Canadian Industrial Machinery

Education Anywhere, Anytime
Web-based seminars are another education tool that today’s
manufacturers can use to increase the knowledge base of shop employees

The live streaming of video didn’t exactly start with a bang; it was more like a gurgle and a splash.

Ever since 1991 when the computer whizzes at Cambridge University first started broadcasting video over the Internet by showing live images of their coffee pot, people have been trying to make this technology useful. And finally, thanks to today’s personal computers and the widespread adoption of high-speed Internet technology, we have a use for this in manufacturing.

Web-based seminars, or Webinars, are ideal for introducing new technology and best-practice scenarios for existing equipment.

In 2005 machine tool supplier Makino began creating and showing Webinars live across the Internet to not only help promote its line of machine tools, but also teach application-based lessons.

“Back then it was our goal to convey both the usefulness of our innovative technologies and also be able to give ap-plication-specific seminars to our customer base, with a new methodology, in this case, the online seminar,” explained Makino Marketing Manager Mark Rentschler.

Since then Makino has produced more than 100 online seminars on a variety of topics, such as EDM techniques, micromachining, and aerospace production.

Part of the success of the Webinars may be that it has become more difficult for companies to justify travel expenses for offsite educational seminars in a downturned economy. Also, the fact that people can learn on their own time and at their own pace from any computer widens the customer base for such seminars.

“Our objective is to bring new tech-
nologies, insights, machining examples,
and application-driven knowledge to our
customer and prospect base,” said Rent-
schler. “Our customers are able to watch a
30-minute online broadcast that can have
a positive impact in their efficiency, prof-
itability, and tool life. Hopefully we can
introduce a manufacturer to a new cutting
strategy or a new EDM technique that can
have a positive benefit on their business,”
said Rentschler.

Solving Fabricating Problems

Jim Warren, director of education for the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Canadian Industrial Machinery’s parent company, agrees with Rentschler.

“We have seen the hunger for information grow over the past few years,” said Warren. “Obviously, we would like to see more people take advantage of these sessions, but we are seeing that people are more comfortable using this technology now even compared to just a few years

ago. We create online educational events that we call FabCasts to help educate today’s fabricators. We also help our customers get their specific information out to an audience in an online environment.” The FMA selects speakers who are experts in their fields. Interaction with these experts can be over the phone during the broadcast, or participants can type a question to be answered.

No matter how this type of event is delivered, more and more manufacturers are taking advantage of their usefulness.

Plasma Cutting Webinar

Hypertherm, a manufacturer of plasma cutting technology, recently made available on its Web site two new educational Webinars designed to help companies better understand plasma cutting technology.

The first Webinar chronicles plasma’s past, present, and future. Hypertherm’s Aaron Brandt, part of the engineering team behind HyPerformance plasma, begins by showing viewers how far plasma has come since its discovery in the 1950s, then discusses today’s technologies, and finally gives viewers a glimpse at what tomorrow’s plasma systems will look like.