Quality tools and machinery are the backbone of the South African manufacturing industry which is why Machine Tools Africa 2017 has been designed to showcase the very latest technology developments, machinery, products, services and solutions in this innovative sector. Machine Tools touch every aspect of our lives from cell phones to cars, heart monitors to food processing equipment, computers to coffee machines – almost everything that’s used on a daily basis at work and at home.

Taking place at Expo Centre, Nasrec in Johannesburg from 9-12 May, the exhibition will bring machinery alive through the daily demonstrations and interactive displays. On view will be equipment in machining such as turning and milling, grinding and drilling, as well as all types of sheetmetal machinery, laser, plasma cutting, bending and punching and presses. Also exhibiting will be various suppliers of Tooling and CAD CAM software who are an integral part of the successful machine shop.

Says Gary Corin, Managing Director at Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery, organisers of the show: “Machine Tools Africa is bringing the quality of this industry sector to the forefront by showcasing the latest in innovative technology. Engineers are going to find real value-add at the show as well as those additionally involved across the various sectors such as general mechanics, machine tools, mining, manufacturing, automotive, metallurgy, paper, pulp, research and engineering, aeronautics, aerospace, railways, energy, electronic and IT.”

Visitors will be able to meet with companies such as Amada, TH Machine Tools, Victor Fortune, Retecon, Puma Machine Tools, PIM, Magnum Machine Tools, DURMA, Siemens, CML Machine Tools, Walker Machine Tools, First Cut, Toolquip & Allied, Craft Machine Tools, PBS Machine Tools, YASKAWA Southern Africa, FANUC South Africa, MicroStep South Africa, WD Hearn Machine Tools, F&H Machine Tools, Haas Factory Outlet CNC Machine Tools SA, RGC Engineering, Extreme Machine Technologies, CNC Clear Cut, MJH Machine Tools, Efamatic Machine Tools, Flexilube, Samsung Machine Tools, amongst many others.

Free-to-attend technical seminars hosted by the South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE) at Machine Tools Africa will present valuable content for delegates and CPD points can be earned. Topics will include a discussion around Industry 4.0 and whether Africa is ready for digital transformation. Intelligent Manufacturing will come under the spotlight with the presenter looking at demystifying productivity and performance. The Future of Manufacturing session will look at opportunities driving economic growth, whilst another session will address the skills shortages among artisans, technicians and engineers. Attendees can also benefit from the South Africa Manufacturing Forecast 2017 – 2020. Details of the full seminar programme will be available online shortly at www.machinetoolsafrica.co.za

“The topics included in the seminar programme will be presented by leading industry experts and offer exceptional value-add for visitors,” says Corin.

The arrival of Industry 4.0 has led the world to gearing up for more automation. Equipment will be driven and controlled by computers and handheld devices. Also, many machine tool manufacturers will be trying to take advantage of 3D printings’ popularity by incorporating this technology into their machine tools. This is according to a research report released by Technavio in February 2016 (www.technavio.com/report/global-tools-and-components-machine-tools-market). It can result in faster delivery of new products to the market and provide a reduction in development costs as nearly 30%-70% less material is required to manufacture a product using 3D printing technology.

According to World Machine Tools, a January 2016 study from The Freedonia Group (www.freedoniagroup.com/world-machine-tools.html), world demand for machine tools is expected to rise 5.5 percent yearly to $181 billion in 2019. Multiple trends are expected to fuel growth including the introduction of more expensive machine tools. In order to develop the next generation of durable goods, manufacturers will invest in machine tools that offer increased control and precision.

Machine Tools Africa has been designed in association with the Machine Tools Merchants’ Association of South Africa (MTMA) to bring the latest innovations and technologies into the spotlight. Further industry support has also been given by the South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC), the Italian-South Africa Chamber of Trade and Industries (Italcham), and the Society for Automation, Instrumentation, Measurement and Control (SAIMC).

Over 100 companies will be exhibiting at Machine Tools Africa 2017. These will mainly be the local machine tool suppliers together with their international principals.

Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery is a member of the prestigious Montgomery Group, one of the most widely respected exhibition companies in the world with trade shows, consumer shows and specialist projects currently spanning Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

For more information, contact Leatitia van Straten, Marketing Director at Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery at email info@machinetoolsafrica.co.za and keep updated via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked-In. #mta17.