BUILD YOUR AGENDA

Explore innovations in machining, additive, automation, digital solutions, quality and more.

See a live, end-to-end manufacturing system operating continuously on the show floor.

Your front-row seat to the people shaping the industry.

Have a particular manufacturing challenge? Have a seat and discover solutions.

What does it take to turn a bold vision for space exploration into reality? From the astronauts who experience the journey to the engineers who design the systems and the manufacturers who build the hardware, every giant leap begins with people who believe what’s possible—and then make it happen. Join us for an inspiring conversation about Artemis, the return to the Moon, and the critical role manufacturing plays in opening the next chapter of human exploration. This high-level discussion will explore the people, passion, and possibilities behind America’s next giant leap—and why the future of space is being built right here on Earth.
 

Manufacturers and engineering-driven companies solve technical problems every day — improving processes, redesigning components, increasing efficiency, reducing waste, automating production lines, and developing new products. What many don’t realize is that these activities often qualify for the federal R&D Tax Credit.

This session is designed for manufacturers, plant leaders, engineers, CFOs, and technical executives who want to understand how routine innovation on the shop floor can translate into significant dollar-for-dollar tax savings.

For decades, supply chain planning has focused on improving forecast accuracy. But even with better forecasts, manufacturers are still battling excess inventory, shortages, unstable plans, constant firefighting and the bullwhip effect. The uncomfortable question is whether the problem is really the forecast, or the planning system built around it.

In this eye-opening session, Kevin Boake, Global CEO of b2wise, challenges traditional Advanced Planning Systems and explores why adding AI to an already complex planning model may accelerate the problem rather than solve it. He’ll show how manufacturers can rethink the role of forecasting, prioritize flow, use actual demand to drive execution, and apply AI to simplify planning rather than amplify complexity.

Attendees will leave with a different way to think about planning, AI and what it really takes to build a more responsive and competitive supply chain.

As manufacturing facilities move toward lights-out and highly automated production, the main throughput constraint is no longer the machine itself but the efficiency of material handling and logistics flows. While Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) provide a flexible alternative to fixed conveyor systems, integrating them into precision manufacturing environments introduces new technical challenges related to data synchronization, system interoperability, and fleet orchestration.

This technical session explores the architectural foundations required to deploy a scalable AMR framework in high-mix, low-volume (HMLV) manufacturing environments. Moving beyond basic navigation and obstacle avoidance, the discussion focuses on the critical middleware layer, analyzing how interoperability enable unified control across heterogeneous robot fleets and facilitate seamless integration with existing automation infrastructure.

The presentation will also examine the technical workflow for connecting AMR fleet management systems with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and ERP platforms, enabling automated material requests and “call-for-parts” triggers directly from production processes. Particular attention will be given to robotic machine tending applications, including the precision docking requirements necessary for autonomous pallet exchange and raw material delivery at machine tool interfaces.

Finally, attendees will gain practical insights into industrial deployment considerations, including floor-load capacity for heavy-payload AMRs, battery management strategies for continuous 24/7 operations, and cybersecurity requirements for robots operating within shared industrial networks.

Explore innovations in machining, additive, automation, digital solutions, quality and more.

See a live, end-to-end manufacturing system operating continuously on the show floor.

Your front-row seat to the people shaping the industry.

Have a particular manufacturing challenge? Have a seat and discover solutions.

Keep the conversation going at the Job Shops Workshop Reception, where you can enjoy complimentary refreshments while networking with peers, speakers, and industry leaders. Warp up the day by turning fresh insights into meaningful connections with the people shaping the future of manufacturing.
 

Industrial automation isn’t a destination for modern job shops...it’s a journey. Data from the recent IMTS Automation Report 2026 spotlighted that fact. Join Automation World and our three panelists who are at different stages of their automation journeys as we explore the scenarios that prompted them to embrace automated tools and techniques at their facilities, the potholes they are facing along the automation road, and the wins they are realizing (or hope to realize) with their smart new roadmaps.  

A closing recap of the day's biggest themes and insights, spotlighting the opportunities ahead for investors and innovators across the manufacturing ecosystem.

Four companies actually putting robots to work in production automation, robotic sheet metal forming, and AI-powered welding. Less about what's possible in a lab, more about what's running in real factories today: the integration headaches, the customer economics, and what it takes to scale from one cell to one hundred.

Explore innovations in machining, additive, automation, digital solutions, quality and more.

See a live, end-to-end manufacturing system operating continuously on the show floor.

Your front-row seat to the people shaping the industry.

Have a particular manufacturing challenge? Have a seat and discover solutions.

Lace up and run to fund STEM education.

Manufacturers are under constant pressure to respond faster to disruptions, customer demands, and operational changes without increasing complexity. In this session, SolutionsX and Infor will explore how modern ERP ecosystems, embedded AI, and automation tools help organizations move from reactive firefighting to proactive decision-making.

Attendees will learn how leading manufacturers are streamlining workflows across finance, operations, and supply chain to reduce bottlenecks, improve visibility, and accelerate response times. The discussion will also demonstrate how Velocity Suite and AI-powered insights help teams identify issues earlier, improve forecast accuracy, and make smarter decisions with real-time data.

Walk away with practical examples of how operational intelligence drives measurable improvements in productivity, responsiveness, and business performance.

More information coming soon.

