The event, Going Green: Smart Choices for a Sustainable Future, also shed light on best practices in the EU and Canada for creating partnership opportunities between cities and regions on the two continents.

“In both Canada and the EU, there has been a growing understanding that smart, sustainable growth cannot just be achieved only at the local level, but also needs a regional, continental and global dimension to succeed,” Matthias Brinkmann, head of the EU delegation in Canada, said in a statement.

“The research and innovation needed to meet these challenges requires a critical mass of expertise going beyond any one city or region. Canada and the EU regularly confer to share best practices beyond their respective boundaries.”

The event at the Palais des congrès de Montréal coincided with negotiations between the two sides on a new free-trade agreement.

The initiative is also part of the EU’s Europe 2020 strategy, which is targeting a 20 per cent cut in Europe’s annual primary energy consumption by 2020.

According to the SME, it will team up with Sous-Traitance Industrielle Quebec (STIQ) and Regroupement des Equipementiers en Automatisation Industrielle (REAI) to host the Advanced Manufacturing Expo and the Plant Management and Design Engineering and Contract Manufacturing Shows April 23 and 24 at Place Bonaventure in Montreal.

“This collaborative effort between our associations is to demonstrate to manufacturing companies in Quebec that there are solutions to their production requirements right here in their own backyard,” SME marketing manager Merry Dang said in a statement.

“Whether companies are interested in constructing their own solutions or looking for contract manufacturers to bring their products to market, there are numerous companies that have the product knowledge to fulfill these orders.”

According to the SME, the event will feature conference sessions and presentations addressing the challenges facing manufacturers, including global competitiveness.

To register for the show or learn more log on to the Fabrication Quebec website.

Even in the current strong-yet-precarious post-recession economy, the industry long regarded as the heartbeat of Canada is hemorrhaging.

Though manufacturing contributes roughly 13 per cent to the national GDP, it’s share was once closer to 18 per cent.

While unions, business leaders and other industry watchers call on Canada’s federal and provincial governments to step up for manufacturing on home soil, one region in Ontario is taking matters into its own hands.

Launched in February, the Regional Municipality of Durham—located just east of Toronto—has rolled out a series of information and networking sessions for local business leaders in a bid to strengthen the region’s manufacturing sector.

“Manufacturing is something that’s very big in our region and we just want to make sure that we find ways of bringing manufacturers together, allow them to collaborate (and) share their knowledge and best practices so we can assist in supporting the overall health of our economy and help them prosper in Durham region,” said Kasia Chojecki, manager of economic development and strategic initiatives for the region.

Partnering with the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC), the sessions, dubbed Take Your Business to the Next Level—the Essential Tools for Manufacturing Leaders, cover topics from collaboration to planning and sustaining business for long-term success.

According to Dave Jarrett, EMC field service advisor for the GTA, York and Durham regions, the biggest obstacle the organization is trying to overcome with the sessions is a general lack of collaboration amongst manufacturers.

“We find (for) a lot of our manufacturing folks collaboration is not an intuitive skillset,” he said. “We’re competitive by nature, and even though we’re competitive, there are many times where manufacturers can work together … but it is a skill that needs to be taught.

“We’re trying to create the forums to allow that to be experienced.”

The first session,  Plan Your Step-up Program, covered accessing government funding and industry collaboration for an audience of representatives from about 40 manufacturing firms.

Jarrett, who was one of three presenters at the first session, used his own personal journey to obtain funding to illustrate some of the best practices manufacturers can use for their own businesses.

“(We) were explaining how we have applied those funds in our businesses and, as we set out to use those funding mechanisms, what challenges we ran into … in order to share some of our best—and worst—practices,” he said with a laugh.

Approaching those funding opportunities without a strategy can be overwhelming, Jarrett said of his experiences, noting when he first set out to access funding he tried to take on more than he was capable of.

“Each of them has a project plan that needs to be supported, and ultimately you’re trying to build a long-term with these funding government agencies,” he said. “I took on too many funds at the time that I was (pursuing) mine thinking we could execute and manage more than we could.”

The next session, set for April 23, will focus on transforming business. A third session covering sustaining business is scheduled for Sept. 30.

While the importance of strengthening the foundation of manufacturing is evident, Chojecki said a focus on collaboration will help build a foundation of partnership that can help both today and tomorrow.

“The thing with manufacturers is they need networks—they need supply chains,” she said. “The more people we can connect them with, the more successful they become.”

According to Chojecki, manufacturers not currently operating in the Durham region but considering expanding to the area are more than welcome to attend the upcoming sessions.

“If there are manufacturers interested in Durham region and they want to attend these sessions or they want to get in touch with us we’d be happy to work with them,” she said.

The Durham session was a pilot, according to Jarrett, as EMC looks to expand its offering of similar engagements in other regions.

“We are rolling more of these out in the Greater Toronto Area,” he said. “We have another initiative that will be taking place May 23 in the York region and we will be trying to establish one in the Etobicoke/Toronto/Mississauga region.”

Jarrett noted the Durham session marked the first time EMC rolled out an event focused on government funding for manufacturers.

