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MetalForming LIVE Virtual Series

June 24, July 8 & 22, 2025 | 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET | Virtual Event Series

First held in 2022, MetalForming LIVE is virtual event that brings together multiple metal formers to discuss topics, technologies, trends and more. Each session includes a short presentation followed by a roundtable discussion, moderated by MetalForming magazine editors, with the metal formers dispensing their expertise gleaned from extensive experience. And, attendees can participate in lively Q&A discussions. Best part? Each session is FREE!

2025 Session Topics

  • June 24: In-Die Technologies
  • July 8: Advanced Steel Grades
  • July 22: Material Handling Automation
All times are Eastern.
  • Tuesday

    July 22, 2025

    2:00-3:30 p.m.
    Automation for Stamping/Fabricating

    Panelists:
    Will Healy III, Global Industry Segment Leader, Welding, Universal Robots
    Ben Peters, Senior Engineer — Machine & Automation Design, TCR-Integrated Stamping Systems
    Todd Wenzel, President, TCR-Integrated Stamping Systems

    2:00-3:00 p.m.

    Automation for Stamping/Fabricating

      Join this discussion to discover how leading meta formers are leveraging automation to boost efficiency, safety and ROI. You’ll come away with an understanding of when to deploy six-axis cobots and robots to automate your processes, and Cartesian-movement and "fixed-function" designs are preferred. Included in the conversation are descriptions of two applications where Cartesian movement enables the material-handling equipment to traverse very long distances with heavy payloads, rapidly and accurately.

      Specifically, one project for metal former PMI in Bloomer, WI, describes how three-axis automation was integrated with two existing stamping presses. This solution enabled the high-speed transfer of large parts—handling components weighing hundreds of pounds—over more than 20 ft. between presses. By reusing existing equipment, PMI avoided major capital expense while retaining the flexibility to run the presses independently or in tandem with the automation, dramatically increasing throughput.

      The second case features a groundbreaking part-unloading system from Isochronic, a Swiss automation innovator. Designed to keep pace with today’s ultra-fast laser cutting systems, this advanced solution picks parts from sheet metal skeletons at twice the speed of conventional automation. It eliminates manual removal bottlenecks, reduces worker injury risks, and adds precision sorting and kitting capabilities—enabling seamless downstream automation with no manual reorientation. If you're exploring how to stay competitive through smart automation, this is one webinar you won’t want to miss.


    Moderator

    Brad Kuvin, Editorial Director, MetalForming Magazine


Kate Bachman

Kate Bachman

Senior Editor, Precision Metalforming Association

Prior to joining MetalForming magazine as a contributing editor, Kate was editor...

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Kate Bachman

Kate Bachman

Senior Editor, Precision Metalforming Association

Prior to joining MetalForming magazine as a contributing editor, Kate was editor of Stamping Journal, responsible for the overall editorial content and quality of the publication, devoted to the metal stamping manufacturing industry. She also wrote stamping-industry blogs and e-newsletter commentaries.
Brian Esterberg

Brian Esterberg

, Senior Automotive Market Strategist, American Iron and Steel Institute

Brian Esterberg is the senior automotive market strategist for the American Iron...

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Brian Esterberg

Brian Esterberg

, Senior Automotive Market Strategist, American Iron and Steel Institute

Brian Esterberg is the senior automotive market strategist for the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). His role includes managing the AISI Automotive Market Program, the Automotive Applications Council and organizing Great Designs in Steel (GDIS) Technical Webinars and the annual GDIS symposium. Brian's background includes automotive research and insights, organizing pre-competitive collaborations and technology acceleration.
Hesham Ezzat

Hesham Ezzat

Senior Technical Consultant, Automotive ..., American Iron and Steel Institute

Dr. Hesham Ezzat has 40 yr. of experience in the fields of design, vehicle integ...

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Hesham Ezzat

Hesham Ezzat

Senior Technical Consultant, Automotive Program, American Iron and Steel Institute

Dr. Hesham Ezzat has 40 yr. of experience in the fields of design, vehicle integration, analyses, manufacturing and material selection, with particular focus on body structures and closures. He holds several patents in his areas of interest. He is currently a senior technical consultant to the American Iron and Steel Institute Automotive Program. Previously, he was a technical fellow in General Motors' body organization for 30 yr. While at GM, he led the automaker's global body advanced technical work portfolio and worked on multiple lightweight body designs. He holds a Bachelor in Science in Mechanical Engineering, a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics, and a Doctorate in Applied Mechanics.
Ekkehard Fluck

Ekkehard Fluck

Head of Sales, Optical Inspection Stampi..., JENOPTIK Optical Systems Gmbh

Ekkehard Fluck brings more than 30 years of experience in stamping and quality m...

