Join the Manufacturing Smartforce / Meet the MT Ambassadors
September 30, 2013 - AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology will debut its Smartforce Rally Fighter in Dayton, Ohio, this week in honor of Manufacturing Day. AMT is a proud sponsor of the national grassroots effort to improve the public’s perception of manufacturing in America. The association joins in supporting the hundreds of manufacturers across the country that are opening their doors to their communities to showcase today’s manufacturing industry and the career opportunities it provides.
The Smartforce Rally Fighter embodies the spirit of Manufacturing Day and American manufacturing innovation. The Rally Fighter itself is the world’s first open-source production vehicle, designed and developed by collaboration between Local Motors and a global community made up of thousands of designers, fabricators, engineers and auto enthusiasts.
The Rally Fighter caught the attention of visitors to the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in 2012 where a five-member team built the car live on the show floor – culminating with starting the engine and driving out of Chicago’s McCormick Place at the end of the event. AMT redesigned the car’s body panel skin to support the association’s Smartforce Development efforts.
“The Smartforce Rally Fighter represents what’s new and exciting in manufacturing. It is high-tech, locally made, crowd-sourced and fuel-efficient,” said AMT President Douglas K. Woods. “The car’s ‘cool factor’ will help persuade students and parents to take a closer look at what manufacturing careers have to offer. The slogan on the door tells the story: ‘Manufacturing Brighter Futures.’”
“The Rally Fighter has been a real hit in the communities that we’ve visited, and Dayton is an ideal backdrop to unveil the new Smartforce skin,” said Greg Jones, AMT Vice President of Smartforce Development. Dayton was recently named among the top ten best cities in the U.S. for the growth of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers by the Brookings Institution.
“AMT wants the rally fighter to spur conversations within communities around the country about the possibilities of careers in manufacturing,” Jones said. “We are also highlighting our ‘Making College Work’ Nights, which are successfully bringing together parents, students and educators to learn more about manufacturing jobs and the education and training they require.”
The Manufacturing Day Tour de Smartforce schedule is below:
October 2 – AMT member Knox Machinery, Franklin, Ohio
October 4 – Select Industries Corporation, Dayton, Ohio - GEMCity Engineering and Manufacturing (GEM), Dayton, Ohio - Other “drive by” visits around Dayton
October 5 – Family Weekend, College of Engineering Building, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
October 7 – “Mfg the Nxt Genr8n” Student Discover Day, AMT Member Mazak Corporation, Florence, Kentucky
For more information on AMT’s Smartforce Development efforts and to download rally fighter photos, visit www.AMTonline.org/Smartforce.
###
About AMT AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology represents the U.S. manufacturing technology industry. Association members design, build, sell, and service the continuously evolving production technology that lies at the heart of manufacturing. Founded in 1902 and based in Virginia, the association specializes in providing targeted business assistance, extensive global support, and business intelligence systems and analysis. AMT advocates for pro-manufacturing public policies and collaborative programs that encourage R&D and innovation, increase global competitiveness and build a 21st-century Smartforce. AMT owns and manages IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show, which is the premier manufacturing technology event in North America.
www.AMTonline.org
About IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show is the largest and longest running manufacturing technology trade show in the United States is held every other year at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. IMTS 2014 will run September 8-13. IMTS is ranked among the largest trade shows in the world. Recognized as one of the world's preeminent stages for introducing and selling manufacturing equipment and technology, IMTS attracts more than 100,000 visitors from every level of industry and more than 119 countries. IMTS is owned and managed by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology.
www.IMTS.com
