America Makes, Laser Institute of America, Fab Foundation and Fab Lab Hub Collaborate in 2018 Digital Fabrication Conference

Fab Lab Hub welcomes America Makes, the Laser Institute of America and The Fab Foundation as collaborators for the sixth annual DigiFabCon to be held at the Schaumburg [IL] Convention Center.  DigiFabCon explores how tools such as 3D Printing, laser cutting, CNC machining, robotics and CAD design are changing the world.  Thought leaders will share how they are innovating through digital tools today and predict what the future holds in workforce training, manufacturing, STEM education, startup creation and technology.

The DigiFabCon Conference takes place March 27 and 28, 2018.  Sherry Lassiter, President of the Fab Foundation and Director of the Fab Lab Program at MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, opens the program with a keynote featuring projects from the more than 1,000 Fab Labs that are part of the worldwide network. Rob Gorham will review industry advancements fostered by America Makes, the public/private partnership for additive manufacturing for which he serves as Executive Director.  He will also moderate a panel on Innovative Initiatives to Train the New Collar Workforcethat includes Jeannine Kunz, Vice President of Tooling-U SME.  A wide range of expert presentations and panel discussions will continue on both days.

March 28 and 29 adds the Laser Institute's LME manufacturing event and expo that is open to the public. In addition to seeing next generation manufacturing tools such as Trumpf 3D Printers and Forest Scientific CNC routers, attendees will experience live demos in a mobile Fab Lab courtesy of the Carnegie Science Center [Pittsburgh, PA].  Fab Lab Hub founder Sarah Boisvert will also be signing, The New Collar Workforce, which reviews the skills 200 U.S. manufacturers need for operator and technician jobs in the Digital Factory.

Thanks to sponsorship from Chevron, TIES, the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation, and The Fab Foundation, accepted Ignite Talks in STEM education, entrepreneurship, and technology/manufacturing will receive discounted registration.  Best Project in each category will win one digital fabrication tool, such as a MakerBot Replicator+, 3D PrintLife eco-friendly 3D Printer filament or Matter Hackers gift pack.

Complete program information can be found at http://www.digifabcon.org.

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FLIR Si1-LD - Industrial Acoustic Imaging Camera for Compressed Air Leak Detection

FLIR Si1-LD - Industrial Acoustic Imaging Camera for Compressed Air Leak Detection

The FLIR Si1-LD is an easy-to-use acoustic imaging camera for locating and quantifying pressurized leaks in compressed air systems. This lightweight, one-handed camera is designed to help maintenance, manufacturing, and engineering professionals identify air leaks faster than with traditional methods. Built with a carefully constructed array of MEMS microphones for high sensitivity, the Si1-LD produces a precise acoustic image that visually displays ultrasonic information, even in loud, industrial environments. The acoustic image is overlaid in real time on a digital image, allowing you to accurately pinpoint the source of the sound, with onboard analytics which quantify the losses being incurred. The Si1-LD features a plugin that enables you to import acoustic images to FLIR Thermal Studio suite for offline editing, analysis, and advanced report creation. Field analysis and reporting can also be done using the FLIR Acoustic Camera Viewer cloud service. Transferring of images can be managed via memory stick or USB data cable. Through a regular maintenance routine, the FLIR Si1-LD can help facilities reduce their environmental impact and save money on utility bills.