Page 21 - EDM Today Winter 2025

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The question that I ask myself is, what’s next for
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have become
EDM Today? To a certain extent, I plan to keep many of
the publisher at a time when EDM Today has an
incredibly talented pool of Feature Editors who are
the ideals that originated with Jack and continued with
EDM experts. In alphabetical order, Marco Boccadoro,
Roger intact. Primarily, this will maintain the highest
Bud Guitrau, Roger Kern, and Brian Pfl uger are some of
possible editorial standards and maintain the magazine
the most respected names in the EDM industry. Each
as a serious trade journal that brings valuable informa-
of them has spent their careers related to EDM and can
tion to our many subscribers.
provide a perspective on EDM technology that speaks
to their experience and expertise.
AI to create our content. The answer is both yes and no.
I would also like to acknowledge Betsy Ballek and John One question that I am often asked is whether we use
We have never and will never use AI to write editorial con-
tent. It is the insight and experience of our editors that
Rowland, two of our newest Feature Editors. Betsy is a
EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine
lawyer, my wife, and is responsible for bringing the Legal
bring our technical articles to life. I cannot imagine that
AI is capable of even coming close, and I have no inten-
News and Views feature to our readers, covering legal
topics that impact our industry. John Rowland, our
tion of trying. Yet, there is a place for AI at EDM Today. It
is used to enhance photos and images. It is also used to
newest Feature Editor, writes the Tech Bytes feature,
covering the technology that we all use in our daily lives.
a small degree in researching editorial projects.
I am also fortunate to have a group of loyal and dedicat-
As I consider the “what’s next” question, I remember
the quote “Innovate or Die” attributed to the renowned
ed advertisers – many of whom I consider good friends.
I recall discussing plans for the coming year in one of
management consultant Peter Drucker. In his 1985
book Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Drucker posits
our advertiser’s conference rooms. I was delighted to
hear that they were committing to another year and were
planning multiple ads per issue. They told me that they
and societal changes to remain competitive. During
wanted to be sure they were spending their advertising
my career, I have seen tremendous changes in the way
companies do business. I am a glass-half-full guy,
budget with the right magazine. They explained that that businesses must adapt to market, technology,
and I believe the changes are for the better. Although I
they asked their sales team to look around when they
EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine
visit customers and see what magazines they see lying
must confess, it took a while to adjust to the notion that
around. The sales team came back reporting it was pre-
new young employees entering the workforce seem to
dominantly EDM Today that they saw. Obviously, I was
stay connected to their phones and social media during
extremely proud, and I fully recognize that credit is due
the work day. But while some may have seen it as a
negative, I tried to focus on the opportunity, realizing
to the great team of feature editors and support people
that in short order, these young employees will be using
who work hard to put out the best possible product.
their phones and technology to search for solutions to
In addition to EDM Today editors, I am also fortunate
manufacturing challenges.
to receive periodic content submissions from many
industry experts. Names like: (In Alphabetical Order)
through a bit of an expansion in 2025. As I write my part
• Alan Barbick, Application Manager, EDM Network
of this feature, our web, and IT guys are working on the
launch of a new and improved EDM Today website. It
• Jeff Beyar, Machine Tool Service Manager, Belmont In the spirit of Innovate or Die, EDM Today will be going
will provide a more enjoyable visitor experience. It will
Equipment & Technologies
EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine
provide more information and make it easier to search
• Mark Cicchetti, Technical Director EDM, Absolute Machine
for various topics and resources.
• Brian Coward, Product Line Manager, Makino
EDM Today will also be launching a new digital magazine
platform. This decision really came out of IMTS when we
• Dave Holden, President, Motion Simple
were surprised at the number of Canadian visitors who
• Doug Maywald, Applications Engineer, MC Machinery
stopped at our booth and wanted subscriptions. We are
Systems
completely free to industry people in the USA, but we
have always charged a small fee to Canada and other
• Larry McNamee, President, EDM Support, Inc.
international destinations – really just to cover the cost
• Thomasz Mika, Applications Engineer, MC Machinery
the small subscription cost. After discussing it with
Systems
some colleagues at another publication, I decided to
• John Moldenhauer, Senior Applications Engineer, of postage. At IMTS, we received a lot of pushback on
adopt their model. We will continue to stay a print mag-
MC Machinery Systems
azine in the USA, but we will now give our international
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subscribers the option to get a free digital subscription,
• Steve Obenhofer, EDM Applications Engineer, Methods
or if they prefer to get the print magazine, which is still
Machine
available to them with a small fee to cover postage.
• Chadd Rivers, Applications Engineer, Titan International
EDM Today has invested in a new high-end digital
• Marc Sanders, EDM Technical Sales Manager,
magazine server that we will use for our international
Entegris/POCO Materials
subscribers. That same server will be used to access our
archives, which date back to 2010. The new magazine
• Tom Van Valkenburgh, President, TommyV EDM
server also provides some very novel features, such as
• Andrew Yee, Applications Engineer, Seibu America
being able to serve live ads. Imagine looking at an ad of
• Tony Zwiener, Wire Applications Engineer,
on it and the cutter comes to life and begins to cut. Not a
GF Machining Solutions
hyperlink to a different site, but right within the magazine.
The industry experts above were responsible for a cutter sitting static on a graphite electrode. Then click
EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine EDM Today Magazine
bringing technical content to EDM Today during our
2024 publishing year.
(Continued on next page)
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EDM Today, Winter 2025 Issue