technology-support: Echoes of the user meeting in Polná 2026

Toolmakers at the round table

This year's meeting followed up on previous years, but also featured a novelty – it was preceded on Thursday by a working round table for production managers and technicians from the tool shops A.RAYMOND JABLONEC, Peartec and Josef Škrkoň - Techplast. The goal was to create a space for closer informal professional discussion and the sharing of experience in the field of processes and the optimization of electrode and mold production, thus opening up topics that were subsequently reflected in the Friday program. 

Friday program based on practical experience

The Friday seminar was again primarily based on the sharing of practical experience. Invited contributors included representatives of companies and institutions active in the fields of mechanical engineering, CNC machining, tool production, production planning, automation, and supporting software solutions for machinists.

The introductory block was opened by Radek Pípa from the company TKZ Polná, who introduced the company with its long tradition and a contribution titled TKZ Polná, spol. s r.o., 114 years of experience with metal.

He was followed by Pavel Rach from A.RAYMOND JABLONEC with the topic Sustainable tool production in Central Europe: a small tool shop's perspective on how to grow, not just survive. A practical perspective from a CNC machine tool supplier was provided by Jakub Starnovský from WEMCO Czech, who presented the joys and sorrows of a CNC machine supplier as well as examples of joint projects.

The next part of the program was devoted to technologies and software tools that are closely linked to the daily work of operators, setup personnel, programmers and technologists. David Fojtík from heidenhain.cz spoke on the topic of CNC Heidenhain in 2026 and CNC machine operators, setup personnel and programmers. Václav Vrtěl from the company CIMCO presented the possibilities of CIMCO tools for CNC machinists, i.e., editor, simulation, transfer and management of NC programs, as well as production monitoring. Petr Brož from Heaven Industries followed up on the area of production planning and rapid rescheduling during unexpected changes.

A traditionally strong historical and professional dimension was also provided by the contribution of Karel Praks, one of the first GibbsCAM users in the Czech Republic, who this year dedicated his talk to the topic History of CNC machine programming and 30 years of GibbsCAM in the Czech Republic.

The afternoon block offered further inspiration from practice as well as from the academic environment. Pavel Zeman from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the CTU in Prague, Department of Production Machines and Equipment, presented a view of the real production process with all its complexities and details. Ondřej Bouzek from SCHUNK Intec showed where SCHUNK products meet technology-support users. Zdeněk Berka from Sandvik CZ focused on the CoroPlus^® Tool Library for the GibbsCAM and Cimatron CAD/CAM systems.

Of course, technology-support employees also had their say. Milan Hnídek presented machine tool accessories from a single supplier and offered practical inspiration from the field of LNS. In their contributions From the life of GibbsCAM technical support, the technical support team shared their experience from daily communication with users, solving their requirements and practical findings from using the system. Ondřej Vopravil presented Cimatron as a universal CAD and, in a separate contribution, also discussed his experiences from the life of Cimatron technical support.

In addition to the main CAD/CAM systems GibbsCAM and Cimatron, this year's program also showcased a broader portfolio of technology-support products and services – from LNS hardware accessories for machine tools, tools for working with NC programs, tool libraries and other software add-ons, to technical support, consultations and practical assistance to users in daily production practice.

In parallel with the professional program, individual consultations between users and technical support also took place. Participants thus had the opportunity to resolve specific questions regarding GibbsCAM, Cimatron, LNS and other tools directly with experts who encounter these systems in practice every day.

Informal part as a space for sharing experience

Although this was a professional event, the social part played an important role again this year. The environment of the Měšťanský pivovar Polná again provided a pleasant setting for informal meetings, discussions, the exchange of experience and networking. The program also included an evening visit to the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and a subsequent get-together in the brewery's premises.

These echoes are also available in video form, where you can find the content of the PowerPoint presentations that were given at the meeting this year. They can serve as a source of information for those who were unable to attend this event for various reasons, and for those of us who were there, as an archive that we can draw from whenever we need to.

As part of the presentation of products and services associated with the company technology-support, the following contributions were made:

• TKZ Polná, spol. s r.o. | 114 years of experience with metal | Radek Pípa
• A.RAYMOND JABLONEC s.r.o. | Sustainable tool production in Central Europe | Pavel Rach
• WEMCO Czech s.r.o. | Joys and sorrows of a CNC machine tool supplier, examples of joint projects | Jakub Starnovský
• heidenhain.cz | CNC Heidenhain in 2026 and CNC machine operators, setup personnel and programmers | David Fojtík
• CIMCO | CIMCO today in 2026 for CNC machinists | Václav Vrtěl
• Heaven Industries, s.r.o. | Software not only for production planning, but also for rapid rescheduling during unexpected changes | Petr Brož
• Karel Praks | History of CNC machine programming and 30 years of GibbsCAM in the Czech Republic
• Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the CTU in Prague | I am interested in the real process with all its intricacies and details | Pavel Zeman
• SCHUNK Intec s.r.o. | Where SCHUNK products meet t-support users | Ondřej Bouzek
• Sandvik CZ s.r.o. | CoroPlus^® Tool Library for CAD/CAM GibbsCAM and CAD/CAM Cimatron | Zdeněk Berka
• t-support.cz | Machine tool accessories from one supplier, inspiration | Milan Hnídek
• t-support.cz | From the life of GibbsCAM technical support, part 1
• t-support.cz | Cimatron as a universal CAD | Ondřej Vopravil
• t-support.cz | From the life of GibbsCAM technical support, part 2
• t-support.cz | From the life of Cimatron technical support | Ondřej Vopravil

Videos are on YouTube in the playlist User meeting | Event echoes