To learn more about upcoming sessions be sure to check the EMC—Durham region webpage.

PMDS/AmExpo
SME
April 23-24, Montreal
The Plant Management and Design Engineering Show (PMDS) presented by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) will be co-located with the Advanced Manufacturing Show and Contract Manufacturing Show (Contrex). Together they will feature 80 companies showcasing ways to improve production processes. Visit fabricationquebec.ca.

Better Physical Asset Management
Initiatives that Work
C-MORE
April 29-May 3, Toronto
Presented by C-MORE (Centre for Maintenance Optimization & Reliability Engineering) at the University of Toronto. Three world-class instructors combine need-to-know material with proven leading-edge approaches. Download event information here.

Plant Visit: Decor Cabinet Company
Innovation Insights/CME
April 30, Morden, Man.
Learn about the theory of constraints and the manufacturing of semi-custom cabinets in a small batch environment. Presented by Innovations Insights and Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME). Visit http://www.tvp-ii.org/en/events.

CIM Convention 2013
30th CIM Exhibition
CIM
May 5-8, Toronto
Presented by he Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum. Sessions will focus on challenges and best practices. Visit http://web.cim.org/toronto2013.

PTDA Canadian Conference 2013
PTDA
June 6-8, Toronto
The Canadian Conference, hosted by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA), provides knowledge sessions about economic trends and markets. Visit
https://www.ptda.org/canadianconference.

Gas & Oil Expo North America 2013
SPE Heavy Oil Conference-Canada
DMG World Media
June 11, Calgary
The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) conference will provide international perspectives on best practices and technological advances in the exploration and production of heavy oil. Badge gets you into the Gas & Oil Expo. Visit http://www.spe.org/events/hocc/2013.

PTDA Canadian Conference 2013
PTDA
June 6-8, Toronto
The Canadian Conference, hosted by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA), provides knowledge sessions about economic trends and markets. Visit
https://www.ptda.org/canadianconference.

NDT in Canada 2013
CINDE/CANSMART/IZFP
Oct. 7-10, Calgary
The International Workshop on Smart Materials and Structures, SHM and NDT for the Energy Industry in conjunction with the NDT in Canada 2013 conference is presented by the Canadian Institute for NDE (CINDE), The Cansmart Group (CANSMART), and the Fraunhofer Institute for Nondestructive Testing (IZFP). The latest developments in NDT, smart materials, and structural health monitoring will be discussed with a special emphasis on topics relating to the energy industry. Visit http://events.cinde.ca.

PTDA Industry Summit
PTDA
Oct. 18-20, Dallas
Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) hosts a networking event with educational sessions on economic trends and market opportunities. Visit www.ptda.org/IndustrySummit.

AME Toronto 2013
AME
Oct. 21-25, Toronto
Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) presents the Breakthrough to Your Leading Edge lean conference. Four of the world’s leading lean thought leaders are featured: Jim Womack, Dan Jones, John Shook and Mike Rother, plus best practices sessions and plant tours. Visit http://www.ameconference.org/2013-toronto.

Automatica 2014
Messe München International
May 20-23, Munich, Germany
How robots and machine tools make metalworking more efficient. Current trends in assembly and handling technology, robotics and industrial machine vision will be addressed. Visit http://www.automatica-munich.com/en/Home.

What it lacked in size, though, it more than made up for in innovation, with the latest and greatest from some of the brightest stars in Canada’s expanding medical device industry.

And in a way, the show is a metaphor for the industry itself, SME Canada medical industry manager Lauralyn McDaniel says of the $7-billion a year field, which is growing but still far from its potential.

“I think it absolutely is true,” McDaniel says of the analogy.

Held at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ont., the two-day Medical Manufacturing Innovations (MMI) event in October presented by SME Canada fit into one hall, with a few dozen companies and organizations represented on the show floor.

One of the innovations that dominated the show was additive manufacturing.

While not new to the medical industry—the technology has been used in the field for close to 30 years—additive manufacturing has come a long way, McDaniel says, and can be used for a variety of devices and implants.

“It’s always been a great fit for medical because we’re talking about people and personalizing things for people,” she says. “One of the areas it made its first impact in the consumer market was hearing aids, (and) today, almost every hearing aid shell that is made is made with additive technologies.”

With a handful of exhibitors specializing in additive manufacturing (also known as 3-D printing or rapid prototyping) on display at the show, the technology has expanded far beyond hearing aid casings.

Companies like Proto3000 use 3-D printers to create intricate physical models incorporating different textures and material densities on one object to simulate different parts of the human anatomy.

Other companies at the show, like Solid Concepts, have expanded into metals to cater to the implant side of the industry.

As Solid Concepts regional account manager John MacDonald explains, the ability to texture metals allows for limitless applications of the technology, including artificial joint replacements that allow for cells to grow around the textured pieces.

“The thing with the implants is that rough (surfaces) allow the growth of the human tissue onto the part beforehand,” he says.

MacDonald says metals aren’t just used for rough surfaces, but rather can be tailor-made for each use.

