Special Exhibition Hall to Display Smart Manufacturing Trends
“Digital Twin” for Innovation in the Conference
The Seoul International Manufacturing Technology Show (SIMTOS), Korea’s largest manufacturing technology exhibition, was held at KINTEX, Goyang-City, Gyeonggi Province, from May 23 to May 27, 2022 with a theme of “Back to the Basics.”
For this SIMTOS, there were as many as 800 companies from 29 nations massively unveiling their advanced products and solutions – with a total of 4,800 booths.
Two Key Words — “Automation” and “Robot”
The keywords of this successful exhibition turned out to be “automation” and “robots” — through the conglomerates exhibited.
DN Solutions Co., Ltd. (a renamed company of Doosan Machine Tools) showcased its new products including five-axes, multi-tasking, large machining equipment with its condensed latest technologies, and various solutions expected to lead the IT/semiconductor industry. It displayed multi-tasking machining equipment (SMX 2100ST, SMX 3100ST) that enables complex parts-processing including milling, turning, and gear processing and five-axes machining centers (DVF 5000, DVF 6500T, DVF 8000T-AML). Moreover, it unveiled automation solutions (AWC, LPS, COBOT, etc.) and related equipment in line with increased interest and demand after COVID-19. And it presented customized operation systems and smart technologies.
Korea Fanuc Corp., a company that plays a leading role in the globalization of Korea’s machine tool industry, unveiled its innovative robot systems, which are being used in nearly all sectors of industries and application areas including assembly, loading/unloading, packaging, palletizing, welding, etc. They are demonstrating how to promote safe working environments for everyone. Its robots achieve secure collaborations with workers through sensing their touch, and are not limited to the role of simply carrying items on conveyers. There were eye-catching items on display such as welding robots with a freely movable function, and robots able to detect defects through scanning the status of the injection products.
SMEC Co., Ltd., which recently strengthened its competitiveness through merging its machinery business sector with its ICT business sector, installed its exhibition booth with four themes – “SMART;” “User-friendly;” “Eco-friendly;” and “Collaboration.” In particular, it showed off five-axes machining centers and hybrid centers. The former is a production efficiencymaximized product that enables mass-production and processing of precision parts, shortening its no-cutting time. The latter, a mixed version of LM-type and BOX-type, featured its secured higher capabilities in cutting, precision, productivity — compared to the previous version of each — through maximization of each type’s advantages.
HWACHEON MACHINERY Co., Ltd., a company recognized for the quality of its machining tools, came up with various future solutions, unveiling 18 units of machining tools, seven units of automation systems, and 15 kinds of software. In particular, its ‘frictionstir’ welding machine, equipped with Flammable Storage Warehouse (FSW) technology, reduced defects and maximized automation through utilizing the friction of tools despite it materials that are difficult to weld, such as aluminum — and its welds each of the different materials without the emission of harmful gases.
HYUNDAI WIA Corp., with its arranged 200 booths, adopted four themes –“Autonomous Robot;” “Automation;” “Demo Consolidation;” and “Live TV” – and created actual environments enough to be operated in real factories in order to showcase the operational processes of machining tools, collaboration robots, load and unload robots, etc. It thus contributed to the success of the total exhibition hall that covers not only online but also offline.
National Pavilions That Displayed Global Technologies and Trends
At SIMTOS 2022, three national pavilions – the German pavilion. The Taiwan pavilion and the Italian pavilion – were operated. These pavilions introduced various products and technologies — from machining tools, to cutting tools, software, and bearings in the areas of metal-processing — thus proving itself to be a truly global exhibition again.
At the German pavilion, a total of 10 companies exhibited their items including processing equipment manufacturer Rieckermann, hydraulic components company Hydac Technology.
At the Italian pavilion, a total of nine companies — including bar feeder manufacturer IEMCA; optical measuring equipment manufacturer VICIVISION; linear module manufacturer Nadella S.p.A; and precision ball screw manufacturer Shuton S.A. — have willingly shared their own advanced technologies with visitors.
Composed of 16 companies in the fields of metal-processing and manufacturing technologies, the Taiwanese pavilion — the largest scale of national pavilions at SIMTOS 2022 — was most eye-catching among the three national pavilions. At SIMTOS 2022, where many Taiwanese manufacturers of machining tools participated including CNC lathe manufacturer JINN FA MACHINE INDUSTRIAL, turning & milling machine manufacturer APEX PRECISION TECHNOLOGY CORP., and flat surface grinding machine manufacturer TONG YI MACHINERY INC. Taiwanese manufacturer engaged in manufacturing of tooling systems, rollers cam bearings, linear guides also took part in the exhibition, in order to present Taiwan’s latest metal processing trends.
Online Export Consultation Meeting
In the 3rd hall of the 1st Exhibition Center, KOTRA, which signed a business agreement with KOMMA, operated a booth for online export consultation meetings associated with SIMTOS 2022. Through this booth, online video consultations were conducted not only for local small- and medium-sized enterprises that participated, but also for buyers from abroad.
KOTRA signed a business agreement with KOMMA last year in order to expand cooperation with the socalled “Sobujang (Materials, Parts, Equipment)” companies and thus to support their exports. As part of the business agreement, KOTRA proceeded with its “online export consultation meetings.” KOTRA has proceeded with its Global Partnering Business that helps local companies to become partner companies (delivery companies) of global companies.
It is a business that supports local companies to enter the global value chain (GVC) through identifying the needs of global companies. Currently, it is receiving great responses from the companies that require it.
And Matchmaking4U, a differentiated and exclusive buyer consultation meeting system for SIMTOS 2022, was also operated. It is said that an Italian buyer invited through that system actually promised to buy the linear systems of a Korean company after confirming the technology level.
Conference
Highlighted New Paradigm for Manufacturing Innovation
The largest concurrent event of SIMTOS 2022 was definitely the “International Conference on Manufacturing Innovation.” This event highlighted new insights and paradigms for manufacturing innovation to attendees from manufacturers, which lasted from May 24 to May 26 in the 6th hall of the 2nd Exhibition Center.
At the first of the conference, two themes were discussed — “The Smart Manufacturing Innovation and the Future of Manufacturing;” and “The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Global Manufacturing Innovation.”
On the second of the conference, two themes were discussed — “Gateway to Digital Manufacturing 1;” and “Encounter of Digital Twin for Smart Manufacturing Innovation and Metaverse.”
On the third day of the conference, two themes were discussed – “Gateway to Digital Manufacturing 2;” and “3D Printing for Smart Manufacturing Innovation.”
It is reported that the satisfaction level of exhibitors with SIMTOS 2022 was great — owing to the exhibition organizer’s selective invitation of buyers who have purchasing power through online pre-matching — despite the fact that the visits of foreign buyers turned out to be greatly decreased compared to the previous exhibition.
Meanwhile, the next SIMTOS is scheduled to be held in two years from now, in 2024.
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