The companies represented here at IMTS mean business. Not only are they displaying their drills, lathes, mills and saws in small spaces, they are running these diverse machines and tools full tilt. Keeping all of these vendors’ machine tools fed requires tons upon tons of material and resources, not to mention power.

Call me morbid, but since I’ve been here at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago, it’s crossed my mind more than a couple of times that this place would be particularly nightmarish during an earthquake or some other such disaster. In addition to the number of heavy booth dividers and their metal frames, there are milling and drilling machines that collectively weigh tons in more than one booth, cast iron HMCs and VMCs, awkward and bulky engines, saw blades the size of car doors and, indeed, a Hummer and a number of NASCAR vehicles sitting in booths — not the best place to be if things start shaking and falling.

But these machines aren’t simply sitting there; they are running. Which made me wonder: in addition to having a bunch of equipment in many booths, keeping all of these show vendors’ machine tools fed must require tons upon tons (ad nauseam) of material and resources, as well as power.

Then I heard something interesting about Haas Automation. These folks have about 45 CNC machines in their booth, with the intention of keeping all of them cutting and doing their thing. According to Haas tradeshow manager Joel Weiss, in IMTS 2006′s “ShowDaily,” the company’s exhibit involves the following:

• More than 3,000 amps of current;
• 60,000 lbs. of raw material;
• 2,500 gallons of coolant; and
• About 140 people staffing the booth.

As well as the 45 CNC machines displayed, the company is showing 22 of its rotary workholding products (not to mention about 100 potted plants). The booth’s machining output, according to Haas (booth A-8000), exceeds that of many successful shops.

Like MANY others like it, that is one hungry hut. Add to the consumption and output of a great deal of energy and power the bustling activity of visitors and vendors walking the aisles (Today appears is much busier than yesterday, the first day of the show…this is this blogger’s third attempt this morning to write/publish before getting overtaken by folks visiting the ThomasNet booth and wanting to use our dozen or so computers to check out the ThomasNet search engine and the site’s downloadable CAD drawings…), and this place definitely would be a nightmare to escape unscathed in a quick dash toward an exit.

Anyhow, if you’re at IMTS or even in the city of Chicago at all this week, stop by our booth (B6953) and say “hey.” If our conversation, company and disposition is not enough, know that we have robots (and we’re giving them away).

Stay tuned throughout the rest of the week for IMTS updates.

Earlier:

IMTS from the Floor: The Latest Industrial Tech in Action