Cuts and short cuts

摘要

Cutting time has been the theme of the huge biennial Chicago International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in recent years just as much as cutting metal. The high-tech machine tools on display have been bought in ever-increasing numbers by America's metalworkers to do more than just cut and shape metal: they have been reducing cycle time, set-up time, and time to market. This year's IMTS, held last month, was claimed to be the biggest ever US industrial show. It was held in a remodelled McCormick Place exhibition centre which contains what is said to be the largest single room in the world - and this was just one of 10 pavilions in all.