Empathy might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about machine tool builders, but Alexander Zoller’s enthusiasm for helping machinists reduce headaches, bottlenecks, and wasted time is as unmistakable as the hum of spindles on a busy production floor. He really wants machinists to perform more exciting, complex, and high-value tasks. His enthusiasm was present throughout Zoller Technology Days, where customers, partners, and the Zoller team from across the world gathered to discuss automation, tool management, connected production, and practical approaches to improving manufacturing operations. Presenters ranged from large aerospace manufacturers to family-owned machine shops producing everything from high-volume runs to one-off parts. Sessions also covered aerospace forecasts, coating technologies, and updates on tungsten carbide supply issues stemming from recent United States Cutting Tool Institute meetings in Washington, D.C. Alexander Zoller, Zoller president, with author and Pro-Cam Owners Tom, Malinda, Alex, and Brent Bassett. Lessons From the Shop Floor Peter Doyle, president of Hirsh Precision, outlined 12 principles for building a high-performing machine shop, including five criteria for evaluating technology: integration, scalability, agility, collaboration, and compliance. He closed with an important reminder: “Not everything should be a system. Preserve room for human judgment, creativity, and adaptability.” After his presentation, I asked Doyle how he justified investing in new technology. He gained customer buy-in by showing the value in reduced downtime and improved efficiency with Zoller tool presetters. Venturion, the Zoller tool setting and measurement system.Max Egan, CEO of Atlas Fibre, and winner of the 2024 Zoller Toolroom of the Year Award, shared how Zoller tool presetters, balancers, and the Zoller Measurement System helped increase the company’s revenue by 500% over five years while maintaining a lean headcount. “If you want to be economically efficient at machining composites, you need to be an expert at tool management,” Egan said. (Read details here.) Walt Swenton, senior manager for Advanced Manufacturing/Industry 4.0 at Eaton Aerospace Group, discussed his strategy to scale smart technologies across multiple manufacturing facilities nationwide. “You can’t go all in. You can’t think you’re going to do 42 plants at once,” Swenton said. “You have to pick somewhere, prove it works, and build from there.” Instead of attempting a companywide rollout, Swenton launched a pilot program at its Maryland facility, focusing on collecting real-time data from 45 critical CNC machines to improve visibility, reduce downtime, and show measurable ROI before expanding further. The effort led to $1 million in annual savings by optimizing fixtures, improving part loading, and increasing spindle runtime and output. Swenton also stressed the value of engaging manufacturing engineers and operators throughout the process to improve adoption. IMTS Discoveries and Real ROI Tom Bassett, president of Pro-Cam Services LLC, brought humor, honesty, and practical shop-floor experience to explain how he turned toolroom equipment into a driver of revenue growth. Bassett discussed how attending IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show helped shape many of Pro-Cam’s technology investments over the years, starting with his first visit in 2016. For years, the Zeeland, Michigan, CNC job shop had been too busy to attend IMTS. But one stop at the Zoller display (IMTS booth #432018) changed the trajectory of his company. At first, Bassett didn’t think a tool presetter would apply to his operation. But after watching a demonstration and quickly calculating the time spent touching off tools inside the machine, the value became obvious. (Read detailed story here.) “If we could measure tools outside the machine while production continued, we would save enormous amounts of time,” he said. Bassett estimated the Zoller presetter would pay for itself within three months. The actual impact was even larger. “In a year’s time, we saw a $1 million increase in our shop’s revenue, mostly because of the presetter,” he said. Bassett also emphasized the importance of strong supplier relationships when investing in manufacturing technology. “We choose vendors who support us, not just sell to us,” Bassett said. “Our vendors aren’t just suppliers; they’re partners. Zoller is a perfect example.” He added that IMTS is one of the best places to compare technologies, talk directly with suppliers, and discover practical solutions that improve shop productivity. Zoller Tool BalancerData, Transparency, and Industry 5.0 John Leppien, vice president of GARR Tool, and Frank Weisskopf, president of TTS, discussed how Zoller presetting and inspection technologies are improving consistency and traceability on high-production shop floors. Their vision is for customers to eventually access cloud-based measurement data for every tool they produce, helping them quickly identify issues and eliminate guesswork. “It takes the guesswork out for the end-user customer,” Leppien said. “The goal is that when the customer calls up, we can look at the report and say, ‘The