Around two weeks before the start of GrindingHub, the very last few square meters of exhibition space have now been allocated. From May 17 to 20, more than 370 exhibitors from 23 countries will be showcasing their products on almost 18,000 square meters of net exhibition space in three halls.

Dr. Wilfried Schäfer, Executive Director of GrindingHub organizer VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association), is more than pleased with the figures. “This is positive news for all visitors because this high level of interest greatly increases the chances of success for all the well-known suppliers who are coming to Stuttgart to present a comprehensive overview of grinding technology, including all its key aspects. It also confirms to us, the organizers, that our concept for the event is clear and coherent.”

A further factor which stands in favor of the event’s organizers – the VDW, Messe Stuttgart and the Swiss association Swissmem – is their in-depth knowledge of the industry, of the latest technical trends and, not least, of the key international players. This has made it possible to highlight specific topics on various special stands.

GrindingSolutionParks showing how theory and practice go hand-in-hand

Prominent institutes and companies will present some of their special development topics on two GrindingSolutionPark stands. Exhibitors on the Science GrindingSolutionPark stand in Hall 10 (10D10) include the Institute of Production Engineering and Machine Tools (IFW) at Leibniz University Hannover, the Institute of Machine Components (IMA) at the University of Stuttgart, Inspire AG from Zurich, the Institute of Machining Technology (ISF) at the Technical University of Dortmund, the Leibniz Institute for Material-Oriented Technologies (IWT) from Bremen and the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) at RWTH Aachen University. Robert Zmich, research associate at IWT, is already looking forward to his institute’s involvement: “Ongoing contact with other research institutes and, above all, industrial partners is extremely important for Leibniz-IWT because it can lead to new fields of research in response to current problems in industry. At GrindingHub, we can finally engage in this kind of dialog again, face-to-face.”

Further research topics will be explored on the Industry GrindingSolutionsPark stand (7C40) in Hall 7. The focus here is on user-specific solutions. “We will be demonstrating our new machine for balancing grinding wheels in tool grinding machines. It was developed to take us to the next quality level in balancing accuracy. We are so pleased that people will be able to talk to each other again in person and, above all, that they will be able to network again,” emphasizes Herrmann Diebold, CEO of Helmut Diebold GmbH & Co. in Jungingen. Three further companies will also be presenting topics from the entire process chain on the special stand: Grinding Technology Srl from Cassine (Italy), Hermle Schleiftechnologie GmbH Deilingen-Delkhofen and Zollern GmbH & Co. KG from Herbertingen.

StartupHub as first port of call for young companies

The StartupHub offers six young, innovative companies the chance to showcase their ideas and products at GrindingHub. The main focus is on different software solutions, but also on cylindrical and non-circular grinding machines. Markus Westermeier, co-founder and CEO of Munich-based Spanflug Technologies GmbH, explains: “We are very pleased to be unveiling the latest version of our calculation software for manufacturing companies at GrindingHub. It can also be used to automatically calculate grinding operations for turned and milled parts.” Also taking part in the StartupHub are Rimon Technologies GmbH from Freienbach (Switzerland), G-Elements GmbH from Wallisellen (Switzerland), AtlasVR from Zurich (Switzerland), Oculavis from Aachen (Germany) and ultraTEC Anlagentechnik Münz GmbH from Laupheim (Germany).

Experience umati live – the world language of mechanical engineering

umati will also be seizing the opportunity to highlight the advantages of a world mechanical engineering language at the premiere of GrindingHub. The joint connectivity initiative of the VDW and VDMA (Mechanical Engineering Industry Association) will have its own stand (9D46) in Hall 9 at the trade show. Dr. Alexander Broos, Head of Research and Technology in the VDW: “We cannot wait to present the benefits of open, standardized interfaces based on OPC UA to a live audience. The umati brand gains its strength from the contact between old and new partners, from the mutual exchanges which take place, and from the establishment of a strong network. Visitors can find out more in the regular series of successful ‘Meet the Expert’ sessions. The team on the joint stand is being supported by the project partner, the Institute for Control Technology of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Systems (ISW) of the University of Stuttgart, as well as by the long-standing umati partner Orchestra Srl from Turin (Italy).

“Our exhibitors are in the starting blocks and are raring to go,” says Wilfried Schäfer of the VDW, summing up the mood in the run-up to the event. “All the conversations I’ve had confirm that there is a great sense of anticipation among all participants about meeting again in person and networking. Many exhibitors have also been working hard on developing their products during the pandemic and are finally ready to present them to their customers in a live situation.”

Background GrindingHub 2022 in Stuttgart

The first ever GrindingHub will be held in Stuttgart from 17 to 20 May 2022. It is the new trade fair and the new center for grinding technology. It is scheduled to be run every two years by the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association), Frankfurt am Main, in cooperation with Messe Stuttgart and the Schleiftagung, as well as the “Machine Tools” industry sector of Swissmem (Association of the Swiss Mechanical, Electrical and Metal Industries) as institutional patron. Grinding is one of the top 4 manufacturing processes within the machine tool industry in Germany. In 2021, the sector produced machines to the value of 820 million euros, according to official statistics. 84 per cent of these were exported, with about half going to Europe. The largest sales markets are China, the USA and Italy. Internationally, China, Japan and Germany led the world rankings in 2021. According to VDW estimates, the grinding technology sector produced 5.2 billion euros worth of machines in 2021.

Oskar Olai, CEO of 3nine, Hochheim, is full of anticipation: “We’re very much looking forward to meeting with our partners, distributors, customers and potential customers again after the long and isolated time during the pandemic. GrindingHub is our first trade show in Germany since 2019 and I know that all my colleagues at 3nine are super excited.”

Jürgen Hauger, Managing Director of the Biberach-based Vollmer Group, also believes the new trade show for grinding technology has a bright future. “The organizers have succeeded in putting together an attractive trade show in an ideal location that is geared to the needs of our global customers. We are convinced that GrindingHub will become the new leading trade show for grinding technology. Vollmer will be unveiling no less than five world firsts at the first GrindingHub in May 2022.”

UGO* – a visitor promotion campaign designed to cause a stir

This week also sees the launch of the visitor promotion campaign for GrindingHub. “UGOs – Unknown Grinding Objects – are unidentified flying objects that will be landing in Stuttgart in the future,” says VDW Executive Director Schäfer. They are designed to arouse curiosity, just as UFOs did in the past. Headlines such as “UGO* bringing expertise to Stuttgart.” or “UGO* making digital impact” are being used as teasers. “Anyone wishing to find out more must come along to Stuttgart in May,” says Schäfer, addressing the international grinding community.

Exhibitors and visitors can take part in the #ShowYourUGO challenge and showcase their UGOs. “The best UGOs can then be viewed at first hand in Stuttgart in May,” Schäfer concludes.