IMTS 2026 Highlights & Attractions
Between inspiring keynote speakers on the IMTS+ Main Stage, groundbreaking innovations in AMT's Emerging Technology Center, and Q&As with industry experts at technology conferences, IMTS 2026 will spark fresh ideas, unveil game-changing solutions, and create lasting connections.
IMTS 2026 Attractions you won't want to miss:
Industrial AI Arena
NEW this year – the IMTS Industrial AI Arena and Industrial AI Conference.
IMTS 2026 unveils the Industrial AI Arena – positioned at the center of applied innovation – and the Industrial AI Conference, a one-day, practitioner-focused program delivering practical, real-world AI for the factory floor.
The IMTS Industrial AI Arena will be located at the epicenter of applied innovation at America's premier manufacturing technology event.
The Industrial AI Arena is armed armed with the power of artificial intelligence, bold, new players and veteran companies alike step into this proving ground to showcase how their products and services can solve manufacturing's toughest challenges. From quality and inspection to process optimization, downtime reduction, cybersecurity, ergonomics, safety, and demand forecasting, the Industrial AI Arena showcases breakthrough tools, prototypes, and platforms – real solutions that redefine what's possible on the manufacturing floor.
If you want to see how AI is transforming the production environment in ways that drive measurable performance, resilience, and growth... this is where the future takes the stage.
For more information about the Industrial AI Conference, click here.
AMT's Emerging Technology Center
In partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Mazak, and Fanuc the IMTS Emerging Technology Center will demonstrate a live, end-to-end manufacturing system operating continuously on the show floor. The system produces drone airframes using hybridmanufacturing techniques and robotic assembly, periodically integrating, testing, and disassembling complete units – making visible how modern factories operate under realworld constraints. The ETC is designed to show industrial search capacity: the ability to translate design into production, sustain output, recover from disruption, and make tradeoffs explicit. This brings concepts like digital twins, automation, and AI into a tangible, credible manufacturing context.
IMTS+ Main Stage
The IMTS+ Main Stage is your front-row seat to the people shaping the industry. Visionary leaders, engineers, creators, and machinists deliver ideas and insights you can act on. With daily keynotes, expert panels, podcasts, and live shows like IMTS+ Today and IMTS+ Unwind, the stage is packed with energy, inspiration, and practical takeaways.
IMTS+ Technology Hubs
Need a quick pit stop? Pull in to the IMTS+ Technology Hubs! Located in the South building and the East building, these welcoming areas let you take a break and catch curated content about the people and breakthroughs shaping the manufacturing industry. Whether you want to learn something new, discover emerging technologies, or recharge before your next tour, the IMTS+ Technology Hubs provide a front-row view of ideas and innovations.
IMTS Manufacturing Showcase
Brought to you by GIE Media, publishers of Aerospace Manufacturing and Design, Defense and Munitions, and Today's Medical Developments magazines.
Get a close-up look at the newest aircraft and an automation cell in the IMTS Manufacturing Showcase, located in the West Building and outside at McCormick Square.
In West at booth #432636, you'll find four aerospace vehicles, XQ-58 Valkyrie, MQM-178, BQM-177, and BQM-167 by KRATOS, which builds aerial target systems and sophisticated unmanned tactical aerial platforms for the U.S. Department of Defense and America's allied nations. You'll also experience an automation solution that integrates the loading and unloading process with any CNC machine featuring a RoboTrex CNC machine tending robot, presented by LANG Technik-USA and Metalcraft Automation Group (MAG).
On McCormick Square at the entrance to McCormick Place, you'll see The Pivotal Helix, a light eVTOL aircraft created for the thrill of exploring the world from new heights. Perfect for recreation and short-hop travel, this personal aerial vehicle can take off and land on grass, asphalt, snow, and ice – there's no landing gear, just a keel strip.
IMTS Machinists' Hub
brought to you by Practical Machinist
The internet's favorite machining community is getting off the screen and into the real world. The IMTS Machinists' Hub, presented by Practical Machinist, is where you'll find live talks, shop-floor wisdom, daily meetups, and happy hours that turn into “just one more.” Whether you're at IMTS to learn something new, meet your people, or just hang out, this is your home base.
Dia de América Latina en IMTS (IMTS LATAM Day)
Dia de América Latina en IMTS es un programa de conferencias de medio día para la comunidad manufacturera que habla español y asiste a la feria. El contenido se centra en tecnologías transformativas, manufactura sustentable y tendencias regionales y oportunidades de negocios en mercados de crecimiento acelerado de la región, México, América Latina y España. Con su registro a la conferencia, usted recibe también acceso a la recepción, Noche Latina Recepción, evento a llevarse a cabo por la tarde para ofrecerle una oportunidad de extender su red de contactos entre las comunidades de manufactura listadas arriba.
(presentados en Español)
Martes: Conferencias Matutinas y Noche Latina Recepción por la Tarde
LATAM DAY at IMTS is a half-day conference for the Spanish-speaking manufacturing technology community, focusing on transformative technologies, sustainable manufacturing, and regional trends in the high-growth markets of Mexico, Latin America, and Spain. Access to Noche Latina Recepción, an evening reception to give you a chance to network among the manufacturing communities, will be included with your registration.
(Presented in Spanish)
Miles for Manufacturing
The Miles for Manufacturing (M4M) 5K Run/Walk is AMT's annual community fundraising event. It was first run at IMTS 2014 and has raised more than $250,000. IMTS pays all of the hard costs of producing M4M, allowing 100% of the money raised from sponsorship and registration fees to be distributed to support advance manufacturing education at schools and STEM programs throughout the country.
Questions? Contact Catherine (Cat) Ross at cross@amtonline.org.
Smart Manufacturing Experience Showcase
brought to you by SME and AMT
Improving competitiveness, throughput, and productivity in the face of the manufacturing skills gap, hear how technologies including automation, robotics, machine monitoring, workforce training, software, A.I., and others can help achieve greater outcomes for your business. The Showcase, powered by AMT and SME, offers education and useful strategies to adopt and implement smart manufacturing into a variety of manufacturing settings.