The VDWF WBA Practical Forum on Toolmaking 2024: The focus is on people

VDWF WBA Practical Forum on Toolmaking 2023: Factory tour at Porsche Werkzeugbau­ (Picture:VDWF)

This year marks the sixth time that the VDWF and WBA are joining forces to host the “Practical Forum on Toolmaking”. In Schmalkalden on September 24, 2024, interested parties will once again have the opportunity to exchange ideas with other industry experts, listen to specialist presentations and look into the future of the tool and mold making industry. The focus will be on “People as a solution”.

The challenges in tool and mold making are numerous – and so are the solutions to master them! “The most important factor here is people,” explains VDWF President Prof. Thomas Seul, adding: “If you are interested in working with others on tangible solutions, then you are ready for the future.” This year’s practical forum is therefore about ideas and approaches that need to be discussed, coordinated and implemented together. 

Examples of new opportunities will be presented to event participants in some of the lectures. Uwe Kolshorn from the Lüdenscheid Plastics Institute, for example, will talk about a “different way of thinking” in plastics foaming­. In his presentation, WBA Managing Director Dr David­ Welling will explain how it is possible to work ecologically and at the same time – and perhaps precisely for this reason – economically successfully. Frank Schockemöhle from Pöppelmann, a plastics technology company, will also present solutions in this area and talk about reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the use of recycled materials.

New ideas through interpersonal exchange­

“Customers expect companies to take more and more responsibility for the finished product,” says Thomas Seul. Accordingly, creative minds are needed to find answers for socially relevant aspects of products. “Ultimately, it is still people who come up with ideas for solutions.” Christen Merkle also knows that people are the most important cog in a company’s wheel. Merkle, who is Managing Director of the hydraulics specialist AHP, will be speaking at the practical forum on the topic of “What moves me” – the audience can look forward to an open and very personal presentation. In addition, Klaus Sammer and Thomas Kopp from the BMW Group will take a “360-degree look at the bodywork components of tomorrow”. And at the end of the event, Stephan Hoffmann from Formconsult will present his company, which is active in tool and mold making and plastics technology, and give a tour of the company. 

Solutions require communication and coope­ration with others. All players in the industry are invited to use the Toolmaking Practice Forum to exchange ideas with each other. “And that’s another thing the Praxisforum offers: a familiar space for the industry to communicate openly and transparently in order to develop the basis for joint solutions,” explains Seul. “Everyone benefits from such an exchange.”

The event is sponsored by FDU Hotrunner, HoliMaker­, Meusburger, Moulding Expo, Partool and Process Gardening. The program includes presentations from various fields and brings industry and science together. The VDWF is looking forward to your participation!

Click here to register free of charge:

www.vdwf.de/seminare/seminardetails/vdwf-wba-praxisforum-werkzeugbau-2024

Speakers

• Frank Schockemöhle, Pöppelmann „Reduzierung der Treibhausgasemission durch Einsatz von Rezyklaten“

• Dr. David Welling, WBA Aachener Werkzeugbau Akademie „Der Öko-Effektive Werkzeugbau – ökologisch notwendig & ökonomisch erfolgreich“

• Klaus Sammer und Thomas Kopp, BMW Group „360-Grad-Blick auf die Karosseriebaukomponenten von morgen. Funktional – wirtschaftlich – nachhaltig“

• Uwe Kolshorn, Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid „Die ‚andere Denke‘ beim Kunststoff­schäumen – geringere Drücke, Aluwerkzeu­ge und längere Fließwege, was will man
mehr?!“

• Christen Merkle, AHP Merkle „Was mich bewegt“

• Stephan Hoffmann, Formconsult „Company presentation Formconsult“

(followed by a tour of the company)