A revered inscription on the U.S. Post Office building in Washington, D.C., could also apply to the FABTECH exhibition, which is set for November 9–12 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill.: Carrier of news and knowledge Instrument of trade and commerce Promoter of mutual acquaintance Among men and nations . . . . All of these are established goals of FABTECH, and this year’s exhibition promises to give both visitors and exhibitors more reason to be there than ever. We are expecting a record show overall, with more than 722,000 sq ft of exhibits broken down into separate sections for welding, forming and fabricating, tube and pipe, metalforming, and finishing. The welding portion of the show, alone, will total 200,000 sq ft, a record size that surpasses last year’s show by 11%. The reason FABTECH keeps growing each year is the wealth of metalworking innovation and technology offered by more than 1500 exhibiting companies. This allows show attendees to find everything they need for their own operations in one place — a value package that is expected to draw more than 40,000 visitors to the 2015 FABTECH event in Chicago, an increase of nearly 10,000 attendees from the 2014 show. We thank both exhibitors and attendees for making FABTECH the great success it has become: one of the largest and most influential trade shows in North America. In addition to on-floor exhibits, FABTECH will provide 100 educational sessions, workshops, and presentations covering the latest trends and technology in the metalforming, fabricating, welding, and finishing industries. Also offered will be a variety of special events, keynote presentations, panel discussions, themed conferences, the Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing Center, and the FABTECH Industry night (visit www.fabtechexpo.com/industrynight/ for more information). Add to this the AWS Professional Program offering 18 sessions of technical paper presentations, and separate seminars and clinics on the AWS Bridge Code; the API 1104 Code; the AWS D1.1 Code; The Why and How of Welding Procedure Specifications; Crash Course of WIT; Welding Symbols; ASME Section IX, B31.1 and B31.3 Code Clinic; Causes and Cures of Weld Corrosion; Visual Inspection Workshop; Preview of the New Part B Weldments; Welding of Stainless Steel (Basics, and Avoiding Weld Defects); and Metallurgy Applied to Everyday Welding. Additional special offerings will include the AWS Prayer Breakfast, the Robotic Arc Welding Competition, the AWS Professional Welders’ Competition, the “Welding Wars” Competition, the Thermal Spray Wire Arc Demonstration, the AWS Awards Luncheon, the RWMA Resistance Welding School, and an AWS Certification Exam (advance registration required). And, don’t forget the AWS 96th Annual Meeting on Monday, November 9. Looking at it collectively, you have a complete package of everything you could want to know about the metalworking world. A less quantifiable but equally valuable aspect of FABTECH is the vast number of networking opportunities available to those who attend. Come and gain advice from the experts on your personal production and construction challenges. Renew acquaintances and establish new relationships among your peers in the industry. Perhaps the strongest endorsement for FABTECH is the stated satisfaction of those who attend the show. To quote Daryl Bass and Mike Spain of Machine and Welding Supply Company, Gaston, N.C.: “We can see and touch things, and see how things are changing. The amount of equipment, the staffing, and setup in the booths is simply amazing. We would encourage anybody concerned with innovation, production, and safety to attend.” All of this is only possible through the partnership and close collaboration of the five show organizers — the American Welding Society; SME; the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, International; the Precision Metalforming Association; and the Chemical Coaters Association International. Also to be thanked is the show management staff. From our personal AWS perspective, that includes Joe Krall, a 41-year veteran of the welding industry who works carefully with our exhibitors to ensure satisfaction on both sides, and Matt Rubin, director of Convention and Meeting Services. We hope you can join us next month in Chicago. All of us at AWS, as well as our partners in the show, are looking forward to seeing you. EDITORIAL FABTECH: Meeting Your Growing Technology Needs Ray Shook Executive Director, American Welding Society “We are expecting a record show overall, with more than 722,000 sq ft of exhibits broken down into separate sections for welding, forming and fabricating, tube and pipe, metalforming, and finishing.” 6 WELDING JOURNAL / OCTOBER 2015 WJ
Welding Journal | October 2015
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