SME's Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing 2001 Event Kicks Off Monday, May 14; Multi-Disciplinary Program Runs Through May 17 At the Cincinnati Convention Center

    CINCINNATI, May 10 Manufacturers in search of the latest
advances in rapid prototyping (RP) technology, news, networking and part
studies, will converge at the Cincinnati Convention Center for the Rapid
Prototyping and Manufacturing 2001 Conference and Exposition.  Sponsored by
the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and its Rapid Prototyping
Association (RPA/SME), the event kicks off May 14 with a series of special
tours and tutorials, followed by a comprehensive conference and exposition
May 15 through 17.
    Exposition attendees will have the opportunity to compare the latest
product and service innovations from some 125 exhibiting companies.
Applications are found in a wide range of industries, including: automotive;
aerospace, consumer products; medical equipment; government; and others.
Exposition hours are: Tuesday, 12 to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and
Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
    A series of educational sessions covering a range of RP and rapid
manufacturing topics, including: Rapid Production; Use of CNC with RP; RP for
Medical Applications; Innovations in Reverse Engineering Applications;
Materials for RP; Direct Metal Fabrication; New Products: Niche Applications;
Fast Castings; Research & Development Initiatives; Advances in RP Machines;
Rapid Technologies for Plastic Tooling Applications; Alternative Methods to
Mold-Making; Process Improvement; and The Future of RP will be offered.
    The Tuesday's Plenary Session features an 8:30 a.m. keynote presentation
by Dave Browne, retired CEO of LensCrafters, followed by the State of the
Industry Executive Summary by Terry Wohlers of Wohlers Associates, Inc.  The
Plenary Session concludes with the Industry Panel Discussion, led by Wohlers.
    Tours include:  Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.; University of Dayton Rapid
Prototype Development Laboratory; and Morris Technologies, Inc.  Tutorials
include: Understanding RP Materials and Selecting the Right Process;
Fundamentals of RP & Tooling; Introduction to Manufacturing Processes: Casting
& Plastic Molding; and Collaborative Engineering Tools.

    Networking Reception Invites All Participants
    Conference and exposition participants will have the opportunity to
network with industry leaders from RPA and other related technologies during
The Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing Networking Reception on Tuesday from
5 to 7 p.m.

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