For years, additive manufacturing has been associated with design freedom but questioned for its dimensional accuracy and repeatability for production — particularly when compared to traditional manufacturing processes. While high precision has long been achievable, it often depended on expert users, manual calibration, and tightly controlled print conditions.

This talk explores how recent advances in automated calibration and feature‑level correction are fundamentally changing that equation. Drawing on real production data – using connectors as example use-case - it shows how systematic correction of optical distortion, intensity variation, and scaling error can transform additive manufacturing from a skill‑dependent process into a repeatable, globally consistent manufacturing technology.

New research from a 2026 survey reveals a pervasive but rarely discussed problem: the average manufacturer relies on 4.3 separate systems and vendors for storage, backup, and disaster recovery — yet 77% still lack a centrally managed file system. The result is rising operational overhead, inconsistent disaster recovery, slow file access across plants, and an infrastructure that can't support the AI and Industry 4.0 initiatives the business is counting on. In this session, Matthew Stech will unpack what the data says about the real cost of file infrastructure sprawl, share lessons from manufacturers who have consolidated from dozens of legacy storage devices to a single cloud-native platform — cutting file transfer times from hours to minutes, retiring 50+ devices, and reducing storage costs by up to 33% — and outline a practical framework for evaluating whether your multi-plant file infrastructure is ready for what comes next.
 

Explore innovations in machining, additive, automation, digital solutions, quality and more.

See a live, end-to-end manufacturing system operating continuously on the show floor.

Your front-row seat to the people shaping the industry.

Have a particular manufacturing challenge? Have a seat and discover solutions.

What does it actually mean to use AI as an organization?

This session explains how manufacturing companies are adopting AI in ways that deliver real business impact without breaking the bank or triggering massive change programs. Jannik Wiedenhaupt, Chief Product Officer of SUPPLYCO AI, breaks down the current AI market landscape, who the real players are, and where value is truly being created.

The talk addresses common misconceptions around data, cost, security, and “AI hallucinations,” and outlines best practices for implementing AI projects that get adopted by teams and produce measurable results. Attendees will learn how leading manufacturers are using AI today across commercial and operational workflows, where organizations often go wrong, and how to avoid expensive dead ends.

Most robotic systems are still taught manually at the robot, resulting in long changeovers, inconsistent paths, and lost production time. This session shows how offline robot programming (OLP) supported by a full digital twin of the robot, tooling, and workcell reduces downtime, ensures collision-free motion, and enables high-mix, low-volume manufacturing. Real-world examples highlight applications in machining, trimming, sanding, deburring, and welding, as well as integration workflows for FANUC, ABB, Yaskawa, and KUKA. Attendees will learn best practices for deploying OLP in both new and existing robotics environments.

Manufacturing Happy Hour started in a small automation lab in 2016 and has grown into one of the industry's most popular podcasts and source for live events and community. Jake Hall interviews host Chris Luecke in this special episode.

AMDT research shows a persistent “reality gap” inside industrial organizations: executives are highly confident in their OT security and stability, while the teams closest to the equipment see frequent disruptions, human error, and growing cyber exposure. This session helps manufacturers close that gap by combining data from US plants with a practical playbook for unifying leadership, engineering, and OT around a single source of truth for configurations, changes, and incidents. 

Explore innovations in machining, additive, automation, digital solutions, quality and more.

See a live, end-to-end manufacturing system operating continuously on the show floor.

Your front-row seat to the people shaping the industry.

Have a particular manufacturing challenge? Have a seat and discover solutions.

IMTS showcases what is possible across automation, artificial intelligence, robotics, digital manufacturing, and other advanced technologies—but turning inspiration into action can be challenging. Sarah Hartwick of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and Dan Hofmann of the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center will discuss how manufacturers can evaluate emerging opportunities, prepare their workforce, access available resources, and make informed investments. The conversation will highlight the strength of Illinois’ manufacturing ecosystem and how industry, government, education, and workforce partners can help companies move from curiosity to implementation.

Five days, miles of show floor. By Friday, one question remains: of everything at IMTS 2026, what actually matters for your shop? The MakingChips hosts and guests break down the tech that mattered, debate what's next, and place their bets. We'll also announce who won the DN Solutions + Kennametal Machine Giveaway at the end.

Paper, classroom or hands-on hours – an honest take on which one actually moves your career forward.

Explore innovations in machining, additive, automation, digital solutions, quality and more.

See a live, end-to-end manufacturing system operating continuously on the show floor.

Your front-row seat to the people shaping the industry.

Have a particular manufacturing challenge? Have a seat and discover solutions.

Discover the ideas and innovations transforming manufacturing. This Main Stage session will feature industry experts sharing insights on emerging technologies, workforce trends, and the future of the industry.

Women aren’t waiting for an invitation to shape the future of manufacturing. This candid conversation brings together women from across the industry to talk about getting in, staying in, and stepping up — from the shop floor to leadership — and what needs to change to build the next generation of manufacturing.

Close out the day with IMTS Unwind on the IMTS+ Main Stage! Hosted by the vibrant Marley Kayden, each episode features lively interviews with industry experts, main-stage keynote speakers, manufacturers, and social media influencers. Get the scoop on must-see events for the next day and key insights to make the most of your IMTS.

Discover the ideas and innovations transforming manufacturing. This Main Stage session will feature industry experts sharing insights on emerging technologies, workforce trends, and the future of the industry.