More Than 4,000 Attendees, 315 Exhibiting Companies Expected Oct. 29-31 in Greenville, SC

Dearborn, MI October 16, 2013

SOUTH-TEC, SME's premier manufacturing industry showcase in the Southeast for innovation, knowledge and relationships, will be offering thousands of attendees a real-time manufacturing model through the collaboration of six vendors, in addition to an Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing Resource Center and certificate program.

"As all activities at SOUTH-TEC, the manufacturing modeling and additive process resources and training are designed to prepare attendees for new technologies and processes that they can take back home and apply immediately to their businesses," Dennis Bray, SME president and Contour Precision CEO, said. "Whether small-, medium- or large-size business, attendees can learn both strategic and tactical approaches to increase efficiency, accelerate speed and quality, and take more dollars to the bottom line."

On the SOUTH-TEC show floor, a live, advanced-process demonstration of model-driven manufacturing will occur in Booth #719. Model-driven manufacturing encompasses the entirety of the "Design through Part" process. This begins when a part is designed and the computer model of that part becomes the "standard" to which all the results of subsequent processes are measured.

The demonstration will involve a unique collaboration, put together by Barefoot CNC's Jimmy Wakeford, among Creative Dezign, Verisurf, MoldPlus, Mastercam, Vericut and Flint Machine. The demonstration will actually produce a milled part in which each phase communicates seamlessly with each step. Included will be: Design (Creative Dezign), Translation/Validation (Verisurf/MoldPlus), Programming (Mastercam), Verification (Vericut), Machining (Flint Machine), and Inspection (Verisurf).

"Throughout the whole process each step is compared back to the original model through seamless communications, and the model controls each process," Wakeford, owner of MasterCam's distributor in the Carolinas, said. "The overlap between processes may seem redundant. However, they are seamless, and the overlap ensures a quality part is shipped."

Wakeford said the live demonstration, which is rarely seen on an exhibit floor, shows:

*Ease of collaboration, generating stream-lined processes and improved quality;

*The seamless communications and coordination among the multiple segments;

*Elimination of extra process steps and errors, and;

*The continuing validation of the prior step, which sustains tolerance.

For those interested in additive manufacturing, SOUTH-TEC will offer an Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing Resource Center, where parts representing major technologies, including stereolithography, laser sintering and fused deposition modeling, will be on display. Tactical and strategic sessions will be held at the Resource Center on Tuesday and Wednesday by Todd Grimm, 22-year veteran of the additive manufacturing/3D printing industry. SOUTH-TEC will also be offering an Additive Manufacturing Certificate Program. SME, in cooperation with the Milwaukee School of Engineering and the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, has created a team of advisors who have defined the additive manufacturing body of knowledge, which will serve as the basis for the program. The program includes a review course and an exam.

About 315 companies will be exhibiting at SOUTH-TEC, Oct. 29-31 at the TD Convention Center in Greenville. More than 4,000 attendees from area manufacturers, education and government are expected at the manufacturing exhibition, which will provide advanced manufacturing processes and products, dozens of new technologies, new product launches and skilled workforce discussions.

Gov. Nikki Haley welcomes attendees to South Carolina: "Our hard work is paying off. We set our sights on becoming a leader in manufacturing and South Carolina now has the fastest growing manufacturing sector on the east coast. Companies like Michelin, Boeing, GE, BMW and so many others already have discovered this fact, and this conference will introduce a whole new group of businesses, from a variety of industries, to the possibilities available to them in our state."

Paddy Fleming, defense manufacturing specialist of MilTech, will help companies prepare for Manufacturing Readiness Level Assessments by the Department of Defense (DoD). Fleming will provide a case study of an SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) grant of Scientific Materials Corp. with assistance from MilTech, which helps transition technology to the US warfighter.

If you are interested in registering for SOUTH-TEC, you can register on the SOUTH-TEC website. Companies seeking to exhibit at SOUTH-TEC at the TD Convention Center can view the exhibitor prospectus here. Members of news media can register for their credentials at this site.

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 shares knowledge to advance manufacturing. At SME, we are making the future. Together. More information is available at SME.