Next month, much of our team will be heading to IMTS (Sept. 9–14 in Chicago) to explore all the latest technology in manufacturing. As always, the show promises to include a wide variety of ways for manufacturers to improve their quality, productivity and profitability.

In particular, I’ll be paying attention to how machine tool manufacturers and suppliers to industry are embracing AI, industry 4.0, automation and software. In essence, I want to know how the tools we use are getting smarter. Many of you cut chips for a living. Your world is grounded in a very physical reality of feeds and speeds. But there is a lot of potential in all those electrons buzzing around.

I recently visited a shop that was making very good use of some very old machines. Those old Barber-Colmans continue to crank out gears, year after year. But that same shop is also using AI to manage its supply chain, resulting in the ability to turn around orders in 48 hours or less.

The point is, you should embrace the electrons. I’m going to IMTS to learn as much as I can about the possibilities, and I encourage you to do so, too. If you happen to be at the show, please stop by and see us in booth #237314. I’d love to talk with you about how your company is making the best use of technology.

If you want to know about some of the gear-related exhibitors at this year’s show, please take a look at our IMTS special coverage beginning on page 28.

But don’t stop there. This issue is so full of great stuff, you almost have to read it cover to cover. There’s Part II of our series on implementing lean manufacturing for job shops (p. 18), an article on how clean steel can help you optimize gear designs (p. 22), an example of how the right type of flexible workholding can get you to a “lights-out” hobbing operation (p. 26), Southern Gear’s role in an upcoming Mars Mission (p. 40) and two articles on technical aspects of finishing e-drive gear components (p. 44 and 52).

Yeah, whether you’re going to IMTS or not, you should definitely read this issue cover to cover, because there’s lots of technology on display here, too.