Buyers. Browsers. Big Dreamers. There are all kinds of visitors who attend IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show. They all come with different goals, but they leave with something in common: new ideas, new connections, and new ways to improve their businesses. IMTS 2026 takes place Sept. 14-19, 2026, at McCormick Place in Chicago. IMTS is the largest manufacturing technology event in the Western Hemisphere. Across 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space featuring more than 2,000 exhibitors, you can explore the latest machine tools, automation, software, additive manufacturing, metrology, and digital technologies all in one place. Whether you're searching for a solution to a specific challenge or simply exploring what's possible, IMTS offers opportunities for discovery around every corner. The following 10 success stories from past shows illustrate how manufacturers found technologies, partnerships, and insights that transformed their operations. Read their stories, and start planning your own discoveries at IMTS 2026.1. IMTS: Where the Impossible Becomes Reality Industry: Aerospace, automotive, precision CNC machining Buyer: Thomas E. Bassett II and Malinda Bassett, owners, Pro-Cam Services LLC Purchase: Darex automatic drill sharpener (IMTS booth #432308), Zoller presetter (IMTS booth #432018), DN Solutions DVF 5000 for 5-axis milling (IMTS booth #338919) Experience: “IMTS isn’t just another trade show; it’s a powerhouse of innovation, bringing together everything related to manufacturing under one roof.” 2. Meet New Friends, Win Fabulous Prizes, Attend IMTS 2026 Industry: Precision CNC machining for hydraulics, defense, and electronics Winner: Tim Drinkwater, owner and president, Accurate Machine Products Purchase: DN Solutions SVM 4100 machining center (IMTS booth #338919) won during an IMTS drawing in the Kennametal booth (IMTS booth #431800) Experience: “You never know what little thing you’re going to see that you never would even know about if you haven’t been to IMTS.” 3. New CNC Lathe Unlocks Aerospace Growth for Multi-Axis Technologies Industry: Aerospace and precision machining Deal Seeker: Jay Simpson and Daisy Kelly, co-owners, Multi-Axis Technologies Purchase: Taiwan Takisawa TM-20002Y multitasking CNC lathe with upper and lower Y-axes from Japan Machine Tools, exhibiting as part of Yamazen (IMTS booth #338536) Experience: “I think all IMTS veterans come to the show for the deals.” 4. Adaptive Robotic Finishing Raises the Bar for Medical Manufacturing Industry: Medical device manufacturing Collaborator: Hammill Medical with support from John McGrane, director of marketing communications, Acme Manufacturing (IMTS booth #237030) Purchase: A robotic finishing and polishing (RFP) series system for custom knee implants integrates components from multiple IMTS exhibitors, including FANUC Corporation’s robotics (IMTS booth #338900), ATI Industrial Automation’s tool changers (IMTS booth #236144), and workholding from Schunk (IMTS booth #432010)Experience: “We’ve deployed more than 250 systems in the medical space. The [RFP] installation combines lessons from hundreds of projects into one highly optimized solution.” 5. Quote Us: AI for Faster, Better Quotes Industry: Precision machining Efficiency Explorer: Melissa Ramos, CEO and programmer, M95 Machining Purchase: Uptool (IMTS booth #135714), an AI software platform built for small, high-mix manufacturers Experience: “I don’t need this giant, expensive ERP system. That would be really overwhelming. This tool has saved me so much time and effort.” Register Now 6. Attending IMTS Builds a Memory Bank of Product Discoveries Industry: CNC precision machining Browser to Buyer: Tavis Vaughn, vice president of engineering, CNC Machine Products Purchase: Easy Arm floor-mounted crane from Gorbel (IMTS booth #135784) Experience: “The great thing about going to IMTS is that you find solutions. It might not even be a problem you have at the moment. It may be years down the road, like when our current need arose.” 7. Meet the 3D Printer That Solves the DLP vs. SLA Dilemma Industry: Polymer 3D printing Innovation Investor: Anonymous government-affiliated client Purchase: Axtra3D (IMTS booth #338374) advanced Hybrid PhotoSynthesis (HPS) technology Lumia X1 3D printer, combining DLP and SLA in one system Experience: “The capabilities of our Lumia X1 3D printer were very well received by the leaders of organizations visiting IMTS. We successfully sold one printer directly on the show floor, with a second sale following a week later,” said Rajeev Kulkarni, chief strategy officer at Axtra3D. 8. The Smart Factory Next Door: How Atlas Fibre is Redefining U.S. Machining Industry: Precision machining of advanced plastics, supplier of thermoset composite laminate materials Growth-Builder: Max Egan, CEO, Atlas Fibre Purchase: Multiple purchases, including Okuma (IMTS booth #338500) MU 6300V 5-axis vertical machining centers with load/unload robots and a Fastems (IMTS booth #338966) FMS pallet handling system Experience: “What IMTS is very, very good at is helping you understand what good looks like. So many of the technologies work together. Having them all in one place enables you to draw connections and see how they play in your ecosystem.” 9. From Earth to Orbit: How Mindrum Precision Found Its Edge at IMTS Industry: Aerospace machining and ultra-high-tolerance components Problem-Solver: Dave Hamilton, CEO, Mindrum Precision Purchase: ProCobots Profeeder Tray System (demonstrated in the Hurco IMTS booth #338319) Experience: “We’d been looking at the ProCobots units prior to IMTS, but from a cultural perspective, we wanted [our department heads] to have buy-in. They saw the machine in the booth, liked it, and made the decision easily.” 10. Measure of Success: CMM Discovery at IMTS Helps Machine Shop Grow Aerospace Business Industry: Contract machine shop Product Pioneer: Craig Johannsen, lead Inspector and CAD/CAM programmer, EWT/3DCNC Inc., and Company Owners Jim Monge and Doug Mason Purchase: A Zeiss (IMTS booth #134302) CONTURA bridge CMM with a touch probe and a Zeiss O-INSPECT multi-sensor vision measuring machine (VMM) with a touch probe, a camera, and a white light scanner Experience: “Using the cutting-edge CMM technology creates an overall better experience for me. Now I get accurate, fast, and trustworthy data. I don’t get frustrated in my job because I get what I need from the measuring process.” One destination. Thousands of technologies. Endless possibilities. Register for IMTS 2026, Sept. 14-19, at McCormick Place, in Chicago, and discover the solutions, innovations, and industry connections that can help drive your next breakthrough. Do you have input about this article? Tell us about it.
From automation and AI to metrology and machine tools, these 10 IMTS stories reveal how manufacturers discovered solutions that enhanced their bottom line.
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