“Depending on the application, we can manufacture whatever (surface),” he says. “The advantage is they can scan the original body parts and they can create specifically to that part.”

According to McDaniel, injection molding is also revolutionizing the world of implants, replacing plastics with metals to increase product life and wear.

“One of the other things I’ve seen is the development of metal injection molding, which when you think about additive with metals and metal injection molding, they both start with powder metals,” she says.

The process is making its mark particularly in Ontario, she says, where low-volume-high-value production is picking up steam.

According to McDaniel, 3-D printing technology is also being matched with another growing innovation to increase its capabilities.

“Another way additive is making a difference is combining it with 3-D imaging to actually print implants,” she says, noting skull implants as one area the technologies are working well together.

Another emerging technology, she says, is micro manufacturing, or microfabrication, more traditionally used in the making of microchips.

“If you think about that, a human hair is 80 to 100 microns in width,” McDaniel says. “We’re talking about being able to drill holes or to mold things that are a few microns in size.”

Regardless of what technology Canadian medical firms are working in, though, McDaniel says there’s one key ingredient to all their successes.

“If we look at medical manufacturing and which medical device companies are successful, they’re the ones driven by innovation,” she says.

Despite the innovations found in Canada’s medical device sector—and at the MMI show—McDaniel described it as a growing market that still relies heavily on imports.

“If I look at the medical devices manufactured in Canada, there are more exported than there are used in Canada,” she says. “If I bring in the imports to Canada, there’s more used in Canada than produced in Canada.”

While some may consider this point a negative, McDaniel it’s a market ripe for the picking.

“There is such opportunity in Canada just to meet Canada’s needs,” she says.

Still, McDaniel compares Canada’s medical device industry—and in particular Ontario’s—to two global hotspots.

“What I see being developed as far as medical devices in Ontario is similar to what’s being developed in Minneapolis and the San Jose, (Calif.), which are two of the leading and most innovative centres of medical device manufacturing in the world,” McDaniel says.

That leaves the door open for a lot of manufacturers looking to expand their business, she says, particularly those working in aerospace and automotive, where the crossover would be most seamless.

So as the Canadian medical industry grows, the MMI show grows, too, tied rather closely together.

“This is different than (bigger shows),” McDaniel says of the biannual event. “We’re not only selling exhibit space, we’re selling the medical manufacturing market in Canada.”

Hosted by the west Toronto chapter of Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), economic, policy, labour and technology experts will be on hand to assess the state of the sector in the province and discuss issues facing manufacturing moving forward.

According to PEO, speakers include Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Ontario vice-president Ian Hawcroft; corporate finance manager, Deloitte & Touche, Eoin O’Connor; Matthias Oschinski, lead economist, Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation; and Peter Warrian, senior research fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs.

The symposium takes place Saturday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in room MC102 in the University of Toronto Mechanical Industrial Engineering Building (5 King’s College Rd., Toronto).

It is co-sponsored by the Ontario Centre for Engineering and Public Policy, the University of Toronto’s Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Toronto chapter.

Carruthers made the comments during a panel discussion at Supply Chain Canada’s 45th Annual Conference and Trade Show. Carruthers, who is also board chair of PMAC and a 10 year veteran of doing business in China, said that Chinese quality is, for the most part, “exceptional”.

“That’s a strong word and I chose that very carefully,” Carruthers told the crowd.

The notion the country’s goods are low quality is largely a media fabrication, he noted. But there are risks apart from product quality. Purchasers must still be clear regarding what they need from a Chinese supplier, as well as ensure not to make assumptions based on cultural differences.

As for nearshoring in countries like Mexico or the US replacing offshoring to China, Carruthers stressed one method doesn’t have to entirely usurp the other. Effective global sourcing relies largely on mutual trust and good relationships, he said. Having local contacts in China is also helpful, as those contacts often understand local pricing and can advise whether suggested amounts are accurate, he added. Still, there will be changes in the Chinese landscape as markets move inland, Carruthers warned.

“China is not the magic pill,” he said.

There’s still value to sourcing in China, said Garland Chow, associate professor at the Saunder School of Business at the University of British Columbia. But that value continues to erode due to issues like exchange rates making Chinese money worth more. China’s eastern coast—traditionally a sourcing hub—also gets hit with earthquakes, floods and typhoons.

Does that make sourcing from other regions like Southeast Asia a viable option? The weather is often worse in countries like Thailand, Chow noted, citing heavy flooding in that country last year. The region also tends to have lower productivity than China. Therefore, China will not be supplanted completely as a sourcing destination.

While nearshoring from countries like Mexico was an option, proximity has its risks, Chow said. Drug-related violence could pose a problem, while the country’s logistics system didn’t rank well.

“So firms that use China now will use it in the future,” Chow said.

But those firms must manage risk more than ever and develop flexible sourcing strategies. Following trends could pay off since the situation in countries like Viet Nam, Thailand and India could change rapidly, he said. As well, knowing what affects suppliers’ suppliers can give an organization a competitive advantage.

