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Machine Tool Research: The Matador conference at UMIST proved the valuable role played by universities

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The fact that universities can contribute to advancing machine tool technology was ably demonstrated at this year's International Matador Conference at the University of Manchester Institute for Science and Technology (UMIST). At this two-day event concerning machine tool design and research - the 33rd in the series - a total of 83 papers from 19 countries and four continents were presented. However, the fact that there was an almost complete absence of delegates from outside the academic world would appear to indicate that the role of the universities is under-valued - certainly in the UK.

The valuable role that universities are able to play was evidenced by the practical and ground-breaking content of several of the papers given. Topics ranged from the broad world of IT and manufacturing systems to the details of machine tool design, control and accuracy.

According to the conference chairman, Professor David Hayhurst, the spread of the papers reflected four areas of technology that had developed markedly since the 1997 Matador Conference. The first three of these were the power of information technology to integrate the management and control of manufacturing systems, the international nature of manufacturing enterprises, and the use of computers to integrate different aspects of manufacturing technology.

The fourth development he referred to was the emergence of new manufacturing technologies, including the practical application of processes such as rapid prototyping, laser processing and high-speed machining, and the rapid design of machine tools. "At the same time," he says, "in the areas of control and automation, the flexibility and integration ability of open-architecture computer controllers is creating opportunities for novel solutions."

 

Period28/09/2000

The fact that universities can contribute to advancing machine tool technology was ably demonstrated at this year's International Matador Conference at the University of Manchester Institute for Science and Technology (UMIST). At this two-day event concerning machine tool design and research - the 33rd in the series - a total of 83 papers from 19 countries and four continents were presented. However, the fact that there was an almost complete absence of delegates from outside the academic world would appear to indicate that the role of the universities is under-valued - certainly in the UK.

The valuable role that universities are able to play was evidenced by the practical and ground-breaking content of several of the papers given. Topics ranged from the broad world of IT and manufacturing systems to the details of machine tool design, control and accuracy.

According to the conference chairman, Professor David Hayhurst, the spread of the papers reflected four areas of technology that had developed markedly since the 1997 Matador Conference. The first three of these were the power of information technology to integrate the management and control of manufacturing systems, the international nature of manufacturing enterprises, and the use of computers to integrate different aspects of manufacturing technology.

The fourth development he referred to was the emergence of new manufacturing technologies, including the practical application of processes such as rapid prototyping, laser processing and high-speed machining, and the rapid design of machine tools. "At the same time," he says, "in the areas of control and automation, the flexibility and integration ability of open-architecture computer controllers is creating opportunities for novel solutions."

 

References

TitleMachine Tool Research: The Matador conference at UMIST proved the valuable role played by universities
Date28/09/00
PersonsAllan Rennie