2025-05-16 06:05:37
With more than 1 million sq. ft. of exhibit space already booked for the 2026 show, IMTS—The International Manufacturing Technology Show is poised once again to be the strongest manufacturing marketplace in the Western Hemisphere. IMTS 2026 returns to McCormick Place in Chicago on September 14-19. Currently, 85% of the booth space capacity is filled, and several exhibitors have secured larger footprints on the show floor.
IMTS 2026 will feature a new floor plan layout, where the South Building will host the Metal Removal Sector and the Additive Manufacturing Sector, accelerated by Formnext.
“IMTS provides manufacturers with the opportunity to explore technologies and ideas to solve production challenges, so combining additive and subtractive technologies showcases the best of both technology platforms,” said Douglas K. Woods, President of AMT—The Association For Manufacturing Technology, which owns and produces IMTS. “Featuring subtractive machining, additive manufacturing and hybrid solutions together will inspire visitors to find new ways to grow their markets, boost capacity and lower costs.”
“Automation is key to manufacturing growth, and there is no place more valuable than IMTS to demonstrate its critical role,” said Mike Cicco, CEO of FANUC America and AMT’s chairman. “I am happy to share that FANUC will move to the front row in the South Building at IMTS 2026, where, as longtime exhibitors, we are able to showcase our innovative robotics and factory automation technologies to IMTS visitors.”
The Tooling & Workholding Sector will be the focus in the West Building. Companies such as Kennametal will occupy a larger exhibit space. The Smartforce Student Summit, powered by AMT and SME, which welcomed nearly 15,000 students and educators in 2024, is moving back to Level 1 of the North Building. This move accommodates the expanding Software, Quality Assurance, Fabricating & Lasers and Machine Components / Cleaning / Environmental sectors in the East Building.
Expanding Automation & Intelligence
Level 3 of the North Building will again feature the Abrasive Machining / Sawing / Finishing Sector, Gear Generation Sector and Automation Sector, accelerated by SPS—Smart Production Solutions, which debuted at IMTS 2024.
“You cannot sell a spindle anymore if you do not automate it, and that’s why we saw such an automation presence at IMTS 2024,” says Robby Komljenovic, a manufacturing industry executive who has been coming to IMTS since 1994. “In fact, there are now more robots than CNCs at IMTS, and that trend will grow. There is a shortage of workers, as well as the need to boost productivity. Our automation solutions fill that need to load and unload parts, perform repetitive operations, enhance safety, increase throughput and free skilled people to perform value-added tasks.”
The Automation Sector also highlights intelligent solutions, including AI and cloud-based innovations from companies such as Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services.
“IMTS has been organically growing as a digital technology destination,” said Michelle Edmonson, Vice President—Exhibitions, AMT. “Our theme for IMTS 2026 is ‘Achieve the Impossible,’ and manufacturers will accomplish that goal using technologies such as AI, cloudbased services, automation, software, additive manufacturing (AM) and advanced machining.”
A Solutions Approach
Moving AM to the South Building will help accelerate the adoption of a technology that strengthens U.S. manufacturing capabilities, reshoring and boosts supply chain security. The move also makes sense from an end-user perspective, as delivering a finished AM part often requires subtractive operations to machine features, tap threads, create smooth surfaces and cut parts from build plates, as well as automated part and pallet handling systems for unattended operation.
“AM adoption continues to become more integral in manufacturing organizations, and this is reflected with the AM Sector moving to the South Building at IMTS,” said Patrick Boyd, Marketing Director at EOS, an IMTS exhibitor and global provider of AM technologies. “Rather than viewing AM as a competing or replacement process, more manufacturers now understand that AM is a complementary technology to deliver new solutions, fill production gaps, find new efficiencies and allow for faster innovation. AM wholly strengthens manufacturing, and the move to the South Building validates this.”
The IMTS+ website has been redesigned to highlight the manufacturing technology community 24/7. As the always- on extension of the show, IMTS+ now features four dedicated technology hubs: Metalworking, Digital Manufacturing, Automation and Additive Manufacturing. Each hub showcases the people, products and processes that drive innovation and fuel business growth.
A limited amount of exhibit space remains for IMTS 2026. Visit IMTS.com/exhibitor to learn more about exhibiting. Discover more about the show at IMTS.com.
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