The great Spanish machine tools fair will be held from 6 to 11 March in Bilbao

Since the last edition of EMO, in the month of September, until the next BIEMH Bilbao (6-11 March) delayed a few months and therefore in many cases what's new in the EMO will probably also, what's new in the BIEMH. But obviously, not always, and so what we will show in our next issue, the special for the bienal machine-tool of Bilbao, where we will see the products exhibitors will present at the fair. In this, we however, wanted to talk about for the future, but also present. In the articles that follow this please note with breadth of the projects in which are embedded companies, often grouped together, to find the machine of the future and, above all, to come up with the machine to respond to what the customers need.

What is clear is that both the EMO and the BIEMH, enterprises, and they said since Ideko, technological centre in the report that we published in METALUNIVERS after the fair, are working to convey an image of innovation and growth. This contrasts however with a limited presence at the EMO exhibition in technological centres which may reflect a decrease in the number of r & d projects launched in Germany in the manufacturing sector. Perhaps this Lair of exhibitors is also related to the increase in aeronautics at the fair, a sector that many are going as a resource where balance the difficulties faced by those other industries. The technology there is no major changes in the German fair and gave way to other forms of innovation, as well as the emergence of concepts until recently outside this area, such as life cycle analysis.

You probably also detectaremos in the BIEMH is the growing prominence in the machines of aspects not related to the mechanics, which represent 90 per cent in the weight of the development of machine tools, has come to share spotlight with electrical aspects and with the software. First-order manufacturers opt for own software both CNC and CAD CAM systems.

Another aspect highlighted in Hanover and who possibly has its reflection in Bilbao is the presence of 60 robots at the fair, according to data of Fanuc. In fact, in Bilbao are not only machine tools. During six days, there will also be other actors, such as tools for machine tools, parts, components and accessories, automation systems of production, metrology and quality control, along with other machines and services.

But along with assistants, for example, the majority of the systems of measurement, focused on dimensional measurement through contact probes and (three-dimensional) coordinate measurement machines.

As new concepts, or at least the concepts that will perhaps be time speaking but that could not put a dent in the real world, the micro-machining becomes more common and large manufacturers of tools, CAD CAM systems and some manufacturers already have solutions for the "micro".

If we focus on the different technologies, whether in milling the Spaniards had a significant presence in Hanover, as it could not be otherwise it will return to occur in Bilbao. It is true that developments may be considered more changes than true innovations, but it will be without doubt one of the relevant paragraphs in Bilbao, in the presence of numerous machines of very diverse backgrounds.

The other large group of machines, machining centres, made clear the EMO the intention of some manufacturers to offer low-cost machines. Technologically speaking the fight to reduce times is perhaps the most prominent, approached from various points of view.

In grinding, as from Ideko included in his article in this magazine, "generally stresses the development of the ranges of vertical grinders and manufacturers with centreless grinding shortages". In the case of the manufacturers of lathes supply was very broad in the EMO and surely will continue to be at the Bilbao trade fair. It also confirms the tendency to put on the market low cost lathes and multifunction machines.

BIEMH: the third European fair

The twenty-fourth edition of the Spanish machine tool biennial show again why it is the third exhibition in the sector in Europe. It shall meet for six days the latest innovations and developments in machines and technologies of manufacturing from 6 to 11 March 2006.

The results of the contest in the previous edition, when it premiered the new Bilbao Exhibition Centre site registering growth rates in direct participation from most significant to date - companies and exhibition area by 30 per cent and 42 per centrespectively--can anticipate an optimal level of response in the next edition. The 2004 data were completed, in addition, with a very positive final assessment, as indicated in surveys conducted during the course of the show, in which both exhibitors and visitors rated her as excellent platform outreach and building developments and technological developments.

The sectors present in the 2006 BIEMH, co-organized by Bilbao Exhibition Centre and AFM, Spanish Association of machine manufacturers, shall be those of machine tools, tools for machine tools, parts, components and accessories, automation of production, metrology and quality control systemsother machines and services.

Under the programme of parallel activities, it highlight the conclusion of the VIII National Design Prize in machine tools, a call only in Europe whose objective is to distinguish the effort of those companies that have decidedly opted for the design as part of its strategy of innovation.