Visions of the Future

Author:  Kumar Balan, Empire Abrasive Equipment
Source:  The Shot Peener magazine, Vol 30, Issue 1, Winter 2016
Doc ID:  2016004
Year of Publication:  2016
Abstract:  
In a world littered with terms such as “the internet of things,” “big data”, and “industrial internet,” one often wonders about the position of our relatively small surface preparation world. What revolutionary changes in the past 20 years impacted it? What is its future? Unless retirement is imminent, what should we anticipate and prepare for? The 2015 USA Shot Peening Workshop provided an ideal opportunity to speak with some of the industry influencers about their thoughts on the shot peening and blast cleaning industry. I spoke with Jim Whalen of Progressive Surface, Ron Wright and Alain Portebois of Wheelabrator, Michael Brauss of Proto Manufacturing, Jim Harrison and Dominic Cimino of Curtiss-Wright/Metal Improvement Company and Scott Nangle of Empire Abrasive Equipment Company. This is a compilation of their assessment of its current state and vision for the future.