This year, more than 48,000 attendees and 1,900 exhibitors will head to North America’s largest metal forming, fabricating, laser cutting, welding and finishing event. Fabtech 2019 will take place at McCormick Place in Chicago Nov. 11-14 and will give visitors the opportunity to meet with world-class suppliers, see the latest industry products and developments, and find the tools they need to improve productivity and increase profits. During the four-day event, attendees can also sit in on educational sessions and expert-led presentations where trending topics will be discussed. From additive manufacturing and industrial automation to the Internet of Things (IoT), tariffs and workforce development, Fabtech covers all of the issues affecting fabricators and manufacturers today.
Lasers & Plasma
Fiber lasers
Amada America Inc. will debut the latest advances in fiber laser cutting, bending and bending automation. Making their North American debut, the Ventis 3015 AJ fiber laser cutting system and a new linear fiber laser cutting system will be ceremonially unveiled at the show. The Ensis 3015 + AMS 3015 CL 9-kW fiber laser cutting system with material automation system will also be shown. Ensis technology provides continuous processing of thin materials and thick plate without a cutting lens change or manual setup.
Booth No. A2103
12-kW laser
Bystronic Inc. will present new high-performance cutting, bending, automation and software solutions. The ByStar Fiber Laser 3015 with 12-kW laser power offers an expanded spectrum of cutting applications for good speed and cutting quality from thin sheet to thick plate edge. It will be shown with BySort, a solution available on the new ByTrans Cross modular material handling system that fully automates the parts sorting. Also shown will be the next generation BySmart Fiber 3015 with 6 kW and ByTrans Extended compact material handling system.
Booth No. A2122
Fiber laser features
Trumpf Inc. will showcase the TruLaser 5030 fiber with new features for higher productivity to go along with the machine’s 10-kW TruDisk laser. The new Active Speed Control feature enables the system to look straight through the nozzle right at the cutting zone, monitoring it in real time, autonomously controlling the feed rate of the machine. Smart Nozzle Automation with the new QuickSwap feature will also be demonstrated on the machine. QuickSwap allows operators to replenish nozzles during the cutting process without interruption via a drawer.
Booth No. A2904
Laser welding
Coherent Inc.’s ExactWeld 230 is a turnkey solution for automated, precision laser welding of metal parts. It includes a 200-W fiber laser, part clamping, up to four axes, user friendly software, an optional vision system and factory automation capabilities. These features combine to maximize weld quality and increase production yields, process consistency and operator productivity. The laser solution also incorporates SmartWeld technology for producing complex “beam wobble” patterns, including circular and zigzag paths. SmartWeld enables bridging of larger gaps, which relaxes tolerances and increases process flexibility.
Booth No. A5906
Plasma cutting
Hypertherm Inc. will highlight X-Definition plasma cutting technology, waterjet technology and new versions of ProNest and Robotmaster software. In addition, the company will provide live demonstrations of its Powermax air plasma and showcase its extensive lineup of specialty torches and consumables. Hypertherm’s X-Definition class plasma combines engineering advances and refined high-definition plasma processes to deliver unmatched plasma cut quality on mild steel, stainless steel and aluminum. The company’s HyPrecision Predictive waterjet pump includes technology that provides warning of upcoming maintenance needs.
Booth No. A4912
Fiber lasers
Mazak Optonics Corp. will show the Optiplex 3015 Fiber III 10 kW and the Optiplex 3015 DDL 6 kW with fully automated parts sorting solution. The Fiber III offers increased cut speeds for greater throughput. The machine utilizes the PreviewG Control and higher performance digital drive package. This new drive system provides higher productivity through high speed and high accuracy. The PreviewG Control offers a state-of-the-art CPU for unsurpassed operations speed and high-speed machine motion. The machine can utilize high-pressure shop air cutting to reduce the cost per part.
Booth No. A4202
Tube cutting
BLM Group USA will demonstrate the LT-Free 5-axis laser cutter for 3-D tubes and complex shapes, as well as the LS5 sheet metal cutting system with 8-kW laser. The LT-Free can cut 3-D formed or shaped parts such as bent tubes, hydroformed tubes, welded assemblies, and stamped or flat sheets. This means operations such as cutting, drilling, punching and milling that are typically carried out in sequence on various machines can be performed on a single machine. This eliminates setup time and reduces material handling.
