Automation isn’t just physical — software plays a huge role in tying everything together to streamline planning, programming, and monitoring. The Software and Automation sectors spotlight “smart and digital” automation solutions, including data management, generative AI, and integration tools. For a small or mid-size shop, digital automation systems can improve the speed and reliability of part design or machine programming and provide insights that can inform decision-making for faster setups. The East Building at IMTS 2026 is the place to go for the many digital technologies that fuel modern manufacturing. Here you can find automation solutions for design, machine code, and management challenges facing the modern machinist.1. Machine Monitoring and IoT Platforms Software systems connected to machine controls or sensors provide real-time dashboards outlining the pace of production, highlighting which machining cells are running, which are stopped, and which have alerted. Solutions from MachineMetrics (IMTS booth 133100), Harmoni (IMTS booth 135708), JobPack (IMTS booth 133120), Digital Way (IMTS booth 134538), RER Software (IMTS booth 135644), and Datanomix (IMTS booth 135810) track metrics like spindle uptime, cycle times, alarms, and feed rates — delivering data to displays or mobile devices, with Cloud options for remote access. A shop owner can keep an eye on all machines. Advanced systems analyze patterns, such as recurring breakdowns tied to specific jobs. By automating data collections, manufacturers gain more reliable insights than manual log sheets and can quickly spot productivity bottlenecks. 2. Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and Scheduling Software Scheduling tools automate production planning, supplementing or replacing Excel sheets and whiteboards. They prioritize jobs by due dates, machine availability, and tool readiness, then dispatch instructions in sequence. When machines go down, they adjust schedules automatically — the result: fewer delays, higher utilization, and on-time delivery. Solutions from IMTS exhibitors Amper (IMTS booth 133361), Tebis (IMTS booth 133230), MachineMetrics (IMTS booth 133100), Datanomix (IMTS booth 135810), and Excellerant (IMTS booth 133326) give manufacturers a complete view of their workflow. 3. Generative Design A cornerstone of design for additive manufacturing, generative design creates complex, lattice-based parts from parameters determined by the designer, often in the service of lightweighting. Engineers can print and test prototypes, then select the version that best meets performance needs. Many CAD suppliers exhibiting at IMTS have included generative design features in their products, including the Siemens NX (IMTS booth 338262) and Autodesk Fusion (IMTS booth 133310). Generative design is an approach to additive design in which a user defines parameters and the software generates a variety of potential part designs based on those parameters. It is often used to create lattice-like parts for lightweighting. 4. Digital Twins and Simulation Digital twins replicate machines, tooling, workholding, and workpieces to simulate machining, helping users prevent collisions and optimize toolpaths before cutting begins. This automates NC code validation and builds confidence for lights-out production. Siemens (IMTS booth 133249) offers digital twin capabilities in its Sinumerik One control, FANUC (IMTS booth 338900) through Smart Digital Twin software, and Hexagon’s (IMTS booth 134102) EdgeCAM with scan data integration. For manufacturers, simulation means fewer surprises and greater efficiency. IMTS is the perfect place to speak to experts on cutting-edge technology like digital twins. 5. Advanced CAM and Controls Modern CAM systems go beyond generating G code — they actively optimize machining. Hypermill from Open Mind Technologies (IMTS booth 133351) improves five-axis rigidity, reduces chatter, and boosts efficiency with smart toolpath adjustments. Mastercam (IMTS booth 133222) offers specialized toolpaths for processes like thread milling and deburring, while also monitoring vibration and spindle load to adjust feeds in real-time. CloudNC’s (IMTS booth 133026) CAM Assist uses AI to generate complete toolpaths based on CAD files. In EDM Mitsubishi Electric Automation (IMTS booth 338136) fine-tunes wire current to maximize wire life. Lambda Function’s (IMTS booth 135818) Advanced Machinist-Assistance System augments CNC programmers and machine operators with AI. With features like these, modern controls are not just for inputting G code, but active systems that adjust inputs to maximize the efficiency of your machines. The CNC is one of the most revolutionary technologies in manufacturing, and it is vital to most machine shops, which makes CAM systems some of the most important tools for digital automation. Advanced CAM can adjust tool paths and feed rates to achieve the desired outcomes, including reducing chatter, improving material removal rates, and reducing time spent out of the cut. 6. Predictive Maintenance Systems Rather than following a fixed maintenance schedule or waiting for a machine to fail, predictive maintenance uses sensors and data to predict when servicing is needed. Vibration sensors on spindles, current sensors on drives, or simple log data like the number of hours run are fed into algorithms that can alert teams to impending issues like a spindle bearing starting to wear out. This prevents breakdowns and avoids the scrapped parts or delayed jobs that occur when machines run until something breaks, minimizing downtime for maintenance. Some advanced machine controls already have these capabilities, but third-party companies such as Prescient Technologies (IMTS booth 133006) and Tractian (IMTS booth 236205) offer systems users can retrofit to almost any machine. 