NILES, Ohio — If you think your business doesn’t use advanced manufacturing or has no need for artificial intelligence or 3D printing, the Youngstown Business Incubator would like a word. Odds are, there’s a tool or technology that could save you money, help you hire smarter or simply get ahead of the competition—and AMUX is where you’ll find it.
The inaugural Advanced Manufacturing Users Experience, or AMUX, will take place May 20 at the Eastwood Event Centre in Niles. Hosted by the Youngstown Business Incubator, the event aims to show how cutting-edge manufacturing tools can help solve everyday problems, even for traditional manufacturers.
“The goal is to raise awareness of how advanced manufacturing technologies can be used to solve problems that most traditional manufacturers have,” said Barb Ewing, CEO of the Youngstown Business Incubator. “It could be anything from rapid tooling prototyping for form, fit and function, using sensors to identify machines that are running too hot— predictive maintenance.”
Ewing emphasized that the event is not limited to technical staff. “It would be valuable to the CFO or the CEO to get a better understanding of how the technology could be used at a higher level. Also great tools available for the sales and marketing departments or the maintenance departments,” she said. “It really isn’t a one-size-fits-all event. It’s something that would be beneficial to just about anybody, any department head within any company, locally.”
The event will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with registration starting at 11, followed by panels and demonstrations from noon to 5 p.m. A networking hour will follow. Lunch is included, and the vendor space will feature a wide range of exhibitors, including portfolio companies of YBI and other tech firms from around the state.
Among the demos: a data aggregation tool originally developed for the medical field, now used in manufacturing, and a software platform that helps users search for suppliers based on criteria like revenue or capabilities.
Rory Kale, program support coordinator at YBI, said the event will feature both panels and demonstrations from portfolio companies and startups. “We’re actually going to give them an opportunity to get in front of people and showcase their products,” he said.
Among the scheduled panels are discussions on 3D-printed sand cores, polymer materials, industrial IoT, and a spotlight on the region’s new aerospace hub tied to America Makes. These sessions aim to help attendees understand how innovations can be integrated into their operations, regardless of their industry focus.
Several of YBI’s portfolio companies will also take the stage to showcase their products. Among them is SpokeB, a tool that simplifies price configuration for manufacturers. Another, Aiden AI, originally developed for the medical sector, has transitioned into advanced manufacturing, helping companies manage and make sense of large datasets.
Also presenting will be a California-based company that pitched at YBI’s Shark Tank event; their software enables users to search for manufacturers by revenue, capabilities, and more—a tool that YBI’s Rory Kale called a “big play” for regional connectivity. Additionally, Athens-based Vitruvian, a spin-off from Ohio University, will bring a 3D printer capable of printing structural components, including housing materials.
Kale said the event is also about raising awareness of what’s already happening in the region. “The people that know, know. But the people that don’t just have no clue that we’re here,” he said. “They’re shocked to find out when they come here for a tour.”
The AMUX event also serves to further YBI’s mission of strengthening the regional manufacturing community. Ewing said the incubator has long advocated for the use of technology to support and grow traditional manufacturing, aligning with broader trends like reshoring and onshoring.
“We have been at this for the last 15 years, and so I think this event is the culmination of all of the effort that we have been putting in to raise awareness of how manufacturers can use technology to make themselves more competitive,” she said. “This is the work that our advanced manufacturing team does every day, and it aligns very nicely with our startup companies.”
Sponsorship opportunities remain available, and tickets are on sale now. More information is available HERE.