DEARBORN, MI — Offering education and insight to deal with the tough times endured for the last year in the manufacturing industry, WESTEC 2010 will offer hundreds of exhibitors demonstrating the latest technologies, free show floor presentations, three keynote addresses, a panel discussion addressing the wind energy supply chain and prospects in aerospace/defense and renewable energy.

The definitive West Coast event for manufacturing professionals, WESTEC 2010, will be held Tuesday, March 23 – Thursday, March 25 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

All manufacturing sectors appear to be on an upswing nationwide for 2010, thanks to new technology bringing manufacturing efficiencies, according to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. In California, experts predict that performance in the industry will reach its highest level since the first quarter of 2006. Sectors focused on high-tech, durable goods and non-durable goods look healthy.

Keynote speakers at WESTEC 2010 include:

Tuesday, March 23:
Richard Scofield, a retired U.S. Air Force Lt. General, will kickoff WESTEC’s Aerospace Industry & Association Day with a keynote on positioning a company for future aerospace supply chains. Scofield is currently a senior adviser for Air Force ManTech and a Science & Technology and Research & Development programs adviser for Air Force Research Lab. (FREE)

Richard Aboulafia, vice president of Analysis at Teal Group, will host and speak at the 2010 Aerospace Global Forecasting Keynote Luncheon. Aboulafia manages consulting projects in the commercial and military aircraft field and analyzes broader defense and aerospace trends. Attendees will also receive the Aerospace & Defense Yearbook. ($30)

Thursday, March 25:
Matt Garran, supply chain manager at the American Wind Energy Association, will speak on wind energy to commence WESTEC’s Renewable Energy/Wind Industry Day (FREE)

WESTEC 2010 also offers technical sessions for manufacturing professionals looking to gain insights into advanced materials, machining, metalworking fluids, non-traditional machining processes, tooling or mold-making and metrology. (Pre-show registration $69)
Swiss-style Screw Machining for Ultra Precision

• Innovations in Machining of Exotic Metals
• Milling, Drilling and Cutting of Advanced Carbon Fiber and/or Carbon Fiber Laminates
• Additive Manufacturing: Turning Ideas into Reality

Show floor presentations will be available to attendees (FREE)

• “Lean Manufacturing is Green Manufacturing,” Isidro “Izzy” Galicia, president and CEO, Incito Consulting Group
• “Staying Ahead in a Global Market—US Tax Incentives,” Randy Eickhoff, president, Acena Consulting, LLC
• “Health Insurance Programs for Machine Shops,” Michael Dochterman, Valley Insurance Services

WESTEC 2010 will also showcase new and emerging technologies in manufacturing in a display area called, “Innovations That Could Change the Way You Manufacture.” Technologies shown will include

• High-Speed Sintering
• Buckypaper
• Synthetic Gecko Tape
• Micro-Laser-Assisted Machining
• Wireless Power Transfer
• Personal Fabrication

In addition, the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Tooling & Machining Association will offer robotics displays each day. A student challenge on Tuesday, March 23 will feature creative manufacturing projects from collegiate engineering programs.

“Manufacturing is changing in ways never predicted,” said Dave Morton, senior show manager, WESTEC. “And in this new decade, WESTEC 2010 is committed to giving attendees the tools necessary to stay competitive in this economy.”

Find more information on WESTEC at www.westeconline.com
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