Society Of Manufacturing Engineers' Exposition Kicks Off
29 September 1998
Society Of Manufacturing Engineers' Computer Technology Solutions '98 Exposition Kicks Off in Detroit with Impressive Keynote Lineup
Ralph J. Szygenda, GM, And C. Michael Armstrong, AT&T, To Speak
DETROIT, Sept. 28 -- Ralph J. Szygenda, vice president and
chief Information officer (CIO) of General Motors Corporation (GM), will
present the keynote speech at 8 a.m. Sept. 29, during the Computer Technology
Solutions '98 event (formerly AUTOFACT) at the Cobo Convention Center,
sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers(SME). Szygenda, noted by
Computerworld as one of the Top 25 IT People To Watch, will present a speech
titled "Driving Rapid Business Improvement and Global Commonality Through
Information Technologies. "
"At GM, we are combining cross-organizational efforts at process redesign
with commonization of advanced information technology tools and systems to
rapidly impact the key processes of the corporation. Across product design;
manufacturing; and sales, service and marketing, we intend to increase
productivity and flexibility while reducing costs," said Szygenda. "Computer
Technology Solutions, covering information technologies, is an excellent,
interactive forum for sharing our IT strategies in manufacturing."
An Economic Club of Detroit luncheon will take place later that day (noon)
with C. Michael Armstrong, president and CEO of AT&T, presenting the keynote
speech in the Riverview Ballroom at Cobo. This luncheon is produced in
cooperation with SME.
Mayor Dennis W. Archer to Celebrate Opening of Exposition Hall
The opening ceremony for the Exposition will commence at 10 a.m. with a
balloon-drop. The Hon. Dennis W. Archer, mayor of the City of Detroit, Cecil
Schneider, SME President-elect and manager of Advanced Structures & Materials
Division at Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems, Marietta, Ga., and Szygenda
will be in attendance.
The Exposition takes place Sept 29 - Oct. 1. It features nearly 300
companies occupying some 90,000 net square feet of floor space. An expected
15,000 attendees also have the opportunity to experience value-added events
including free Hands-On Training, a high-profile Analyst IT/User Panel, The
CAD Challenge competition, and Technology Demonstrations on Virtual Reality,
Value-Based Solutions and The Extended Enterprise.
In conjunction with the Exposition, the Computer Technology Solutions '98
Conference opens today. Recognized as North America's leading event on IT for
the manufacturing enterprise, Computer Technology Solutions '98 features
advanced computer-based tools that reduce costs, increase productivity and
improve time-to-market. This completely restructured conference, driven by
the functional areas of the manufacturing enterprise, includes the following
tracks: 1) Research and Development/Market Research/Conceptual Development; 2)
Product Design (Introductory, Intermediate, Advanced); 3) Manufacturing
Engineering; 4) Production/Distribution and Quality Control Systems; and 5)
Enterprise Integration (Product Information, Intra-enterprise, Inter-
enterprise).
The Conference provides attendees the opportunity to learn the
technologies that impact these functional areas and ultimately streamline
workflow, integrate supply chains, and increase productivity and
profitability. In addition, attendees are now able to frequent 250 sessions.
The Conference also includes tutorials, case studies and plant tours, and is
organized in functional tracks, with cross reference to specific technology
areas including enterprise resource planning (ERP); engineering document
management (EDM) and product data management (PDM); computer-aided design
(CAD); manufacturing and engineering, Internet/Intranet/Extranet; simulation;
rapid prototyping and the infrastructure.
For more information on Computer Technology Solutions, please contact SME
Customer Service, One SME Drive, P.0. Box 930, Dearborn, Mich., USA. 48121; by
phone at 1-800-733-4763 (USA only) or 313-271-1500, M-F 8 a.m.-5 p.m., ET; by
fax at 313-271-2861; or browse the Computer Technology Solutions home page at
http://www.ctsme.org.
In its 21st year, Computer Technology Solutions is sponsored and managed
by SME, rated one of the top 10 show management companies in North America,*
in cooperation with CASA/SME; Rapid Prototyping Association of SME (RPA/SME);
Plastics Molders and Manufacturers Association of SME (PMMA/SME); and
Association for Electronics Manufacturing of SME (EM/SME). Co-sponsors
include: American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME international);
Association for Information and Image Management International (AIIM);
Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG); SMAU, International Exhibition of
Information and Communications Technology; and Society of Automotive Engineers
(SAE International).
SME, headquartered in Dearborn, Mich., USA, is an international
professional society dedicated to serving its members and the manufacturing
community through the advancement of professionalism, knowledge, and learning.
Founded in 1932, SME has 65,000 members in 70 countries. The Society also
sponsors some 275 chapters, districts and regions, as well as 240 student
chapters worldwide.
*Source: Tradeshow Week Date Book, 1997