Before diving into the latest committee developments, I want to remind everyone about the 2023 Emerging Technology Webinar Series, available on-demand until December 31. (Don’t miss this valuable resource before it’s removed to make room for our 2025 webinar series.) 

3DEO, a Los Angeles-based leader in design, engineering, and metal additive manufacturing (AM) solutions, is proud to announce the appointment of Scott Dennis as the company’s new chief executive officer (CEO), succeeding Matt Petros, the company’s co-founder and former CEO. This leadership transition marks an exciting new chapter for 3DEO as the company continues its trajectory of rapid growth and innovation in the additive manufacturing industry.

3DEO, a Los Angeles-based leader in design, engineering, and metal additive manufacturing (AM), proudly announces a significant strategic investment from Mizuho Bank, Ltd., a Japan-headquartered global financial institution committed to fostering innovation and sustainability. This investment underscores Mizuho's dedication to advancing the adoption of AM technologies and supporting 3DEO's efforts to unlock new opportunities in product design and development.

Instead of waiting until the beginning of next year to make a resolution to learn more about emerging technologies, I suggest taking advantage of the learning opportunities available right now. Engaging with AGMA’s emerging technology (ET) initiatives will help you stay current, expand your knowledge base, and potentially add to your itinerary for IMTS.

I just returned from two information-packed days in Detroit, running the 2024 AGMA Emerging Technology Forum and the AGMA Technical Committee meeting on standards development for electric vehicle technology. AGMA provided attendees with high-level presentations on materials, advanced IIoT experiences, interactive sessions on the future of robots, and initial standards work for EV technology.

The winners in the 2024 Powder Metallurgy (PM) Design Excellence Awards competition, sponsored by the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF), demonstrate outstanding examples of PM’s diversity and ability to meet critical requirements. From electric vehicles to medical implants, once again, parts fabricators have demonstrated PM’s versatility and unique ability to challenge competing technologies. These award-winning components use PM’s flexibility to push forward new concepts and process controls to demonstrate the inexhaustible range of PM’s capabilities. 

I fly out west to Los Angeles later this month. It will mark the fourth time AGMA will provide a curated tour on the RAPID+TCT show floor. Each year brings more clarity on developed technologies, I am always looking for one or two tweaks that move the needle on the next possibility for additive manufacturing to impact traditional manufacturing processes. Are we looking for mass-produced 3D metal gears? The short answer is: no. But we are always watching indicators that may change that answer.

Congratulations Gear Technology on your 40th Anniversary! This magazine has been publishing emerging technology in gearing before we used the term, “emerging.” I constantly search past issues to get information on topics we are discussing in committees. From skiving to electric drive development, and lubrication to the beginnings of strain wave gear technology, I have found great information for the work that we are doing today. Thank you!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has gotten a lot of buzz lately, and rightly so—as James McQuiggan put it in our December emerging tech webinar, “I’ve never seen a technology advance and change so much in one year than I have with AI.” While AI is not new, recent advancements in computing power have allowed developers to unleash very powerful AI tools to the public. Our IIoT Committee is exploring how this technology is being utilized in manufacturing in everything from task automation, predictive maintenance, and fraud detection to chatbots and other customer service-style tools. We hope you join us in these discussions.

OK, audience. I’m going to divide you into two groups. Everybody whose company is a member of AGMA, please move over to the left-hand side of the room, and everybody else, please move over to the right.