Grand Exhibition of Manufacturing Industry in the West Held Successfully, Innovative Products Catch the Eye

The 40-year-old “MD&M West Manufacturing Expo” took place earlier this month at the Anaheim Convention Center in Orange County, Southern California. The exhibition, focusing on industry innovation and solutions, covered a wide range of sectors including medical devices, automation, design and manufacturing, plastics, and sustainable manufacturing.

Over 1,700 exhibitors from various states across the United States and 52 countries and regions, along with approximately 13,500 visitors, gathered during the four-day event (February 3-5) to break barriers, establish connections, enhance awareness in the manufacturing industry, and drive industry progress.

Founded in 1985, MD&M West was initially a small event hosted by Canon Communications LLC at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. In the early 21st century, Canon was acquired by United Business Media (UBM), resulting in the exhibition being renamed as UBM Canon and evolving into an international trade show. In 2018, UBM was acquired by Informa Markets, further expanding the scale of the event, making it one of the largest and most influential manufacturing expos.

Many exhibitors and industry professionals find the expo worthwhile. According to Octavia Banner, manager of Cook Medical, “Anyone who has never been to the expo before, you need to take this opportunity. It’s a chance to be exposed to new things, meet new friends, interact with customers and competitors, and gain a comprehensive understanding of industry developments.” Joseph Bonds, manager at Albemarle Corporation, one of the world’s largest lithium battery suppliers with products in multiple sectors, also stated, “There are always new things being developed, no matter how advanced you think you are… You should at least attend once to continuously learn, make new acquaintances, and understand innovative trends; talking to people can always lead to gaining knowledge.”

Troy Nix, Executive Director of the Manufacturers Association for Plastics Processors in the United States, noted that the expo had already connected them with several clients, and there was a considerable number of potential clients visiting, stating, “You’re not likely to go knocking on every door to meet every client, and the expo will provide us with very good return on investment.”

Apart from industry companies and professionals, some educators also brought students to learn about the development of new products and industries. Many equipment in the exhibition hall were controlled by computerized automation for mass production, enhancing product precision and saving labor.

Arizona-based Machine Solutions introduced their “Fully Automated Medical Balloon Forming Machine” last year, which can be used for drug coating balloons or aortic stents, among others. The machine can fill over 200 plastic neck tubes at once, softening them with heat and then inflating them with nitrogen under high pressure to create balloons; taking just a few minutes to produce one. Trevor Ewing mentioned that their on-site service team can assist customers in installation and provide training to help buyers understand the operational principles and resolve some issues themselves.

Scott Metcalf from Mmbt by Metro Cad in Minnesota presented the “Medical Fine Wire Knitting Machine.” This machine has eight winding shafts rotating clockwise and counterclockwise with S-shaped curves, each winding 16 strands of wire onto a fine shaft, commonly used in the medical industry. The camera at the top of the machine can monitor how many cross lines (picks) per inch, the higher the value indicating tighter winding and stronger strength. Doctors typically cut a small piece for heart stents or areas needing expansion.

Pat Westrum from the same company mentioned their latest product, the “Digital Microscope,” which features an integrated LED light and cross-line camera for creating videos, images, and text explanations that can be saved on a USB flash drive. The microscope can provide a 360-degree view of faceted particles, suitable for education, training, precision welding, and light observation applications.

Clippard from Ohio is renowned for creating the “Miniature Pneumatic Products Standard” and has rapidly expanded since its establishment in 1941. Starting from home-coiled spring construction, they have maintained a strong independent company culture, producing products that benefit the public as well as support their employees’ families. The display of the “Music Machine,” composed of dozens of differently shaped glass vessels, attracted passersby to take photos. Francis Gradsher explained that using computer programming to control the air pressure and flow of individual small air valves in the vessels creates different tones, similar to playing musical instruments with variations in tone, duration, and intensity.

The exhibition witnessed changes in the medical manufacturing, automation design and manufacturing, and plastic industries over the past 40 years. In the 1980s, Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD&CAM) systems brought significant transformations to the manufacturing industry, improving accuracy and efficiency. Concurrently, the application of composite materials and alloys made products more sturdy, lightweight, and durable.

In the 1990s, Lean Manufacturing principles emerged, enhancing product precision and flexibility while reducing waste; Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems better managed production, supply chains, and finances. In the 2000s, the expansion of globalization created more complex supply chains, prompting companies to outsource manufacturing processes; the implementation of robotics and automation boosted productivity.

In 2010, the concept of “Industry 4.0” emerged, integrating the Internet of Things, Big Data, and cyber-physical systems into the manufacturing process, making businesses smarter and more automated. In the 2020s, the further fusion of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things in creating smart factories and autonomous manufacturing systems, and the development of advanced materials like nanomaterials and bio-based composites are currently in progress.

The website looks ahead to the 2030s and beyond, foreseeing the potential of “Industry 5.0” in the manufacturing industry. Quantum computing may fundamentally transform complex simulation and optimization problems, enabling humans and machines to collaborate in a highly adaptive and flexible environment.