According to Eric Allard, director of logistics and customs GSC at Husky Injection Molding, having the right people in place increases success in global sourcing. Finding the right people is a challenge, he said, noting he used his vendors and other partners in the process.

“I really leverage the network of people I work with,” he said.

Now that webinar is available for viewing.

Bill Eggertson

The presenter was Bill Eggertson, executive general manager of the Canadian Wood Pallet and Container Association. The moderator was MM&D editor, Carolyn Gruske.

Bill explained how the US is unilaterally changing the rules to prevent untreated wooden pallets from crossing the border. He spoke about the changes business are going to have to make in order to continue shipping goods to the US, what it’s going to cost and when this is all going to happen.

After the formal presentation, a long and lively Q&A session followed. Among the questions asked and answered were:

• How is CBP / CRA going to enforce this especially when you pull a truck over for inspection will it have to be de-stuffed?
• Where do we find the list of facilities that are certified to heat treat pallets?
• How much do you expect it will cost to re-certify the pallets?
• Because this is supposed to be a paperless system, is anything being done to A) educate people; B) dealing with unwarranted request?

The formal presentation lasts approximately 20 minutes. The Q&A is about 45 minutes.

The Canada-India Business Council (C-IBC) & Aspire International Group are providing an opportunity for Canadian businesses to learn how they can secure some of that business during a session in Toronto May 11.

Key issues and strategies will be discussed through a series of short presentations and expert panels. The sessions will cover urban infrastructure, transport and logistics, India’s energy needs, the policy and regulatory environment and recent developments in Indian infrastructure finance.

Speakers at “Infrastructure Today – India Opportunity 2012” will include:

• AK Upadhyay, Secretary, Ministry of Road, Transport & Highways, Government of India.

• Dave Saunders, CEO, LEA Group.

• Gautam Bhandari, Head, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure (MSI) Asia.

• Luis Miranda, Former Chairman, IDFC Private Equity.

• Nicholas Parker, co-founder and executive chair, Cleantech Group.

• Shahzaad Dalal, VC & MD, IL&FS Investment Managers.

• Stephen Beatty, Head, Global Infrastructure (Americas), KPMG.

Click here for more information.

The 2012 biennial event will focus on “Apprenticeship Strategies for Success: Diversity, Innovation and Engagement,” and address complex issues such as apprenticeship completion, employer engagement and career awareness among young people.

“The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum’s biennial conference makes an important contribution to the apprenticeship community,” says Dave Santi, director of learning and competency development at Suncor Energy, the forum’s corporate theme partner. “Suncor believes that apprenticeship training is essential to developing our skilled trades workforce for our business today and in the future.”

Click here for more information.

The floor is hopping with more than 32,000 visitors, making Fabtech 2011 the largest in the show’s history.

Registration is up 26 percent over 2009 numbers (the last time the show was in Chicago), according to organizers.

The total exhibit space takes up 10 football fields. A show this size makes for tired feet, but the big guys, such as Mitsubishi, Amada and Trumpf are doing it up in style, with full service cafes and lounge chairs in their sprawling 15,000 square-foot booths.

Check out footage from Fabtech 2011 in our photo gallery:

• 

  Sparks Fly at Fabtech 2011

  Phil Benincaso, training manager with Pferd Inc. in Leominster, Ma. demonstrates grinding.

• 

  Mike Barrett of Lincoln Electric Co. showed delegates an aluminum welding system geared toward shipbuilders.

• 

  Greg Mayfield of AKS Cutting Systems demonstrated the beveled edges of plasma-cut parts.

• 

  Welding Bling

  Welding bling: Torch tips by American Torch Tip ATTC.

• 

  Monica Pfarr and Steve Mattson, both with the American Welding Society, greet delegates on day one.

• 

  Sarah Casilio, second generation of the family-owned Buffalo Shrink Wrap, puts the company\'s products in action.

• 

  Max Finkenbinder gives a demo at the CGW-Camel Grinding Wheels USA booth.

• 

  Bill Hilderbrand of Fein Power Tools Inc. draws a crowd with the MagForce drilling machine.

• 

  Protective gear, such as these helmets from Fibre-Metal by Honeywell, were on prominent display in the welding hall.

• 

  Rod Peterson of Magswitch Technology Worldwide (Westminster, Colo.) shows off the company\'s line of magnetic holding and lifting devices for welding.

• 

  Trumpf\'s 15,000 square-foot exhibit featured a mezzanine, cafe, lounge areas and technology displays.

• 

  Not just a pretty face

  Bianca Bauer, winner of Switzerland\'s 2008 Next Top Model contest, signs autographs and spices up the welding hall.

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl. (FMA) and the American Welding Society (AWS) will be launching FABTECH Canada March 20-22 at the Toronto Congress Centre.

The event will showcase the latest fabrication technologies, tools and trends used in industries ranging from automotive and energy to transportation and construction; and feature three days of conference sessions.

Check out this and other events.

Kevin O’Leary, the ruthless judge on CBC’s Dragon’s Den, will kick off the conference portion of CMTS with his pull-no-punches look at the good, the bad and the ugly of manufacturing.

