CITY OF COMMERCE, CA – The 2009 AWFS Fair will feature a new area called the smartSHOP, a fully operational cabinet shop, to show attendees how automated woodworking equipment can increase shop efficiency. The machinery that will be demonstrated in the special small shop booth will include nesting machines, multi-head horizontal boring machines, edgebanders, motorized case clamps and hinge insertion machines, all working in tandem.

Gero Sassenberg, a woodworking expert and furniture consultant specializing in management and engineering consulting to the cabinet and furniture industries, will be operating the smartSHOP and will use equipment from participating exhibitors to demonstrate how all the processes of cabinet construction, from data input software to cabinet assembly can be automated, saving time and money.

“This very hands-on demonstration will provide a great learning opportunity for attendees, answer their questions and allow anyone that attends to get one-on-one advice for their own shop,” Sassenberg said.

Sassenberg will also be teaching an efficiency seminar in the smartSHOP space, “Simplicity in Automation for the Small Shop,” as part of AWFS’s Special Machinery and Relevant Technology (SMART) educational sessions. SMART sessions are designed to give attendees an in-depth look at new technologies and machine processes. Sassenberg’s session will explain the designing and building of Euro-cabinets using CAD/CAM.

“Our decision to launch a smartSHOP is a direct result of listening to our attendees,” says Archie Thompson, AWFS tradeshow committee chair. “Owners of smaller-sized businesses told us that the AWFS Fair can be overwhelming and they just don’t know where to start looking for machinery or supplies. We felt the smartSHOP would allow them to see everything at work in an environment that is similar to their own, get advice on what products they need and be directed to the exhibitors who are showing equipment they can use.”