Booth No. D46532
Fiber laser
LVD Strippit’s Electra FL 3015 10-kW fiber laser cutting machine provides high-speed cutting when processing ferrous and nonferrous materials in plate thicknesses up to 1.25 in. The cutter features a welded steel monoframe construction that provides stiffness and weighs 33,000 lbs. As a result, it can maintain an acceleration of 2G during cutting without sacrificing part accuracy. The machine can nitrogen cut 5/16-in. steel three times as fast as a 6-kW fiber laser. High-speed cutting is coupled with new nozzle technology that reduces nitrogen consumption.
Booth No. A2140
Plasma cutting
Soitaab USA Inc. will introduce Omniatech for heavy plate fabrication. Market trends are pushing development of multi-purpose machines that integrate many technologies on a single platform, and the Omniatech meets this all-in-one approach. By seamlessly integrating all of the fabrication processes into a single unified system, the system delivers the ability to cut, drill, thread, surface and hole mill, countersink, and mark with a range of options in a single machine. The multi-process fabrication system has sophisticated CNC controls and software and is operator friendly.
Booth No. A4175
Welding products
IPG Photonics Inc. will have several products including the LDD 700 weld monitoring solution that provides more than 20 different data points designed to reduce costs and improve weld quality in real time. The Adjustable Mode Beam and High Peak Power solutions for cutting more efficiently and reducing welding spatter will also be shown. Several laser systems will be on hand and live demonstrations will be running throughout the show. IPG will share its booth with recent acquisition robotic solutions provider Genesis Systems.
Booth No. B19038
Fiber laser
Murata Machinery USA Inc. will showcase high-speed, ultra-precise processing fabrication machines, including the LS3015GC 8-kW fiber laser, the Motorum M2044TS-S turret punch press and the RL1212, Murata’s latest in robotic loading and unloading technology. The fiber laser provides high-efficiency, ultra-precise cutting with a compact footprint and high-rigidity frame. The punch press is one of the company’s highest-rated 22-ton, spring-style punch presses. It features the latest servo ram drive design for simple and reliable processing. The punch press will also feature a live demo of the robotic load/unload system.
Booth No. A4901
Protective covers
Richardson Electronics Ltd. will feature its RLT130/30D5THP protective windows for use on Trumpf high-power fiber lasers of 8 kW and up. High-quality window covers are essential to providing the necessary protection for fiber laser focusing lenses, while providing maximum laser power transfer to the work surface. The covers are made from Viosil quartz glass substrate, a pure synthetic silica glass that is highly transparent with excellent optical properties. The surfaces are mechanically polished with a thickness tolerance of ±0.2 mm. The edges are ground to the specified diameter with a tolerance of +0/-0.2mm
Booth No. A3518
Laser head
Laser Mechanisms Inc.’s new FiberWeld DH is a high-power, laser wire direct energy deposition (DED) head for processing macro-scale industrial and aerospace components and tooling. Engineered for high duty cycle production applications, the head features direct-cooled reflective optics, back reflection protection and wire feed. The head’s advanced optical design permits filler wire to be fed directly into the beam path, right into the center of the melt pool. This allows the deposition process to have total directional independence. In addition, the head’s protective cover glass extends the life of internal optics.
Booth No. A3364
Pipe cutting
HGG will showcase the ProCutter 600 and 900. Both machines are available with oxyfuel, plasma, marking and CAM interfaces. They lower fitting and welding costs and provide full penetration welds. The SPC 500-1200 chuck-type stationary pipe cutting machines process and cut a variety of materials, sizes and wall thicknesses, making them suitable for all kinds of applications. They are also available with oxyfuel, plasma, marking and CAD/CAM interfaces, providing savings on welding and fitting costs, optimum operator safety, ease of use and CAD-to-machine efficiency.
Booth No. B29094
Fiber laser
MC Machinery Systems Inc. will exhibit new automation and machines, including the Advanced 800 eX-F Series fiber laser with upgraded ASTES4 automation. This fiber laser features key technologies to amplify overall machine sophistication and speed, including the M800 control and Mitsubishi’s all-in-one Zoom Head. The ASTES4’s integrated automated sorting solution allows for less manual loading, unloading and sorting for higher productivity and efficiency.
Booth No. A2923
Thermal cutting
Messer Cutting Systems will demonstrate its Omnifab production software with “Machine Insight.” This is a tailor-made solution for order-related production to increase efficiency and it integrates Messer engineering technology into the customer’s workflow from the office to production on the factory floor, typically used in conjunction with material handling. Application engineers will be running two cutting machines and demonstrating the latest in plasma bevel cutting and oxyfuel cutting techniques, including the MetalMaster 2.0, a compact 5-ft.-by-10-ft. unitized cutting machine with a downdraft table.