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Ekkehard Fluck

Ekkehard Fluck

Head of Sales, Optical Inspection Stamping, JENOPTIK Optical Systems Gmbh

Ekkehard Fluck brings more than 30 years of experience in stamping and quality management, after a vocational education in electronics and professional experiences in software development. Ekkehard headed the team that created the first in-die vision system in the 90s and initiated and developed other trend-setting progressive stamping line systems. In addition to his current role as head of sales at Jenoptik, his professional background includes development of camera solutions at tool and diemaker Fritz Stepper GmbH Co.; software engineer and product manager R@D, OTTO Vision Technology GmbH; quality manager at Bystronic Lenhardt GmbH and sales US and Asia Pacific Region, OTTO Vision Technology GmbH.
Will Healy III

Will Healy III

Global Industry Segment Leader, Welding, Teradyne - Universal Robots

Will Healy III is enthusiastic about manufacturing, technology and workforce dev...

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Will Healy III

Will Healy III

Global Industry Segment Leader, Welding, Teradyne - Universal Robots

Will Healy III is enthusiastic about manufacturing, technology and workforce development. A Purdue University mechanical engineer who loves to share his passion for automation, Will is a global leader at Universal Robots and with the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Partnership (AMIP) in Cincinnati, OH. He speaks from personal experience about people-centric technology investments, managing culture change in organizations, bridging the manufacturing skills gap and creating value through automation. With more than 20 years of experience in a variety of industries including automotive, packaging, food and beverage, metal fabrication, welding and more; Will is widely published, is a regular podcast guest, is an in-demand panelist and presents internationally at a variety of industry conferences. Follow Will on YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn with the handle WillAutomate.
Ryan Hess

Ryan Hess

Co-Owner, Hess Industries Ltd.

Ryan Hess is a co-owner of Hess Industries Ltd., Mansfield, Ohio. A skilled jour...

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Ryan Hess

Ryan Hess

Co-Owner, Hess Industries Ltd.

Ryan Hess is a co-owner of Hess Industries Ltd., Mansfield, Ohio. A skilled journeyman tool- and diemaker, Ryan played a key role in developing the company's clinch solutions nut and stud systems. With extensive experience in the tool shop, Ryan has operated all of Hess Industries' equipment at one time or another throughout his journey. He also has deep expertise in additive 3D printing.
Thomas Hutchison

Thomas Hutchison

President, Hutchison Tool Sales Co.

Hutchison Tool President Tom Hutchison joined the company in 1987 in a sales rol...

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Thomas Hutchison

Thomas Hutchison

President, Hutchison Tool Sales Co.

Hutchison Tool President Tom Hutchison joined the company in 1987 in a sales role and became company president in 2000. Since, he has collaborated on thousands of in-die tapping applications with customers, including OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, contract metal stamping manufacturers and tool & die job shops based in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and South America. In 2012, Hutchison Tool partnered with Hess Industries to redesign and update the latest version of in-die tapping heads (both mechanical and servo). Tom shares his knowledge and expertise in multiple ways: He conducts semi-annual in-die tapping 101 training classes and has written several articles about in-die tapping for multiple trade publications. In addition, he is a member of the Chicago District Board of the Precision Metalforming Association. Tom holds a B.S. in international business from Illinois State University.
Lou Kren

Lou Kren

Senior Editor, Precision Metalforming Association

Senior Editor Louis Kren has worked as an editor in trade and technical publis...

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Lou Kren

Lou Kren

Senior Editor, Precision Metalforming Association

Senior Editor Louis Kren has worked as an editor in trade and technical publishing since 1988. Before joining MetalForming in April 2000, he served as editor-in-chief of Forging magazine. During his career Lou also served as an editor with Foundry and 33 MetalProducing magazines.
Brad Kuvin

Brad Kuvin

Editorial Director, Precision Metalforming Association

Brad Kuvin began his career in 1984, accumulating nearly 40 years of experience ...

