The 9 Biggest Takeaways from Milwaukee’s New Product Symposium 2017

The 2017 Milwaukee Tool New Product Symposium (NPS) was held last week at Milwaukee’s headquarters and it proved to be a whirlwind of new products and information from the red brand.  Over 80 new tools and accessories, which will be released throughout the remainder of 2017, were presented to dozens of media representatives, including construction magazines, YouTubers, Instagrammers, and your favorite construction blog (Construction Junkie, obviously).

After flooding our social media pages with Milwaukee information and gathering our thoughts from the event, we’ve come up with our 9 biggest takeaways from the event, in no particular order.

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DeWalt Announces Release of Construction Site WiFi, IoT Platform

After recently announcing the release of a bunch of new Bluetooth enabled tools and products, as well as an inventory platform, DeWalt has jumped all-in on internet connected construction sites with the announcement of Construction Site WiFi. Construction sites, especially large complex sites, are becoming more and more reliant on internet connectivity to efficiently manage their projects.  This is great news for all of you who count on a consistent internet connection to use programs like Procore, PlanGrid, and Bluebeam, among others, to communicate between different parties on the job site and in the office.

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Ultimate Construction Father's Day Gift Guide 2017

Skip the ties this year and get your dad something he really wants.  Weather he's a full time construction workers, a handyman, or a DIYer, there are plenty of tools and accessories that will keep him productive and make his life easier.  Below is a list of products that would make any dad happy this year.  

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DeWalt Announces New Lineup of Connected Tools, Tracking Devices, and More!

Almost two years after they announced the release of their Bluetooth Battery that allowed owners to remotely monitor battery life and even disable the battery if it’s stolen, DeWalt is set to release a massive upgrade to their connected tool platform.

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Exoskeleton Suits Promise Lower Fatigue, Higher Productivity for Construction Workers

I’m a firm believer that before robots start taking over construction jobs, we’ll first be working with robotics to make workers more efficient and our job sites more functional.  Instead of using 3D printing robots to build an entire project, why not use them first to create intricate details and bring character back to buildings?  Instead of pushing human labor out of the way, why not use robotics to enhance the abilities of our workers, to improve their health and productivity? With rise in development commercial exoskeletons, workers will soon be able to harness additional strength by just slipping on a suit.

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Cool Tools: Cordless Hard Hat 360 Degree Light Attachment

Two of the most critical concepts of construction safety are the ability to see what you’re doing and to also be seen by others around you.  Construction workers rely heavily on their employer providing lighting systems when working in low light conditions, but those systems are not always adequate. 

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[VIDEO] World’s First Vertical Lift Wheel Loader

The world’s first 3D printed excavator was not the only piece of construction equipment to hold that title at this year’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas.  LiuGong, an international construction equipment manufacturer founded in China, also unveiled the world’s first vertical lift wheel loader at the event.

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GIVEAWAY: Milwaukee Tool’s New TICK Tool & Equipment Tracker

In 2015, Milwaukee released their robust smart tool management platform, ONE-KEY.  The smartphone and web application allows users to not only keep data of their tools spread across different users and jobsites, but it also offers tool customization and tool tracking, for tools that are enabled with ONE-KEY. Earlier this year, the platform got a major upgrade with the release of added tool security, which allow users to hide tools, lock the trigger or footpad, or completely render the tool useless remotely if lost or stolen.

Read on to find out how you can win a free (4) pack of Milwaukee TICK ($99 Value)

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Bosch Ordered to Stop Sales of REAXX Flesh Detecting Table Saw

The Bosch REAXX Jobsite Table Saw has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride since it was announced in 2015.  SawStop, the first company to market with a table saw that detects flesh and stops the blade, filed a lawsuit against Bosch for patent infringement in mid-2015.  That lawsuit delayed the release of REAXX to 2016, a year after the company planned to release it. The ruling in that case has put another speed bump in the rollout plans for Bosch.

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46,000 Craftsman Table Saws Recalled for Safety Hazard

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of a Craftsman portable table saw, sold exclusively by Sears Holdings from April 2014 to October 2016 for around $200. The specific saw was manufactured in China by Rexon Industrial Corp, Ltd. of Taiwan.

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