Booth No. A4950
Fiber laser
nLight Inc. will highlight the 5-kW Corona CFX-5000 that uses a unique all-fiber beam tuning capability to give end users thin sheet cutting speeds characteristic of a 6-kW fiber laser. End users benefit from excellent thick metal edge quality, which is similar to the edge quality of a CO2 laser, without the need to change any optics. This performance is achieved with 5 kW of laser power, resulting in a compact form factor, low power consumption and high process reliability.
Booth No. A3550
Fiber laser
Cincinnati Inc. will showcase its latest machines, along with the Hendrick Motorsports’ #88 car. CI recently became an official Hendrick partner. The four machines on display will be the CLX laser, the Hyform and AFX press brakes, and the Roboform cell. The CLX is an all-new, from-the-ground-up fiber laser cutting machine that was built for the automation-minded metal fabricator. In Booth A3839, the high-temperature Small Area Additive Manufacturing (SAAM HT) machine will be on display and the Medium Area Additive Manufacturing (MAAM) machine will make its public debut. 
Booth No. A2973
Prep & Finishing
Cutoff wheels
Along with presenting several of its new products, Pferd Inc. will partner with Milwaukee Blacksmith, a family-owned business and stars of the History channel television show of the same name. Milwaukee Blacksmith will demonstrate how to put different finishes on a steel globe using Pferd products. Pferd will also introduce VictoGrain, a high-performance abrasive grain along with cut-off wheels, flap discs, grinding wheels and brushes that work with the Bosch X-Lock quick-change system for angle grinders.
Booth No. B31017
Fiber discs
Norton|Saint-Gobain Abrasives will highlight BlazeX F970 fiber discs. The discs enable faster rust removal, and enhanced cleaning and detailing processes for better finishes. Users performing right-angle grinding on a routine basis will see immediate results using the discs due to improved micro-fracturing grain. By consistently exposing sharper grain edges, this improvement delivers a better cut rate and longer disc life when compared to blended ceramic alumina discs. Coarse grinding applications are supported through four key grits of 36, 50, 60 and 80.
Booth No. B33062
Grinding wheels
Weiler Abrasives will showcase the new Tiger Pipeliner grinding wheels and Tiger Mech notching wheels, developed for demanding multi-pass welding applications. Also on display will be a diverse portfolio of 6-in. products, including Tiger AO, Tiger Zirc and Tiger Ceramic cutting and grinding wheels and power wire brushes. The company will soon expand its 6-in. flap disc product offering to include Tiger X, Tiger Paw, Wolverine and high-density flap discs and will also showcase these abrasives.
Booth No. B33031
Robotic finishing
Suhner Industrial Products Inc. will highlight its end-of-arm tooling solutions for robot-based grinding, polishing, cutting, deburring, filing and drilling. The company has expanded its product range with tools that can be mounted directly to the robot arm, multiplying capabilities of the robot to include surface finishing. A patented, simple quick change of abrasives system (dispose and reload) was added to the program to simplify the change of abrasives. This quick-change system allows the use of different abrasives in sequence to achieve a desired surface finish.
Suhner Industrial Products Inc.
Booth No. B32055
Press Brakes & Forming Equipment
Robotic bending cell
LVD Strippit will showcase the Dyna-Cell robotic bending cell featuring a high-speed electric press brake. The press brake and robot function as a compact, integrated unit to automate the bending of small to medium-sized parts in varying batch sizes at bending speeds up to 1 in. per sec. The cell combines the Dyna-Press Pro 40-ton press brake with 59-in. working length and 5-axis back gauge with a Kuka industrial robot to offer maximum bending productivity in a small footprint.
Booth No. A2140
Modular press brakes
Bystronic Inc. will feature three press brakes. The new Xpert Pro 150 (Dynamic Edition) with a modular design increases flexibility of add-on options for speed and productivity. The new Xpress 50 compact is an affordable bending solution with intuitive operation and modular machine design that supports individual customization. The Xpert 40 with mobile bending robot supports fluctuating lot sizes and varying part complexities in a fully flexible automated or manual bending system.
Booth No. A2122
Press brake
Making a North American debut, Amada America Inc. will introduce the HRB 1003 ATC press brake with automatic tool changer. The brake features the latest advancement in press brake technology combined with Amada’s ATC, which enables complex tool setups in less than 4 min. The new HRB series will be produced at the Carolina manufacturing center. Also being introduced at the show is the EML 2515 AJ 3-kW punch/fiber laser combination system equipped with a multi-purpose turret and the shape cutting flexibility of a fiber laser.
