Show Me the ROI: How Augmented Reality is Modernizing Manufacturing

April 11, 2019 by

Most enterprises now know that AR is worth the investment, but do they know by how much? Hear firsthand from AR visionary, David Nedohin, on the eye-opening ROI that global corporations such as Lockheed Martin, Unilever, Prince Castle and Makino are seeing from implementing AR within their organizations.

As one of the first executives to get AR tools in use by multi-billion dollar corporations, David will provide use case examples of early Fortune 500 enterprise adopters of AR and present the ROI they are seeing, from improving worker efficiency and reducing equipment downtime and maintenance costs, to more accurately diagnosing and resolving repair issues, all of which are positively impacting the bottom line. David will also discuss how AR can significantly enhance knowledge transfer from retiring baby boomers to millennials and attract the next generation of workers and prevent the growing skills gap within organizations. Finally, he’ll explore where AR is at in its technological “hype cycle” and how enterprises will lead the way in making AR a mainstream technology in the years ahead.

Biting Off More Than You Can Chew: Achieving Success When Implementing IIoT Solutions

April 3, 2019 by

Many IIoT solutions fail before they can deliver value to an organization. This is often because the value an IIoT solution might offer isn’t fully understood, and the value can only be realized at the end of a project. This presentation will show you how to break an IIoT solution into small, bite-sized chunks, each of which provide value to the organization.

When you break an IIoT solution into small pieces, you limit the scope of each piece. This can be done in multiple ways – instead of a complete digital transformation for the entire organization, this might represent only a small portion of the plant. Upon success, the formula can be then rolled out to the rest of the organization. When it comes to predictive equipment failure or asset monitoring, this might represent implementing the solution for only one or two types of equipment at first.

This can require a shift in the way that IIoT projects are managed, but done correctly, they result in a series of project successes. Each success adds value, and this value can start generating an ROI before the full project is even completed. The small components are also completed on a much shorter timeline, which allows for more fine-grained allocation of resources and ensures the clients needs are fully met.

By borrowing from some agile methodologies towards project management, and by taking smaller bites while implementing an IIoT application, you can realize ROI sooner. If one aspect of the overall IIoT program fails, you are still able to realize partial success along the way. This paradigm shift results in an overall increase in project success, as IIoT solutions won’t ever fail completely – and if they do, only minimal resources are committed before realizing a project isn’t viable, instead of investing and wasting months of effort.

The Connected Machine Shop: Building the Digital Thread

April 3, 2019 by

Exploring the concept of “the digital thread,” this presentation will explain how the application of digital technology will fundamentally transform the machine shop of the future. Learn how a machine shop’s value stream will increase significantly through advanced data acquisition and analysis, machining strategy development and machining process security.

Learning Objectives
• Realize the payoffs of data for end-to-end value stream efficiency through cyber-physical systems
• Understand how to implement digital technologies through all stages of the machining process
• Use data to provide insight to your operation and make real-time adjustments

Why Is It Important?
Globalization, urbanization and changing demographic trends bring challenges to the manufacturing industry. But these trends also bring opportunities for digitalization to increase levels of automation, reduce waste and improved cost and quality control. To remain competitive, today’s manufacturers need to identify and remove key sources of waste along the machining value chain.

Admission to this Special Presentation is Complimentary for All Registered Attendees.

Keynote Panel: Polytechnic Education and Industry – A Dynamic Partnership

January 11, 2019 by

The world is rapidly changing. Technology is influencing everything from how we work to what skills will be important in the future. Join Malcolm Haines, Dean of Skilled Trades at NAIT as he discusses the polytechnic’s role in supporting manufacturing.

Following that join Malcolm, Darryl Short, Chief Executive Officer, Karma Machining and Manufacturing and Mark Gurnett, owner of Shepherd Machine, for a panel discussion on the role post-secondary in conjunction with industry plays in ensuring the we have the skilled workforce we need for today and tomorrow. The panel will discuss the role of lifelong learning, how technology is influencing the skills needed especially in the manufacturing sector and the role industry has in working in partnership with educational institutions.

Keynote Panel Sponsored by:

Harnessing Innovation to Grow Manufacturing in Alberta

January 11, 2019 by

Compared to the rest of Canada, Alberta’s manufacturing sector is comprised of a large number of small companies that lag in the adoption of new technologies. While there is a lot of chatter about digital twins, internet of things, blockchain, Industry 4.0, supply chain management, machine learning, informatics, 3D printing, etc. – the real challenge facing Alberta manufacturers is understanding the unique benefits and risks of such technologies for their distinctive manufacturing processes. This talk will highlight strategies to overcome such barriers and suggest a way for Alberta to channel its entrepreneurial spirit to drive the intelligent adoption of new manufacturing technologies. Core to this strategy is the creation of consortia enabling local companies to collaborate to reduce risk and costs, while also competing.

The talk will use Additive Manufacturing as a case study for how this strategy could be realized in Alberta. While 3D printers and printing are core to the creation of new products, it is just one step in the larger chain of advanced manufacturing tools and technologies needed to maximize value creation in this rapidly emerging area. For example, advanced 3D Design coupled with computational approaches are enabling entirely new ways to test products BEFORE they are manufactured, and this in turn is creating entirely new business opportunities. To capitalize on these opportunities, Alberta’s manufacturing companies will need to find ways to embrace these new technologies intelligently.