tool is correct. Here it is. I’m sending it to you.’” Sam Kirkpatrick, product manager at ANCA, discussed how ANCA and Zoller are helping manufacturers move toward Industry 5.0 through connected, autonomous production systems. ANCA’s AIMS platform integrates grinding, measurement, automation, and material handling into a streamlined workflow designed for lights-out manufacturing and real-time decision-making. “We have seen autonomous production for days or weeks,” Kirkpatrick said. “We actually have a machine at one of the AIMS Automate installations that ran continuously for 19 days.” “It actually was a setup change that brought that streak down,” he added. Kirkpatrick also demonstrated how ANCA and Zoller technologies work together in practice. “We’ve got our autonomous mobile robot that can sample a tool out of an ANCA grinder, bring it to Zoller machines like the Genius or Titan for balancing, and then apply that rich data set back into the grinding operations.” Carbide Concerns and Aerospace Growth Jeff Cederstrom, president of Arch Cutting Tools, and a member of the United States Cutting Tool Institute, reported on his recent meeting with government officials in Washington, D.C., ahead of President Trump’s trip to China. They advocated for more stable carbide supply chains, increased recycling efforts, and support for domestic mining. In response to rising carbide costs and shortages, companies are placing greater emphasis on tool regrinding and recycling programs to extend tool life and reduce waste. Shi Chen of Caterpillar discussed the company’s global strategy to prioritize carbide regrinding and recycling, with a preference for U.S.-sourced recycled material whenever possible. Eric Brothers, senior editor at GIE Media Aerospace, delivered an optimistic outlook for the aerospace market, citing strong demand and significant industry backlogs that continue to drive manufacturing opportunities across the sector. Lights-Out Manufacturing and the Cutting Edge If Alexander Zoller’s enthusiasm for smart manufacturing could be measured, it would probably register somewhere between the hum of a high-speed spindle and a fully automated lights-out cell running through the night – making Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast Host Nick Goellner a fitting moderator for the event’s panel discussion, “Automation in Action: What It Really Takes to Implement Industry 4.0.” Goellner encouraged manufacturers to embrace advanced technologies and lights-out production so they can spend less time fighting shop-floor inefficiencies and more time doing things like watching their kids play ball. Describing his experience walking through factories, Goellner joked that he can sometimes “smell unrealized efficiency” the moment he enters a shop. While much of the event focused on automation and connected manufacturing, Ryan Lake of CemeCon focused on the cutting edge. Lake emphasized that edge preparation, substrate, and coating “must work together” as a total product, noting that “a couple microns can make all the difference in the world as to whether your tool performs adequately or excels.” From Scan to Spindle Hands-on demonstrations of Zoller technologies showcased presetting, balancing, heat shrinking, tool management, and smart data transfer from scan to spindle. Sessions highlighted how efficient tool setup, inventory management, and accurate tool data can help reduce downtime while extending both tool and spindle life. Representatives from major machine tool builders, including Hermle (IMTS booth #339121), SW North America (IMTS booth #338250), Grob, and Chiron America (IMTS booth #339265), explained how their machines integrate with Zoller products and systems. Zoller hospitality extended beyond its bright, sun-filled showroom into the bistro area, where guests enjoyed Southern German hospitality complete with bratwurst, sauerkraut, apple strudel, and even a bourbon tasting. Looking Ahead to IMTS 2026 Zoller Technology Days gave manufacturers the chance to hear honest experiences from shops already implementing smarter technologies and connected production systems. The event reflected Alexander Zoller’s vision: helping manufacturers reduce headaches, eliminate wasted time, and give machinists the tools and confidence to take on more complex, high-value, and rewarding work. Zoller showroom with Chloe Doherty, Zoller Industry 4.0 tech center engineer, and Aleigha Schulke, Anca applications engineer.For manufacturers trying to figure out their next step, IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show, taking place September 14-19, 2026, in Chicago, Ill., offers the opportunity to see hundreds of technologies demonstrated live, ask questions directly to the people building them, and compare solutions side-by-side. If you’re looking for ways to reduce bottlenecks, improve efficiency, and maybe even spend a little less money on ibuprofen, IMTS is a good place to start. Register now at IMTS.com/Register.
Zoller Technology Days highlighted smart manufacturing strategies, automation, and tooling technologies that help manufacturers reduce downtime and take on higher-value work.
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