Event Schedule

Visit the exhibits to meet suppliers, explore new technology, and ask questions of the experts.

Floor Plan and Exhibitor List New Products

As unexpected as the recession was in 2020 the recovery has been just as startling. The rebound brings a good deal of excitement but challenges as well. What to do about inflation, what impact does this have on labor shortage, supply chains and revenue? Manufacturing did better than expected in 2020 as consumers spent less on services – what happens as they return to that service orientation. Will supply chain issues drive more on-shoring and re-shoring?

The AeroDef Manufacturing conference provides diverse technical sessions to choose from and each session offers a unique opportunity for aerospace manufacturers and defense manufacturers to meet face-to-face with engineers, product designers, and managers to find innovative solutions to their most difficult manufacturing challenges. Presentations offer a practical look at the issues encountered at multiple levels of the extended enterprise and represent a wide spectrum of manufacturing technologies.

WESTEC attendees may add the AeroDef Manufacturing Conference Pass for an additional fee.

Technical Sessions & Featured Panels include:

• Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing
• Advanced Manufacturing Enterprise
• Automation, Assembly & Robotics
• Composites Manufacturing & Advanced Materials
• Smart Manufacturing/Industry 4.0

View the Conference Schedule

Visit the exhibits to meet suppliers, explore new technology, and ask questions of the experts.

Floor Plan and Exhibitor List New Products

Smart Manufacturing technologies have been around for more than 10 years. However, they have been almost exclusively deployed at large manufactures since they have been too complicated and unaffordable for SMMs.

In this talk, we describe the impact of Smart Manufacturing technologies on productivity, responsiveness and resiliency, explore a new way to deploy Smart Manufacturing technologies at Small to Medium-sized Manufacturers (SMMs), and discuss why large manufacturers should actively help SMMs with their digital transformation to achieve supply chain resiliency.

We end with a discussion of how Artificial Intelligence, IoT, cloud, and 5G will impact the Digital Transformation of all manufacturers.

The AeroDef Manufacturing conference provides diverse technical sessions to choose from and each session offers a unique opportunity for aerospace manufacturers and defense manufacturers to meet face-to-face with engineers, product designers, and managers to find innovative solutions to their most difficult manufacturing challenges. Presentations offer a practical look at the issues encountered at multiple levels of the extended enterprise and represent a wide spectrum of manufacturing technologies.

WESTEC attendees may add the AeroDef Manufacturing Conference Pass for an additional fee.

Technical Sessions & Featured Panels include:

• Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing
• Advanced Manufacturing Enterprise
• Automation, Assembly & Robotics
• Composites Manufacturing & Advanced Materials
• Smart Manufacturing/Industry 4.0

View the Conference Schedule

Panelists will discuss what Smart Digital Technologies are accelerating results and outline practical solutions on how and why integrating operational technology using real-time data enables speed and agility to protect your customer and your bottom line.

Moderator: Stephan Biller, PhD, CEO & President, Advanced Manufacturing International Inc. (AMI)

Immerse yourself in innovative processes, materials and best practices for aerospace and defense manufacturing.

WESTEC attendees may add the AeroDef Manufacturing Workshops for an additional fee.

There are two workshops scheduled:

• Aerospace Coatings and Corrosion Control: Materials and Applications
• Multi-Disciplinary Ecosystems for Preparing Engineers and Educators for Factory of the Future

Visit the exhibits to meet suppliers, explore new technology, and ask questions of the experts.

Floor Plan and Exhibitor List New Products

Dr. Ken Sullivan will discuss various factors that can impact an organization’s ability to be able survive the post-COVID-19 business environment.

The following issues will be discussed:

• What internal changes can you make to circumvent external changes (customer and supply chain)?
• Can your current culture adapt to the required changes in the long term?
• Does your organizational structure fit the “new normal”?
• Does your organization have the cash to stay in business in the “new normal”?
• Can you “pivot” your current core competencies to other market sectors without risking your current customer base?
• Exit strategies
  • What if you cannot make it in the new market?
  • Has the industry shifted? Can a company in your demographics survive at its’ location in the supply chain?
  • Is it time to pass the torch?
  • Is it time to sell?