Speaking at 9 a.m. on Oct.17, the opening day of the show, he will answer tough questions facing today’s manufacturers, including, “How will the global recession affect your industry?” and “What can you do to protect your company and come out stronger?”

Also speaking at CMTS 2011 is well-known automotive insight journalist and TV host John McElroy, who will moderate the Automotive Summit, a roundtable panel sponsored by the Automotive Parts Manufacturer’s Association (APMA) on Oct. 18.

Click here for more information about CMTS, presented by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and other manufacturing events.

Not surprisingly, industrial trade shows have been feeling the pinch, especially through the downturn. The number of exhibitors slid as did attendance.

Today, the page is turning. Manufacturers are more confident about their prospects, despite ongoing competitive challenges, and this optimism is reflected in the growth this year of the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show 2011 (CMTS), which runs from Oct. 17-20 at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto.

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), the show’s producer, has expanded the event and the focus is on elevating the attendee experience with live equipment demonstrations, more than 600 exhibitors, an exclusive industry keynote speaker, interactive panel discussions and educational sessions, plus more opportunities to network.

“We did a cross-Canada survey of CMTS delegates and there’s more optimism out there, which we’re seeing on the show floor,” says Nick Samain, SME’s event manager in Toronto.

Nearly 60% of the respondents plan to invest more in manufacturing equipment this year compared to what they spent in 2010, and approximately 30% are prepared to invest the same amount of money year over year.

Sixty per cent are exploring areas for diversification, with 62% planning to upgrade their machining and equipment as part of that strategy. Other areas earmarked for upgrading or diversification are design and engineering (45%), processing equipment (38%), quality (38%) and materials (35%).

Of the 75% planning to invest in manufacturing equipment this year, budgets will range from $1 million and more (10.5%); $250,000 to $999,999 (16.3%); $50,000 to $249,999 (25.4%); and under $50,000 (21.8%).

Two-thirds of respondents say trade shows play a role in their purchasing strategies; 81.3% use them to see equipment in action; 70.3% want to learn about new applications; 72.5% are looking for new products; and 52.7% attend to meet with technical staff.

Close to half of the respondents cite “keeping production costs under control” and “improving workforce productivity” as their most pressing challenges, while 22% reported difficulty keeping up with industry trends.

SME is dealing with this latter point by being more interactive prior to the show using several online channels. Manufacturers can keep up with show developments on an enhanced CMTS website, and SME is helping them keep up with industry trends through its newsletter, a twitter feed, and engagement through LinkedIn, Facebook and You Tube. You can check out the options by visiting http://cmts.ca.

“We want to be more than a show location,” says Samain. “We want to create a community and interact with each other before the event rather than having just one-way communication.”

So far, SME’s efforts are paying off. Samain reports brisk business with exhibitors. Some of the big players who have been absent are returning and there are new ones. He’s also predicting 10,000 visitors this year, a 20% increase over last year.

International flavour
India will have a significant presence at the show. The Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED) agency is the biggest exhibitor with a pavilion and about 150 companies that will demonstrate their capabilities in IT, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, mining (including oil and natural gas), machine tools and automation technologies. The delegation will also be hosting high-level events with Canadian and Indian consulate representatives and delegates.

The show’s international flavour will be further enhanced with a pavilion from Italy and its 12 to 15 exhibitors, and look for a contingent from Japan.

A key component of this year’s CMTS is the education segment. SME has secured some dynamic keynote speakers, starting with hard-core entrepreneur and TV personality Kevin O’Leary, a business pundit on CBC’s The Lang and O’Leary report, and a panel member on both the Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank shows. Samain has also confirmed John McElroy, a US automotive journalist and host of TV’s AutoLine Detroit and American Driver.

Sessions throughout the four-day event will cover cost control and productivity, energy costs, workplace productivity, laser cutting, machining technology and trends, design, manufacturing in the automotive, additive and medical sectors, and there will be an automotive summit.

To add some fun to the mix, Samain says 10 iPADS will be given away during the registration period and to broaden the show’s appeal beyond the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), registrants are being offered packages for hotel stays, shuttle to and from the show and entertainment in the evenings.

Conditions are ideal for manufacturers planning to invest in equipment and technology. Canadian companies can make use of the two-year tax write-off for their purchases, a measure that was extended in the federal government’s 2011 budget, and although the Canadian dollar is high, it means more bang for their purchasing dollars.

With manufacturers’ confidence and prospects improving, CMTS 2011 will provide buyers with an opportunity to experience under one roof the range of new machines, equipment and advanced technology that will be central to their ongoing business success.

June 21st was the first day of summer and the date for the annual Canadian Machine Tool Dealers Association annual cruise. 80 members registered for this year’s dinner cruise which took place in foggy conditions aboard the Mariposa Belle in the waters around Toronto’s Centre Island, but the mood was decidedly upbeat. Declared CMTDA President John Manley: “Half a dozen board members couldn’t make it because they’re busy. It’s a great sign.”

