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When
it was founded as the National Machine Tool Builders?Association in
1902, metalworking machine tools were about the only machines in
manufacturing. The other processes, design, materials handling,
assembly, inspection, testing, and communications and control were
mostly manual operations.
Today, the shop floor
has changed forever. Machine tools now share the stage with the other
six electronically-driven technologies, design, handling, assembly,
inspection, testing, and communications and control. To add to the
complexity, new materials are supplanting old.
Thus, in 1988 AMT broadened
its scope to serve the manufacturing systems industry, and made
membership available to every U.S. company that manufactures machinery,
related equipment, products or software used in the process of
manufacturing discrete durable goods.
Since then several
product-specific groups of companies have formed within AMT to further
the particular needs of those members. In 1991 the Laser Systems Product
group was formed, followed by the Workholding Group in 1993. In 1994
companies which design and build custom processing equipment joined as
members of the Custom Automated Systems Group.
As world trade grew in
importance, AMT opened overseas offices to serve as focal points for
potential overseas customers and provide information on world markets to
member companies. AMT set up Beijing Representative office in 1993, and AMT Shanghai Technology and Service Center in 2004.
The association also owns
and sponsors the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS),
held every even-numbered year in Chicago. Among the largest industrial
expositions in the world, this giant trade show brings over 120,000
buyers together with more than 1,800 exhibiting companies in an
extravaganza of the finest manufacturing equipment in the world. |
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