Amada’s exhibition for customer apprentices a big success

Kidderminster-based Amada (UK) Ltd recently held a very successful exhibition for the apprentices of its customers in a showcase dedicated to the education of future engineers. Believed to be the first event of its kind to take place within the sheet metal sector, it took place at the company’s UK Technical Centre. Hosting the event were Amada’s own apprentices, engaging on an equal level with the apprentices of customers to help them learn about the latest advances in sheet metal component manufacturing.

The informative, educational exhibition proved a roaring success, with a total of 85 visiting apprentices in attendance. One company brought all 10 of its apprentices, three of which only started two days before the event.

The structure of the exhibition provided visitors with the opportunity to attend technical presentations, watch eye-catching machine demonstrations and participate in a Q&A session — all in an apprentice-led environment. Laser cutters, press brakes, punching machines, laser-punch combination machines, automation, software and machine monitoring featured heavily, highlighting the complete Amada solution. Apprentices also received a tour of the facility.

Educational and entertaining event
Amada UK’s managing director Paul Mansfield said: “The idea behind this innovative exhibition was to introduce young engineers to our technology as part of an educational and entertaining event. We felt that using our own apprentices as hosts would help their visiting peers feel more comfortable and promote better engagement. In turn, the event provided our apprentices with experience in speaking to customers, building confidence and pride in the brand they represent.”

Fun was high on the itinerary planned for the day. Visitors were able to ‘have a go’ at making a model biplane from mild steel on a ‘state of the art’ Amada laser cutting machine. The ingenious design of the resulting laser-cut blank allowed the easy bending by hand of the model aircraft, providing a simple yet engaging way of introducing budding engineers to the world of engineering and sheet metal.

Elsewhere at the exhibition, a BATAK machine competition between apprentices from different companies tested their reaction times, hand-to-eye co-ordination and stamina. A complimentary goodie bag for every visiting apprentice — which included a keyring made by Amada apprentices on Amada machines — contributed further to a memorable day.