MCLEAN, VA - The most advanced developing technologies are critical to the future of manufacturing. A noteworthy group of those progressing technologies will be on display at the Emerging Technology Center at IMTS 2010 – The International Manufacturing Technology Show. This year’s ETC will feature MTConnect, cloud computing, nanotechnology/micro manufacturing and additive manufacturing. IMTS is being held at Chicago’s McCormick Place, September 13-18, 2010.

“Encouraging innovation and investment in emerging technologies is critical to the future and health of manufacturing,” says Douglas K. Woods, president of The Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT), which is the sponsor of IMTS. “IMTS is the ideal forum to showcase the future of manufacturing and offer hands-on experience to all who attend the show.”

Visitors to the ETC will get a brief 3-D video overview discussing the four leading-edge technologies, take a self-guided tour of the ETC and experience in-depth, interactive demonstrations firsthand.

MTConnect is an open, royalty-free standard developed to foster improved communication between machine tools. It made its debut in the ETC at IMTS 2008, and more companies have begun pilot programs with MTConnect. The standard is beginning to garner international attention.

IMTS 2010 will feature a live demonstration of MTConnect that will focus on the ability of applications to collect data from machines and devices and how that data can be utilized. The MTConnect Institute will be using examples from registered implementers and its members for a real-time demonstration via the Internet.

Cloud computing is a technology that’s being used increasingly throughout the business world and is making its way into manufacturing. Essentially, it is the outsourced management and storage of data, done on large, remote Internet server farms with users paying only for what they use. Companies using cloud-based services no longer need to maintain their own servers, and software updates and security are done automatically - end users only need to download it.

Nanotechnology is the development of materials and devices sized 100 nanometers or smaller, important especially in the fields of electronics and medicine, as well as in aerospace.

Finally, additive manufacturing is the process of building objects based on thin, horizontal cross-sections from 3-D computer models. It allows design flexibility previously unknown and even impossible in traditional subtractive processes. It allows for a much more rapid production process, as well as materials flexibility, and is ideal for sophisticated, low-quantity parts.

The president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), John Engler, will give a keynote address in the ETC on day two of IMTS, Tuesday, September 14 at 9:30 a.m. Engler will highlight how investment in innovation, technology and technical skills are critical to a strong U.S. manufacturing sector. The former Governor of Michigan will also provide insights on how the U.S. and states can create an economic climate that encourages innovation. No registration is required to attend the keynote address.