Technical closing report on METAV 2014 (11 to 15 March 2014)
Frankfurt am Main, 30 April 2014. – METAV 2014 gave its visitors an overview of up-to-the-future technologies. Under the vision of Industry 4.0, numerous solutions were showcased that map out the opportunities offered by new process chains. The huge potential of additive production processes has meant that some exhibitors have already premiered processing machines with which 3D printing is possible under industrial conditions. With what are called hybrid machines, material can be applied and a finishing operation performed in a single machine. Another major focus was medical technology, where solutions along the entire process chain were presented, beginning with 3D scanning all the way through to actual production.
In addition to the above-mentioned trends, the exhibitors showcased design enhancements for established machining concepts. In this context, upgrading the flexibility and the machining quality has become a major focus. Expanding industrial sectors like power generation are posing progressively tougher requirements for the efficiency of machine tools used for manufacturing the components involved. Sophisticated materials used employed in the aviation industry necessitate the development of modified machining strategies. In addition, the general shortening of product lifecycles demands software-based aids for shortening the development time of processes. Manufacturers exhibited numerous products designed to solve these and other problems. Trending topics were additionally addressed in the supporting events. Examples of these trends are provided below.
More details here…METAV 2014 post-show report – up-to-the-future technologies showcased