United States Cutting Tool Institute

Meetings: meetings provide United States Cutting Tool Institute member company executives with an opportunity to share ideas and information with other senior level executives. The two national meetings held each year include panel discussions and speakers covering timely business issues such as, manufacturing and machining trends, market forecasting, trademarks and patents, the internet, e-commerce, and environmental regulations. These meetings help fulfill at least two of the main purposes of the Institute which are; "to sponsor educational and informational programs of benefit to its members", and "to secure the benefits to be derived from friendly communication among, and exchange of information by its members for their own welfare". A separate registration fee is charged to those (continued on sch o) members who attend meetings in order to offset meeting costs. Sponsorship fees also help defer meeting costs.

Website: the main purpose of the United States Cutting Tool Institute website is to keep Institute members and other interested parties informed about the Institute activites. The website also provides a listing of Institute members, allowing visitors to obtain additional Cutting Tool information directly from these companies. The Institute website helps fulfill one of the main purposes of the Institute which is "to foster, advance, and promote the interests of its members."

Statistics: the Institute's statistics program provides member companies with accurate and timely industry data and information. This information helps members monitor industry and business trends. Reports compiled by the Institute cover aggregate incoming orders and shipments/billings, on a monthly basis. A third party is retained to provide a quarterly analysis and forecast for the Cutting Tool industry and the economy as a whole. The Institute also conducts several other surveys to monitor members' wage and benefit costs and financial operating ratios. The statistics program fulfills one of the main purposes of the Institute which is "to collect and disseminate statistics relating to the Cutting Tool industry through a simple, adequate reporting system."

Publications: United States Cutting Tool institue has developed and sold several different technical publications covering Cutting tools. These publications are intended to assist manufacturers and users of Cutting tools in understanding the dimensions and tolerances for Cutting tools, as well as proper uses of these tools. The Institute also published, in cooperation with an outside publishing firm, the metal Cutting Tool handbook as a comprehensive guide to the selection, use, and performance of Cutting tools. Institute publications fulfill one of the main purposes of the Institute which is "to promote the standardization of sizes, dimensions and tolerances, and simplify the same in cooperation with... other national and international bodies."