Agenda set for AIMCAL/SPE Technical Conference

Published: August 01, 2019

The agenda has been posted for the 2019 AIMCAL R2R (roll-to-roll) USA Conference/SPE FlexPackCon taking place October 6-9, at the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC. The 2019 event continues a six-year partnership between the Association of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (AIMCAL) and the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE, Bethel, CT).

New this year are three-hour workshops on safety and intellectual property. The “Patent Law Fundamentals for Scientists, Engineers, and Managers” workshop will be led by Robert A. Migliorini, senior counsel - Research & Engineering at Exxon Mobil Corp. In this introductory overview of patent and trade secret protection, participants will learn how to identify and document an invention, search for related patents, submit a patent application in the U.S. and abroad and determine post-grant patent options including mechanisms for challenging a U.S. patent before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

In the interactive safety workshop, David Kerr, EHS program specialist, and Jamie Gaehring, senior controls engineer, both of Machine & Process Safety Assessment Group, will discuss “Understanding Your Facility's Machine Safety Needs,” and Neal Michal of Converting Expert Corp. will define a “Practical Method to Identify and Prioritize Hazards.” In the final 90 minutes, Tom Rimmel, chief operating officer of Dunmore Corp., and Bob Pasquale, president of New Era Converting Machinery, Inc., will explore methods to engage employees, discuss approaches to drive continuous improvement and hazard reduction and share best practices. 

The agenda consists of more than 100 sessions organized in three or four tracks focused on Web Coating and Handling, SPE/FlexPackCon or Vacuum Web Coating. Leading consultants and experts from academia and original equipment manufacturers present best practices and advances related to coating process technology, oriented films, barrier, R2R vacuum technology, system developments, safety and regulatory issues, circularity and post-consumer-recycled content, advanced R2R films, strategies for improving productivity, converting technology, new materials and processing developments, monitoring and measurement, coating materials for key market applications, and flexible packaging and materials.

The schedule also includes five joint keynotes, three bonus market sessions.

Keynotes

• “Opportunities in Flexible, Printed and Hybrid Electronics” by Raghu Das, chief executive officer at ID TechEx
• “How the Printing Industry Will Enable More Environmentally Friendly Packaging” by Todd Fayne, principal engineer at PepsiCo Advanced Research
• “Flexible Packaging Growth and Market Trends” by Sal Pellingra, vice president Global Application and Innovation Development at ProAmpac
• “An Overview of the NASCENT Center’s R2R Nanofabrication Research and Capabilities at UT Austin” by Dr. Larry Dunn, assistant director of NASCENT
• “Industry 4.0” by Andrew Alaya, director of Aftermarket System Sales at Davis-Standard

Bonus Market Sessions

• “Silicone Coated Release Liner Markets” by Corey Reardon, president and CEO of AWA Alexander Watson Associates
• “Labeling & Product Decoration Market,” also by Reardon
• “Opportunities for Coated Film in the Battery Market,” by Carl Hu, chief technology officer at Soteria

In a vendor session, suppliers spend three minutes promoting their product, service or company. The schedule also includes a Tabletop Exhibition with more than 80 exhibitors and other networking opportunities including a golf scramble and the Dr. Bernard Henry Memorial 5k Fun Walk/Run. More than 400 attendees are expected.

Registration for the conference and hotel reservations may be made via the AIMCAL Website, www.aimcal.org, or the SPE Website, www.4spe.org/FlexPackCon2019.

For more information, visit  www.aimcal.org.