7. Integrated ERP and Quoting Automation Although more on the business side, integrating your shop floor with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software can automate administrative tasks like ordering materials, quoting jobs, and managing inventory. Systems like those provided by Epicor (IMTS booth 133324), Proshop ERP (IMTS booth 133027), Datanomix (IMTS booth 135810), and ECI Software Solutions (IMTS booth 135850) provide users with a single platform to see accounting information, machine availability, material stock, and more, making automating tasks simple. For example, when a shop schedules a job, ERP can automatically check tool and material availability, triggering an order if stock is low. Or perhaps a shop is performing aerospace work — the ERP can generate a traveler with the paperwork needed for AS9100 compliance as soon as the job is in the system. Quoting software takes similar information but focuses on generating job quotes. Paperless Parts (IMTS booth 133259) can use machine data to estimate how long a new part will take to produce and how much the material and tooling will cost, generating a quote that users can send to customers efficiently. Automating these aspects reduces the overhead burden on owners and frees them to focus on improvement rather than chasing paperwork. While machine tool automation is important, ERP and similar tools are vital for automating the day-to-day business of a machine shop, improving the communication and accessibility of information for management and shop-floor personnel alike. Numerous ERP providers populate the East Building at IMTS. 8. SCADA and Plant Monitoring On a larger scale, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems that were once only in big factories are now accessible to smaller shops. They allow central monitoring of all utilities — compressed air, power consumption, temperature, etc. — along with machine states. Automating energy management (turning machines or lights off when not needed) or maintaining environmental setpoints (like keeping a metrology lab at 20°C) can save costs and improve quality. For a medium-sized contract manufacturer, implementing even a scaled-down SCADA means peace of mind that nothing in the plant is amiss — alarms and notifications will catch issues from a compressor failure to a power spike that could affect machines. The behind-the-scenes automation keeps the whole shop running smoothly like a well-orchestrated unit. Technologies as diverse as ChemCom’s (IMTS booth 236342) automated coolant management system and the Pinaxis (IMTS booth 236127) warehouse management system rely on SCADA architecture. 9. Standardization for Factory Device Data One important piece of technology visitors to IMTS 2026 will want to check out is MTConnect, a software standard that makes data sharing simpler and more accessible. MTConnect is a free communication standard that enables CNCs to share data, creating the foundation for many software solutions discussed throughout this article. “MTConnect translates data so your whole shop speaks one language. Translating data into one language makes it usable,” says Russ Waddell, board member at the MTConnect Institute, “This saves enormous time and effort on cleanup and preprocessing, which are critical to plant modernization and future-proofing.” Simply put, it is the architecture that makes many digital automations possible, and attendees can find it on display in the AMT Emerging Technology Center at IMTS 2026. Visitors in the AMT ETC at IMTS 2024 learn about the “Digital Transformation and the Model-Based Enterprise,” which discusses the shift from print-based to 3D CAD models, the importance of digital threads for consistent information flow, and the need for standardization to reduce translation costs. These nine software and digital automation technologies are just a sample of the many dozens you’ll see in action at IMTS 2026. Explore even more innovative solutions using the IMTS Search Function and connect with specialists through the IMTS Show Planner. Mark your calendar for IMTS 2026, Sept. 14-19, 2026, in Chicago, and register today at IMTS.com/Register.
From CAM and ERP to predictive maintenance and plant monitoring, these technologies help shops optimize processes, improve uptime, and work more efficiently.
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