IMTS 2026
About This Show
IMTS 2026 ran September 14-19 at McCormick Place in Chicago, spanning the East, West, North, and South Buildings plus the Smartforce Student Summit in North Hall C. The edition closed with 1,788 exhibiting companies, including 400 first-time exhibitors, across 1.17 million square feet, and 91,295 registrants, including 14,447 students, from all 50 US states and 114 countries. Exhibitors were organized into ten technology sectors - Metal Removal, Tooling & Workholding Systems, Automation, Additive Manufacturing, Fabricating & Lasers, Quality Assurance, Software, Abrasive Machining/Sawing/Finishing, Gear Generation, and Components/Cleaning/Environmental - plus the Industrial AI Arena, new for 2026, which brought 32 AI-focused exhibitors and Sandia National Laboratories to the front of the North Building. IMTS returns to Chicago September 11-16, 2028.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big was IMTS 2026?+
IMTS 2026 closed with 1,788 exhibiting companies, including 400 first-time exhibitors, across 1.17 million square feet of exhibit space, and 91,295 registrants from all 50 US states and 114 countries, 14,447 of them students. For comparison, the 2024 edition finished with 1,737 exhibitors across 1,226,523 square feet and 89,020 registrants from 110 countries.
How much did it cost to attend IMTS 2026?+
Individual registration was $85 before September 3, 2026 and higher after that, with a $65 per person group rate for parties of five or more booked before August 1. Exhibitor staff and distributor badges were $60. Conference programs were priced separately, and conference registration included exhibit hall access for all six days.
Was registration free for anyone at IMTS 2026?+
Yes. International visitors, students, educators and media registered free of charge, and active-duty and retired military received a 50% discount. IMTS registers international visitors from more than 100 countries at no cost, and the 2026 edition drew registrants from 114 countries.
What buildings made up the IMTS 2026 show floor?+
McCormick Place's East, West, North and South Buildings. Hours differed by building: East and West ran 09:00-17:00 while North and South ran 10:00-18:00, all Central Time. The Smartforce Student Summit was in Hall C on Level 2 of the North Building, having moved from the East Building for 2026.
How was the IMTS 2026 show floor organized?+
Into ten technology sectors plus one new area. South held Metal Removal and Additive Manufacturing (accelerated by Formnext); West was given over entirely to Tooling & Workholding Systems; East held Fabricating & Lasers, Quality Assurance, Software, and Components/Cleaning/Environmental; and North held Automation (accelerated by SPS), Gear Generation, Abrasive Machining/Sawing/Finishing, and the Industrial AI Arena, which was new for 2026.
Which major manufacturers exhibited at IMTS 2026?+
Exhibitors included FANUC America, Kennametal, Okuma, Mazak, Haas Automation, Hurco, Index, Siemens, Hexagon, Heidenhain and Mitsubishi EDM, among 1,788 exhibiting companies. Product debuts included the Mitsubishi MG Series wire EDM, Mazak's Integrex i-350S Neo, Okuma's Multus U1000 and U2000 and LT2000 EX, and Hurco's BM500U.