Registration Open for IMTS 2026: One Big Beautiful Show
How will new government policies and AI affect the latest version of IMTS?
Registration for IMTS 2026, which runs Sept. 14-19, 2026, is now open.
During the six days of the show, IMTS becomes the epicenter of the manufacturing world. Visitors from more than 110 countries travel to Chicago's McCormick Place to connect with established manufacturing technology providers, innovative startups, subject matter experts, and industry peers.
"IMTS is a catalyst for performance -- it is where people, products, and process technologies come together to shape the future of manufacturing," says Travis Egan, chief revenue officer of AMT -- The Association for Manufacturing Technology, which owns and produces IMTS.
Economic Foundation
Douglas K. Woods, president of AMT, notes a governmental push to strengthen the defense, aerospace, and marine industrial base.
"Several provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act benefit manufacturers and small businesses by helping to stimulate capital investment, enhance innovation, and maintain American competitiveness in global markets," says Woods. He cites 100% bonus depreciation, immediate R&D expensing, and a doubling of the Section 179 expensing cap to $2.5 million.
Woods also notes that more than $8 trillion of investments have been pledged since January 2025.
The United States continues to be the biggest consumer market in the world, and companies want to make products closer to their point of consumption. As an example, he cites GE Appliances announcing a $490 million investment to reshore production of washers and washer-dryers to Louisville, Kentucky, and Apple committing to invest $600 billion across the United States and launching its American Manufacturing Program.
"The theme for IMTS 2026 is 'Achieve the Impossible.' With the technologies showcased at IMTS 2024, manufacturers are achieving efficiencies they once thought impossible and are winning new business as a result," says Michelle Edmonson, vice president, exhibitions, AMT. "From additive to even more automation, exhibitors in all 10 technology sectors will talk about how they leverage AI. I think that the AI possibilities exhibited at IMTS 2026 will be talked about in the same way the internet was for previous generations."
AI Leaders and Industrial Innovators
"IMTS visitors can divide AI into two categories: 1) business management AI tools to help make decisions about the work, and 2) process management AI tools that make decisions inside the work," says Ryan Kelly, vice president of technology at AMT.
"We believe AI will be a dominant theme at IMTS, not only because it's accelerating production and increasing competitiveness but because it's helping address the labor gap by preserving legacy expertise," says Ryan Pembroke, product manager, production software at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence.
Start Exploring Now
To preview the show, users may search IMTS.com by exhibitor name, keyword, or sector. Clicking on an exhibitor's name gives you access to the company's online showroom, which provides their booth location and allows you to save the company in an online Show Planner.
Some of the features of IMTS 2026 include:
- A growing Automation Sector, accelerated by SPS -- Smart Production Solutions in the North Building.
- Locating the Additive Manufacturing Sector, accelerated by Formnext next to the Metal Removal Sector in the South Building.
- Returning the Smartforce Student Summit to Level 1 of the North Building.
- Attractions such as AMT's Emerging Technology Center, presentations on the IMTS+ Main Stage, the Miles for Manufacturing 5K Run/Walk (which has raised over $250,000 for STEM education), and the Creators Lounge for manufacturing influencers.
- A full schedule of conferences for technical education and networking.
IMTS 2026 visitor registration is now open, and housing services will open in November.
For more information or to register, click below.
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