THE BIG M to Showcase the Future of Manufacturing

DEARBORN, Mich., April 3, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the spotlight on manufacturing recently and a push to grow and train the workforce, this is an exciting and critical time for the industry to understand the latest technologies and work together to drive success and innovation. THE BIG M Event is positioned to highlight and educate on key manufacturing topics through exhibits, conference sessions featuring industry experts, company tours and demonstrations. Produced by SME, THE BIG M is slated for June 9 to 12 at Detroit's Cobo Center

"THE BIG M is more than an event," said Debbie Holton, SME managing director of industry strategy and events. "This is an unprecedented gathering of stakeholders that will drive a movement toward building a strong future for manufacturing."

"THE BIG M communicates a strong message to the marketplace about innovation and technology. It is designed to convene manufacturers around the industry's most vital concerns and leverage the power of collaboration and knowledge to address those issues," Holton added.

This event will bring together all things advanced manufacturing, covering innovation, digital factory, cybersecurity, new technology, talent, 3D printing, globalization, modeling, simulation and sustainability. This can't be done solely through exhibits and panel discussions so THE BIG M will have dynamic experiences covering these core manufacturing topics.

M|Conference
THE BIG M Conference sessions feature manufacturing's heavy hitters including GE, Siemens, Dow, Dell, Ford Motor Company and Steelcase.

Some conference sessions include:

• Innovation: The path to a profitable future in Manufacturing
• New strategies for Advanced manufacturing: Preparing for the future
• eXtreme Manufacturing
• Critical Talent Strategies for Shaping Our Future

M|Exchange
Central to the exhibits is the M|Exchange; this feature provides attendees prime opportunities to engage industry experts in conversations. Crucial topics include design and innovation, new strategies for advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity. Sessions will occur daily during The Big M Event.

M|Exhibits
THE BIG M Exhibits will bring the latest ideas, innovations and technologies from across the manufacturing industry. Interactive displays and presentations guarantee that attendees will see, touch and experience what's next for manufacturing. THE BIG M exhibitors include Maverick Technologies, Honeywell Process Solutions, Materialise, Rave Computer, Hexagon Metrology, GE, and Autodesk.

Innovation Factories will be featured in the exhibit space and are live manufacturing operations and presentations. From design to manufacturing to sustainability, exhibit attendees can see how key technologies work together to change the manufacturing landscape and increase manufacturing competitiveness.

Innovation factories slated for THE BIG M:

• Modeling, simulation and visualization
• Cybersecurity
• Additive manufacturing/3D Printing
• Advanced materials & Lightweighting

M|Tours
At THE BIG M, manufacturing will be brought to life with tours of local manufacturing operations. Designed to showcase a variety of technologies and processes, these tours will allow participants to see how leading manufacturers are shaping the future first-hand.

Tours will include GM's Chevy Volt facility, Total Door Systems, Schuler, Pratt & Miller and Comau's Robotics R&D Center. Tours are planned for Monday, June 9 and registration is required.

To learn more about THE BIG M and see full conference and exhibit details or to register for any of the event offerings, visit www.BigMEvent.com.

About THE BIG M 
THE BIG M initiative is years in the making—designed to convene manufacturers around industry's most vital issues and leverage the power of industry leaders to collaborate and address them. This event demonstrates that manufacturing professionals and companies can shape the future by creating a strong path forward together, connecting people with technology and expertise, affirming the importance of manufacturing, speaking in a unified voice to policy makers, and proving that manufacturing is a knowledge industry where creativity is sought and valued.

Highlights will include Innovation Factories featuring live presentations of the latest technologies; exhibit floor "tech talks"; and Q&A sessions with industry experts who will provide the knowledge and insight manufacturers need most. Featured technologies include smart manufacturing, modeling and simulation, digital manufacturing, advanced materials and lightweighting, cybersecurity and more. THE BIG M is the umbrella pulling together several co-located events including: SME's RAPID Conference & Exposition, the NAMR- North American Research Conference, the ISA Cybersecurity Conference and the MMTC Proud to Manufacture in Michigan Conference.

About SME
SME connects all those who are passionate about making things that improve our world. As a nonprofit organization, SME has served practitioners, companies, educators, government and communities across the manufacturing spectrum for more than 80 years. Through its strategic areas of events, media, membership, training and development, and the SME Education Foundation, SME is uniquely dedicated to advancing manufacturing by addressing both knowledge and skill needs for industry.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140403/DC97062LOGO

SOURCE SME