Manley, who is also president of Toronto-based Machine Tool Systems, bases his assertion on CMTDA statistics adding, “we’re seeing a major increase in orders since January…we’re way out of pre-recession times. We’ve turned the corner, no question”.

Statistics Canada reports manufacturers scored solid sales gains in January, a whopping 4.5% with 17 of 21 industries recording growth. And companies are loosening their purse strings to invest in new plants and equipment as they seek new export opportunities. CIBC World Markets Inc. expects this investment to add significantly to capacity, ensuring it remains a consistent source of support for the domestic economy in 2011 and in coming years.

Manufacturers in Quebec and Alberta who are ready to spend some of this investment money on improving their productivity and competitiveness can check out new technologies, systems, equipment, machinery and more at two regional shows presented by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME).

In its twenty-second year, the Plant Management and Design Engineering Show (PMDS), from May 17-19 at Place Bonaventure in Montreal, connects you with top industry suppliers of plant, maintenance and systems products and services.

“Now, more than ever, it’s essential for manufacturers to come together in an environment where they can compare the latest in equipment, technology and services in order to be as competitive as possible,” said Nick Samain, event manager with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), organizer of the event. “PMDS provides a unique forum that brings together three critical elements for manufacturers – knowledge, technology and networking – each critical to success in today’s highly-competitive business environment.”

But it’s much more than a trade show. PMDS also provides opportunities for networking and learning. New for 2011 is an advanced Plant Maintenance Conference, bringing high-level speakers and content designed to help manufacturers take advantage of the economic recovery. Topics include:

• Continuous improvement. Reduce manufacturing costs and secondary operations by: building a culture of continuous improvement; implementing Six Sigma to reduce scrap and rework; and making production more efficient.

• Shortage of manpower. Learn how to recruit and mobilize an unskilled workforce. Key points covered include: understanding the job market; how to position yourself in that market; how to promote and differentiate your company; and training your employees to follow new technological developments.

• Encourage collaboration between your departments. The session will look at how you can create a maintenance and operations team. Topics include: how to develop a team; preparing it to cope with a period of high workload; putting reliability teams together; aligning supervisors with corporate goals and encouraging ownership of their projects; and laying
a foundation for succession through coaching and leadership.

• Lean maintenance. Apply the concepts of lean manufacturing to your strategies and maintenance procedures by: reviewing all aspects of maintenance; identifying key steps and best practices for the successful implementation of lean; and encouraging your workforce to be more efficient.

• World conversation café. Interactive discussions on maintenance and plant
engineering will accelerate the search for innovative solutions to complex challenges by drawing on the wisdom and creativity of the participants. Issues to be discussed include: developing an industry that is attractive to the workforce of tomorrow; recruiting, motivating and retaining a workforce; productivity in relation to quality and profitability; and best practices from industries that inspire.

• Preventive or predictive maintenance? This workshop will help you make informed choices about which method is best for your machinery and equipment. You’ll learn about the main requirements of both, their strategies and weaknesses, and assessing the best strategies.

• Unplanned breakdowns. Learn how to stay ahead of failures and establish
contingency plans. This workshop will help you quickly find the source of a
failure; make a repair or replace decision; and keep the right parts in stock.

Head west for WMTS
The Western Manufacturing Technology Show (WMTS) held every two years in Edmonton, provides western manufacturers a showcase of products ranging from machine tools, welding equipment, design engineering and plant maintenance to process control and automation.

This year’s show, June 14-16, will help Alberta’s manufacturers address some of the challenges they face in a booming energy economy.

Investment in Alberta oil sands development and operations is a huge contributor to the resurgence of spending on machinery, equipment and technologies. This year’s capital and operational spending is expected to exceed $30 billion, which cascades through Alberta’s economy and across Canada. Manufacturers who want to share the bounty will have to be efficient, productive and ready to deliver.

WMTS, held at Edmonton’s Expo Centre, Northlands, will feature leading-edge machine tools, tooling and accessories, fabrication, design, automation, process control, and plant maintenance equipment, plus opportunities to network with technology experts and peers. And Weld Expo Canada 2011 is back.

The program will also include
keynotes and a town hall panel, details to be announced.

PMDS and WMTS are produced in partnership with Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), Canadian Wind Energy Association (CANWEA), Canadian Tooling and Machining Association (CTMA), Quebec Aerospace Association (AQA), Canadian Machine Tool Distributors
Association (CMTDA), Rogers Media and Edmonton Tourism. Canadian PLANT, a Rogers Media publication, is a media partner for both shows.

The following ideas presented at the sixth IMEC offer a selection of take-aways from the sessions.

Eliminating waste. Anders Lif, the global director for product and industry marketing of Sweden-based ISF AB and a regular presenter at IMEC, is passionate about eliminating wasteful practices that cost manufacturing and processing plants billions of dollars in lost time each year.

Says Lif: “The idea is to solve the problem before it turns into a full-scale disaster. By feeding your Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system with information, such as production events, meantime between failure and equipment condition, you can react instantly. All information is gathered in real-time, avoiding costly time lags.”