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Brad Kuvin

Brad Kuvin

Editorial Director, Precision Metalforming Association

Brad Kuvin began his career in 1984, accumulating nearly 40 years of experience in covering metal forming and fabricating technologies. Brad served as Editor of Welding Design & Fabrication and Gases & Welding Distributor magazines before joining PMA and MetalForming magazine in 2000.
Chris Martin

Chris Martin

General Manager, Riverview Products

Riverview Products President Chris Martin started in the fourslide/multislide ma...

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Chris Martin

Chris Martin

General Manager, Riverview Products

Riverview Products President Chris Martin started in the fourslide/multislide manufacturing industry in 1984. He founded Riverview Products in 1990 as a tooling and production supplier of slide-formed parts. Through the years, the company's industry focus has shifted, with a primary focus on automotive, office furniture and appliance industries. Martin has expanded the company to include progressive die stamping, assembly, laser cutting, metal fabrication and robotic welding in two facilities in Rockford, MI. The family-owned company has a staff of approximately 28, including Martin's wife, Dawn, assembly operations manager and finance; and his son, Tucker, project engineer and manager. His other son, Parker, is a quality engineer for Mann and Hummel. His hobbies include muscle cars, playing jazz trombone and spending time with his family.
Tucker Martin

Tucker Martin

Project Manager, Riverview Products

Tucker is a mechanical engineer experienced in tool development/design, metal fa...

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Tucker Martin

Tucker Martin

Project Manager, Riverview Products

Tucker is a mechanical engineer experienced in tool development/design, metal fabrication, process development/management, factory automation, and quality assurance in manufacturing. He earned his Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Kettering University, and has been with Riverview Products for nearly 8 years.
Jim Meyers

Jim Meyers

Senior Stamping Engineer, TCR-Integrated Stamping Systems

Bio coming soon.

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Jim Meyers

Jim Meyers

Senior Stamping Engineer, TCR-Integrated Stamping Systems

Bio coming soon.
Ben Peters

Ben Peters

Senior Engineer — Machine & Automation D..., TCR-Integrated Stamping Systems

Benjamin Peters holds an SB, SM, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. He ...

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Ben Peters

Ben Peters

Senior Engineer — Machine & Automation Design, TCR-Integrated Stamping Systems

Benjamin Peters holds an SB, SM, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. He has extensive experience in industrial automation, specializing in precision cartesian motion systems. His work focuses on developing innovative, high-accuracy automation platforms for manufacturing and production environments.
Alois Rupp

Alois Rupp

President, Bruderer Machinery, Inc.

Bio coming soon.

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Alois Rupp

Alois Rupp

President, Bruderer Machinery, Inc.

Bio coming soon.
Dave Stoll

Dave Stoll

Group Leader, Tool Development, Schaefflergroup USA

Dave Stoll holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Akron an...

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Dave Stoll

Dave Stoll

Group Leader, Tool Development, Schaefflergroup USA

Dave Stoll holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Akron and an industrial design journeyman certification. As group leader in the tool development area at Schaeffler, he leads torque converter manufacturing on both transfer and progressive presses. Previously he worked as a machinist and then principal tool designer at Schaeffler.
Todd Wenzel

Todd Wenzel

President, TCR-Integrated Stamping Systems

Todd Wenzel is president of TCR Integrated Stamping Systems, Wisconsin Rapids, W...

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Todd Wenzel

Todd Wenzel

President, TCR-Integrated Stamping Systems

Todd Wenzel is president of TCR Integrated Stamping Systems, Wisconsin Rapids, WI. TCR provides consulting, service, and sales and turnkey installations of capital equipment for hand-fed, progressive-die and transfer stamping applications. While the bulk of the work performed has been in the upper Midwest, TCR provides its services all over the United States, and in nine other countries as well. Its systems have been used to produce everything from microscopic medical components to large stampings for the heavy-truck and earth-moving equipment industries. Wenzel has been a technical speaker for the Precision Metalforming Association for more than a decade, including holding one to two seminars a year to support and help train companies in the stamping industry. He also is a frequent contributing writer for MetalForming magazine, covering a variety of technical topics. His decades of experience with specifying and installing a wide range of turnkey production systems has provided a wealth of practical experience that Wenzel gladly shares with his audiences to help them become even more competitive stampers.

Registration Info

This virtual event is FREE to attend. Register for each part you want to take part in.

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Please contact Ali Miller at amiller@pma.org or 216-901-8800 with any conference registration questions.