SIMTOS2006 Emerging as One of Largest
Technology-Specific Exhibitions in Korea

404 companies from 30 countries displayed some 1,600 items

The just-ended 12th Seoul International Machine Tool Show 2006 (SIMTOS2006) attracted 404 exhibitors from 30 countries, including Korea.
SIMTOS2006, held at KINTEX April 12-17, was the largest-ever in Korea in terms of the number of exhibition booths and exhibition space, according to the organizer, Korea Machine Tool Manufacturers'Association (KOMMA). Despite its improved standing as a global machine tool player, the domestic machine tool industry has so far experienced difficulty in finding such venues as Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX) in Goyang, north of Seoul.
Sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, SIMTOS2006 moved to KINTEX with a exhibition space of 53,500 sq., six times the size of a soccer field and emerged as the world's top five machine tool exhibition following EMO of Europe, IMTS of the United States, JIMTOF of Japan and CIMT of China. In particular, the domestic machine tool industry posted a record high of more than $1 billion worth of exports last year, emerging as the world's sixth biggest machine tool exporter.
During SIMTOS2006, 4004 exhibitors from 40 countries, including Germany, Japan, Switzerland and the United States, displayed as many as 1,600 items with combined 35,000 models, in what seemed like a scene of latest manufacturing technology reform.
Not only domestic biggest players such Doosan Infracore, Wia Corp. and Hwacheon, but also all global top 10 machine tool manufacturers, including giant Mayazaki Mazak, participated in the exhibition. Twenty-six more global top 50 machine tool manufacturers also displayed their latest produce.
Hwacheon Chairman Kwon Young-yual, concurrently KOMMA chairman, said, "SIMTOS2006 has just become a full-fledged capital good exhibition for the first time and SIMTOS will be transformed into one of the nation's largest production technology-specific exhibition in the years to come."Chairman Kwon noted that the epicenter of the global machine tool industry has moved to Asia.
"The Asian region witnessed 23 percent growth last year, compared to the global average of 14 percent, taking over the global No.1 position from Europe,"he said. Inter-regional cooperation is a significant issue like the one on ISO standardization, he added.
SIMTOS2006 highlighted a wide range of "Intelligent"equipment, produced at the result of combing IT and mechatronics industries, giving a glimpse into the future of the global machine tool industry.
For instance, Hwacheon exhibited HiTech 250B, a CNC system.
Exhibits on display were Metal Cutting Machines Category - Machining centers, 5-face machining centers, CNC milling machines, grinding machines, electric discharge machines, high speed machines, special purpose machines, laser cutting machines, water jet cutting, machines etc; Robots Category - industrial robots, services robots, field robots and accessories & parts; Tooling & Quality Assurance Category - drills, end mills, reamers, taps, milling cutters, hobs, grinding stone, cutting tools, tool holder, three dimensional measurement systems, machine-vision systems, and measuring equipment; Metal Forming Machines Category - presses, punching machines, shearing machines, press brakes, bending machines, spinning machines, wire forming machines, bolt/nut forming machines, and thread rolling machines etc.; Factory Automation Category - motor (AD/DC, Geared, Servo), drivers, CNC systems, PLC, inverters, stepping motors, LM guides, ball screws, reduction gears, automatic guided vehicle, index table, automatic voltage regulators, actuators, encoders, sensors, etc; and Machining Parts - bearings, turret tool posts, hydraulic units, spindles, curvic couplings, hydraulic pumps, lubrication systems, oil coolers, chip conveyers, automatic loader & unloaders, work holders, CAD/CAM, ATC, APC etc.
CNC Controller Repair and Maintenance Workshop was held as a side event of SIMTOS2006 between April 12 and April 13. Experts from such CNC producers as Doosan Infracore and Siemens had a question & answer session on how to cope with CNC breakdowns and repair them at the second floor conference room of KINTEX.
KOMMA also organized the International Machine Tool Technology Seminar as a side event of SIMTOS2006 designed to introduce the latest machine tool products and advanced technology trends. The seminar was held in the second floor conference room of KINTEX between April 14 and April 15. nw

(left) Hwacheon Chairman Kwon Young-yual, concurrently KOMMA chairman. SIMTOS2006 was held at KINTEX April 12-17.