Aerospace, Automotive, Defense Industry Collaboration Event

Feb. 1, 2006
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME, Dearborn, Mich.) has announced a new event, Collaborate 2006, designed to foster formal collaboration between

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME, Dearborn, Mich.) has announced a new event, “Collaborate 2006,” designed to foster formal collaboration between automotive, aerospace and defense manufacturing communities. The conference and exposition will take place October 10-12 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala. SME is partnering with the Alabama Aerospace Industry Association and the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association on this event.

"Collaborate 2006 will connect industry, academia, government and trade associations striving for excellence,” said Nancy Berg, executive director and general manager of SME. This event will address the shared people, process and technology challenges of original equipment manufacturers and their suppliers in the automotive, aerospace and defense industries.

The conference and exposition will bring together industry leaders and innovators to share best practices and work together on new technology applications and processes. The three-day program features tours of aerospace and automotive facilities, cross-industry networking opportunities, dynamic presentations, authoritative keynote panels and interactive workshops.

Conference sessions will focus on the core enabling components for fast, flexible, and efficient manufacturing performance:

• Lean Manufacturing;

• Supply Chain Management;

• Predictive Maintenance;

• Product Lifecycle Management.

"Collaborate 2006 will explore important topics such as sustaining lean and how it relates to customer value,” said Al Sullivan, chairman, Alabama Aerospace Industry Association, “the latest trends in lifecycle management and how they affect your supply chain. Exploring innovative ideas from the aerospace, automotive and defense industries can benefit all of us."