The MoldMaking Conference: General Sessions on Tooling Digitization and Design Apprenticeships

 

 

GENERAL SESSIONS

 

OEM Corporate Initiatives for Digitization of Tooling Are on the Rise, Bob Vancoillie, Leader,  Global Center of Excellence for Mold Management, Consumer Division, Johnson & Johnson; Unilever, Moderator, Jerry Sherman, Coast Systems

Today OEMs need digital mold information to proactively manage troubleshooting, and lifecycle and maintenance budgets. A phased approach to digitization is currently taking place within many OEMS — from cycle counters to sensors in waterlines and cavities to collect data – but the ultimate goal is a qualified mold with reliable generated data where a manufacturer only needs to monitor the process, avoiding metrology and achieving a rapid release program with molders, saving resources and time.   OEMs are aligning to the digitization trends in the manufacturing with corporate initiatives to drive innovation and digitization. With digitization, OEMs are looking for a more proactive approach to lifecycle management and require more timely information to make budget decisions while providing the necessary visibility to decrease the risk to their supply chain. Without this information, OEMs are likely to push back on molders to take on the cost of mold maintenance and overall portfolio risk directly to the molders. Considering the strategies being deployed by OEMs to reap cost savings and decrease supply chain risks while managing the lifecycle of their expensive tooling assets, it is highly likely that OEMs will find partners that better align with their corporate strategy of digitization. Come to this session to learn about this trend and determine if you want to be part of this trend to new business opportunities or not?

Answering the Call for Mold Engineering Help with a Unique Mold Design Apprenticeship and Untapped Resources,  Jeff Mertz, President, Anova Innovations; Tami Adams, Executive Director, Northwestern PA Chapter, National Tooling & Machining Association (NTMA)

The future of moldmaking is in part and mold design and the necessary engineering fundamentals and skilled workforce are missing. Anova has an answer, which combines a business model focused on mold design (using 3D printing and designing highly engineered systems with tight tolerances and fast cycle times, and engineering with a reliance on outsourcing to a valuable network of manufacturers) and a unique mold design and engineering apprenticeship involving the National Tooling and Manufacturing Association and a local under-resourced Erie, Pennsylvania high school. Hear the story of a workforce passion project becoming a reality as one mold builder explains his journey and shares his road map to developing an apprenticeship program that helps students in a disadvantaged school district start a technological career out of high school. Learn about the local network of experienced, ambitious manufacturing and educational professionals that helped to identify the student body with the greatest need and potential, formulate a plan and launch a mold design apprenticeship program to share industrywide.

Visit moldmakingconference.com to register today!