The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), based in Dearborn, Mich., and Tooling University LLC (Tooling U), based in Cleveland, announced at IMTS last week that they have signed a definitive agreement for SME to acquire all outstanding shares of Tooling U, a leading provider of online training for the manufacturing industry.

The Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT) and Deutsche Messe AG are forming a strategic partnership that will bring an industrial automation event to North America for the first time. Industrial Automation North America will be co-located with The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill., in 2012.

Mazak has announced increased production levels at its facility in Florence, Kentucky. Fueled by the economic recovery, the company has experienced a steady increase in demand over the past nine months particularly after the IMTS Show in Chicago. Mazak projects monthly output of its Florence plant to reach 130 machine tools per month by the close of Q2 2011 and growing throughout the remainder of 2011.

Mazak Corporation has unveiled its MX Hybrid Roller Guide System and publicly debuted the technology on all its machines exhibited at IMTS 2010 in Chicago.

Mazak Corporation launched its newest Multi-Tasking machines with the introduction of its new INTEGREX j-Series machines and the expansion of its INTEGREX i-Series machines at IMTS in Chicago. The j-Series and i-Series are part of Mazak’s Five Levels of Multi-Tasking matrix, which has been developed to ensure that customers choose the Multi-Tasking machine that best meets their application needs.

Mazak unveiled a new machine concept created by world-famous industrial design company Ken Okuyama Design for its latest generation of machine tools. Driven by a dedication to further increase the ergonomics and convenience of its products, Mazak retained the services of Ken Okuyama Design to provide an entirely fresh approach to its machine tool design.

FARO Technologies, Inc. and Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology announced last week at IMTS the launch of the Innovative Solutions Network, a marketing, sales and support collaboration in North America. Through the network, these two metrology providers will provide a broader product solutions offering, including both traditional and portable CMMs.

Methods Machine Tools, Inc., a supplier of innovative precision machine tools, has announced that 10 new FEELER High Performance Machine Tools will be featured in Booth #S-9119 and S-9126 at IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show) located at McCormick Place in Chicago from September 13 - 18, 2010.