Organizations could share inventory between similar plants. For this to work, a common naming standard would have to be developed. A shared master data would greatly benefit several locations, resulting in greater availability of spare parts and a reduction in tied-up capital.

A winning maintenance strategy. Guy Delahay, the founder of Holland’s Mainnovation and a principal proponent of value-driven maintenance (VDM), has some workable ideas on how to win the maintenance game.

An important step is aligning VDM with other running initiatives, such as reliability-centred maintenance (RCM), total productive maintenance (TPM), and lean maintenance efforts. Bear in mind that RCM is a very structured approach to find the most effective preventive maintenance action for an asset. Thus, reliability engineering is a crucial competence in any VDM improvement agenda.

Driving VDM
TPM is useful to understand production output and aligning operations and maintenance. However, he warns “zero defects” is not necessarily a logical goal anymore. He says manufacturing techniques have evolved and improved over the last five decades. Now there is Toyota’s total production system (TPS), which combines TPM with Six Sigma, kaizen and other techniques. “Lean” is about reducing waste, reducing redundancies and eliminating non-value-adding activities. But what is and what is not value-adding to maintenance? Here, VDM provides a framework for finding solutions. For a winning maintenance strategy you have to know your dominant value driver, understand how good you are and where to improve, use technology and innovation, and measure your performance continuously.

World-class reliability. Klaus Blache, associate director of the Reliability and Maintainability Center, and research professor at the College of Engineering, University of Tennessee, says what the best plants have in common is standardization, lean maintenance, TPM, Six Sigma, kaizen and 5S. What better plants have in common is numerous small teams on the plant floor wanting to make a difference and being given an opportunity to achieve it.

Create the condition that enables excellence. Live the core values. There are many small improvements happening at varying intervals that are leads to learning. In North America we say that new equipment performs at its best when acquired, and over time performance will degrade. In Japan, the thinking is different: at acquisition, new equipment performs at its worst. Work needs to be done to improve its performance dramatically.

Blache maintains that excellence is a culture value. Benchmarking, flexibility, openness to new ideas, continuous improvement, meeting customer requirements, minimizing the seven wastes in all parts of the business are all good things. But to derive benefits from them requires positive and cooperative employees.

Optimizing performance. Dr. Andrew Jardine, director of the Centre for Maintenance Optimization and Reliability Engineering (C-MORE) at the University of Toronto and the instigator of IMEC, is a strong believer in evidence-based asset management (EBAM) and the role knowledge plays in optimizing maintenance performance.

EBAM presents both challenges – data is limited – and opportunities (taking advantage of tacit knowledge and combining it with hard data).

The best example of this is condition-based monitoring via a predictive maintenance program. However, condition monitoring is not really a precise science, Jardine is quick to point out. There is plenty of data, but he questions how much of it is really informative. He cites oil analysis as a classical example. It’s simple to understand, but there are limitations: the questions of which measurements are meaningful, what are the optimal limits, how does age affect the readings, and how reliable are predictions? What are the real consequences of failure?

A useful tool is the EXAKT software for condition-based maintenance optimization (developed by Jardine et al), which produces charts for optimal maintenance decision-making.

What does it take to become a world-class maintenance organization? A plenary session offered these points: make smart decisions; communicate smart information effectively to stakeholders; understand how assets function and eventually fail; make maximum use of information technology; keep people informed; encourage buy-in; keep employees smiling and contributing suggestions; take those ideas seriously and implement the most promising ones; and work as a team every day.

Steve Gahbauer, an engineer and Toronto-based freelance writer, is the former engineering editor of Canadian PLANT. E-mail gahbauer@rogers.com.

But another area that presents opportunities for manufacturers is clean tech and environmental mitigation expertise. Indeed, environmental concerns are top of mind in the oil sands sector. Today Saskatchewan and Alberta announced they are near an agreement on how they’ll share information about the impact of oil sands emissions on the environment.

The Ontario government is particularly keen to explore opportunities for the province’s clean tech firms and is rounding up manufacturers to join its delegation to the National Buyer Seller Forum ( NBSF) in Edmonton March 29-31. (To join the delegation or get more information contact Kelly Bryan Murray at KellyBryan.Murray@Ontario.ca at the Ontario government, or phone 416-326-9621.

“The environmental challenges posed by the oil sands offer outstanding opportunities for Ontario manufacturers to provide innovative clean tech solutions for Alberta oil and gas companies,” said Sandra Pupatello, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development and Trade  “Over the next 25 years, the oil sands industry in Alberta is expected to purchase $55-billion worth of goods and services from Ontario companies.”

She said the National Buyer Seller Forum is ideal for manufacturers to form extensive supply chain partnerships that will mean “thousands of jobs for Ontario companies today and far into the future.”

The province has identified the following five areas that offer opportunities for Ontario companies:

• Water treatment/recycle. Boiler and steam generation with varied water quality feed; hydraulic pump and metering technology; waste water handling and treatment; and water quality monitoring/sampling equipment and control systems.

