by Josh Forquer, executive vice president of sales and technical development, and Mark Fabischek, global executive vice president of technical development, at Kirchhoff Automotive, to learn more about third-generation steels, their typical applications and challenges related to equipment, simulation and materials. Also on the agenda: benefits of using these new steels versus press-hardened steels, and efforts toward environmentally responsible materials.

Get the Most Out of Manufacturing Technology

…by sitting in on the wealth of offerings by technology experts to help drive shop-floor success. Track sessions on January 24 and 25 will explore economical approaches to optimizing press-stroke rates; press maintenance and troubleshooting; maximizing the value and performance of metalworking fluids; monitoring application and eliminating failures caused by improper lubrication; increasing productivity via laser heat treating and laser cladding; and achieving success with data-driven technology.

Bringing these technical presentations together: Five Steps to Creating Operational Excellence in the Press Shop, presented by Will Healy III, global industry segment leader-welding for Universal Robots, who concludes the conference on January 25. With so much happening in shop-floor operations, maintaining and improving uptime represents a tremendous challenge. Drawing on more than a decade of personal experience on this topic, Healy III discusses how to systematically achieve operational excellence using best practices and technology to improve uptime and eliminate nuisance stops. In achieving operational excellence, manufacturers find that they have improved their competitive position, are more in touch with their business, have reduced costs and waste, have eliminated die crashes, and have boosted productivity.

For more details on the Metal Stamping Technology Conference and to register, visit www.pma.org/stamping-conference. See you there! MF

See also: Precision Metalforming Association

Technologies: Management

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