Booth No. A2103
Press brakes
Trumpf Inc. will showcase the new TruBend 7050 press brake with a press force of 55 tons and a bending length of 60 in. The ergonomic high-speed machine’s 6-axis backgauge guarantees exact positioning of components with remarkable precision. The machine comes with the ACB Wireless system, which measures and corrects users’ angles. Also on display will be the TruBend 5170 press brake with new generation ToolMaster. It has an increased storage capacity of 279 ft. and can automatically load standard, ACB Wireless and custom tooling.
Booth No. A2904
Press brakes
Cincinnati Inc. will showcase four machines: the Hyform and AFX press brakes, the CLX laser and the Roboform cell. The Hyform is an energy-efficient, environmentally conscious and operator friendly hybrid press brake that runs quietly in high-production environments. The AFX is a reconfigured version of the Autoform press brake with robust features at a competitive price. The Roboform is a robotic cell featuring the GoForm and allows seamless transition from an automated cell to manual operation.
Booth No. A2973
Ironworkers
Scotchman Industries Inc. will feature ironworkers with RazorGage digital length positioning systems. With the RG Digital Quick-Stop, material is accurately positioned in the ironworker to exact the length every time. The RazorGage eliminates waste, reduces setup time, reduces scrap and increases production efficiency. Models 50514-EC and 5014-ET, which are 50-ton ironworkers, are American-made with five separate workstations. The 50514-EC has a single punch station and the 5014-ET offers a three-station revolving turret punch station with many standard features and equipment.
Booth No. A3522
Press brake reviews
Wila USA will offer free productivity reviews in its booth this year. To achieve maximum press brake performance, customers can schedule a review with experts at the show and receive 10 percent off their next press brake tooling solution investment. The experienced sales and applications team will work with customers to identify potential inefficiencies, unnecessary costs, opportunities for growth and to recommend solutions and strategies to improve press brake operations.
Booth No. A3140
Equipment program
Coe Press Equipment will highlight its Express Delivery Equipment program. The company reserves a selection of ServoMaster servo roll feeds, standard-duty power straighteners, coil reels and control retrofit packages in varying sizes for customers that need equipment immediately to keep their operations running smoothly. All equipment in the program can process a range of materials including CR steel, HR steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel and aluminum. The equipment features modular design and construction that enables ease of maintenance as well as the ability to add upgrades as needed.
Booth No. D45524
Punch press
Murata Machinery USA Inc. will showcase its Motorum M2044TS-S turret punch press and the RL1212, its latest in robotic loading and unloading. The M2044TS-S is a 22-ton spring-style punch press featuring the latest servo ram drive design for simple and reliable processing. The punch press will also feature a live demo of the RL1212 robotic load and unload system. Also highlighted will be the HMI Intelligent Control Interface, which features the ability to enhance production time by minimizing operator setup.
Booth No. A4901
Presses
Beckwood Press Co. will showcase two presses. The 4,000-lbf (2-ton) EVOx servo-electric press is for light-duty applications requiring high precision, cleanliness and efficiency. The Triform model 610-20-3 deep draw sheet hydroforming press is for low-volume, high-mix parts production. Both presses feature intuitive controls, recipe handling and data acquisition for strict part traceability. They also have a PressLink remote support module, which connects Beckwood technicians with the press in the field to expedite troubleshooting, maintenance, program updates and training.
Booth No. D45161
Machine monitoring
Marposs Corp. will demonstrate its Brankamp X3S intelligent process monitoring system for metal forming and stamping operations. These real-time monitoring units help to immediately identify manufacturing faults as well as part or tool variations, enabling manufacturers to optimize machine efficiency, improve part quality and limit unplanned downtime and tooling costs. The monitoring system is an economical solution for this type of monitoring with 12 channels for receiving sensor signals that are measuring things such as force, acoustic emission, distance and temperature.
Booth No. D45755
Punching, bending
Mate Precision Tooling will demonstrate the features and benefits of its tooling for punching, bending and laser cutting. Mate has expanded its Trumpf Wila Style press brake tooling offering by adding more than 30 new punch and die profiles to the already extensive press brake tooling selection. These additions include new punches with acute, sash, gooseneck and blade profiles. New dies have a wide range of V-openings and angles at 30 degrees, 80 degrees and 86 degrees with a height of 2.15 in.