• Tailings reduction/separation processes. Waste water treatment, settling and centrifuging; flocculants and thickeners that allow water to be recaptured from the
tailings before they are released into the pond; waterfowl deterrent technology from other industries, radar/laser systems; surface skimming equipment; and  heavy metal and mineral extraction equipment and technologies.

• Greenhouse gas mitigation/energy efficiency/carbon capture. Cogeneration technology; carbon capture technology, infrastructure and transportation; GHG emission measurement and monitoring; smart grid technologies; and energy efficiency technologies for mobile equipment, water treatment and steam generation facilities.

• Land reclamation and remediation. Biodiversity monitoring (aquatic, terrestrial and airborne), microbial through to critical/iconic/flagship/keystone fauna; reclamation technologies, in particular “wetland” reclamation, including fens, bogs, peat land, swamp, sloughs and lakes; and vegetation expertise to advance trafficable surfaces populated with endemic (native) species.

• Air Quality/NOx SOx pollutants. Air quality monitoring/sampling equipment/metering; scrubbing technologies; emissions abatement technologies and equipment; and state-of-the-art low emissions technologies on facilities and mobile equipment.

Provincial delegations like Ontario’s will also participate in regional economic hubs where companies can showcase their capabilities and meet with energy industry procurement people.

NBSF sessions will cover mining projects, engineering and procurement, carbon capture and sequestration, reclamation and water management, specialized supply chain strategies, tailings pond opportunities, and global investment.

Keynote speakers include: Alberta premier Ed Stelmach; Imperial Oil CEO Bruce March; Alberta Finance and Enterprise minister Lloyd Snelgrove; David Lynch, Dean of Engineering at the University of Alberta; Jayson Myers, CME’s president and CEO; Don Thompson, president of the Oil Sands Developers Group; and Gary Houston, vice-president of midstream and marketing, TOTAL Canada.

This event is presented by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), and the Alberta and Canadian governments.
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Photo: iStockphoto

EDMONTON: There’s money to be made from Alberta’s oil sands and not just by energy developers. There are opportunities for Canadian manufacturers to be part of a multi-billion dollar supply chain that is in need of products and services from a range of industries.

Canadian Energy Research Institute (CERI) estimates capital investment in Alberta’s oil sands will be $218 billion over the next 25 years, and economic activity generated across the country will reach $1.7 trillion over the same period.

Oil sands operators and suppliers are looking for all kinds of manufacturing capability, including machinery and metal fabrication among other needs, but they’re having a hard time keeping up using traditional procurement practices and demand for oil sands energy is growing. As a result, the oil sands supply chain is being redesigned into a series of extensive partnerships that form integrated networks that will handle growing procurement demands.

If you’re looking to do some business with Alberta’s oil sands developers and suppliers, the annual National Buyer Seller Forum (NBSF) in Edmonton March 29-31 will lay out the new oil sands supply chain and where you fit in.

Sessions will cover mining projects, engineering and procurement, carbon capture and sequestration, reclamation and water management, specialized supply chain strategies, tailings pond opportunities, and global investment.

Keynote speakers include: Alberta premier Ed Stelmach; Imperial Oil CEO Bruce March; Alberta Finance and Enterprise minister Lloyd Snelgrove; David Lynch, Dean of Engineering at the University of Alberta; Jayson Myers, CME’s president and CEO; Don Thompson, president of the Oil Sands Developers Group; and Gary Houston, vice-president of midstream and marketing, TOTAL Canada.

This event is presented by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), and the Alberta and Canadian governments.
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Photo: Autodesk

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.: Looking for a way to interest your kids in something other than a career in the arts? Autodesk has come up with a design tool/game for teen elementary and highschool students called Tinkerbox that will awaken the designer/engineer in all of them.

The design software firm, based in San Rafael, Calif., introduced an early version of the iPad app at Autodesk University (AU) in Las Vegas Nov. 30-Dec. 2, and it’s just now available from your local Apple App Store.

Inspired by the convoluted contraptions that perform simple tasks invented by Pulitzer-prize winning engineer, inventor and cartoonist Rube Goldberg (1883-1970), Tinkerbox teaches basic engineering concepts. Budding designer/engineers can plug into the app’s interesting science facts and choose from a pallet of 25 elements, including wheels, motors, conveyors, fasteners, shafts, balls, boxes and other assorted doo-dads and thing-a-ma-jigs to create their own contraptions.

Tinkerbox is a response to the shrinking ranks of engineers and a poll of US tweens and teens who think science and math are too hard, said Buzz Kross, senior vice-president of Autodesk manufacturing during the AU session.

Autodesk asked US 1,000 students between 12 and 17 about their attitudes toward the academic subjects that provide a foundation for a career in engineering. More than half of them (54%) believe science and technology, and engineering and math (53%) are important to their careers, but 16% believe these subject areas are too hard.

Kross said 28% think cool technology [web, apps and games] make engineering more interesting and easier to understand.

“We’re trying to help them understand engineering principles at a deeper level,” he said. “[Tinkerbox] shows them how engineering, physics work with design.”

Autodesk provides free access to its software and accompanying curricula though the Autodesk Education Community.
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