Presented by the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) has been the premier manufacturing technology show in the Northern Hemisphere. IMTS is held every even year and attracts attendees from more than 117 countries. The 2018 edition will be the 32nd show.

Here are some of the things you can expect to see at IMTS 2018, which will take place September 10-15 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Co-Located Shows

A range of manufacturing technology solutions will be presented at four co-located shows presented by Hannover Messe, USA.

Integrated Automation, Motion & Drives USA: Two trade fairs — Industrial Automation and Motion & Drives USA — have been combined to present a spectrum of industrial automation, IT, power transmission, and fluid power technology.

Surface Technology USA: This event for surface treatment and finishing debuted at IMTS in 2016. It features everything from cleaning and pre-treatment, to coatings, paint finishes, and electroplating technologies.

ComVac USA: This international trade fair for compressed air and vacuum technology will cover technologies vital to process automation, pneumatic systems, and exhaust-air cleaning systems.

Industrial Supply USA: This show also made its debut at IMTS 2016, and covers the spectrum of industrial subcontracting, supply solutions, and lightweight construction.

Emerging Technology Center

At IMTS 2004, the ETC made its debut as a place to educate and inform the manufacturing community about some ground-breaking innovations specific to the advanced technology industry; particularly, state-of-the-art and disruptive technologies that will impact manufacturing in years to come. For the first time, IMTS will feature two ETCs — one focusing on Digital Transformation and the other focusing on Additive Manufacturing.

Digital Transformation – Just as digital technology has revolutionized every aspect of our lives, it is just beginning to transform the advanced manufacturing industry. This ETC shows how businesses in aerospace, automotive, medical, and energy sectors are implementing leading-edge innovations. Visitors will see a physically and digitally connected machine tool, robot arm, and coordinate measuring machine (CMM).

Additive Manufacturing – Additive manufacturing has expanded into all markets and has become a valuable component to every manufacturing facility. This ETC will feature video, live manufacturing, and state-of-the-art design to showcase innovations in materials and methods, and offer insights into where additive manufacturing is going. Visitors will encounter demonstrations of breakthroughs in materials and technologies as recently developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), public-private collaborations, and exhibiting additive manufacturers.

Conference

An array of conference sessions is designed to provide insights into all manufacturing operations. The IMTS conference features more than 70 sessions, attended by more than 1,500 visitors. All sessions are presented by subject matter experts from within the IMTS exhibitor community.

Conference main topic areas are Manufacturing Process Innovations, Alternative/Additive Manufacturing, Quality/Inspection/Metrology, and Systems Integration/Industry 4.0/IIoT. For information on the full conference program, visit here .

Exhibition

More than 2,000 exhibiting companies will present their new technologies in ten Pavilions geared toward specific industries, technologies, and solutions.

Abrasive Machining/Sawing/Finishing – These technologies are particularly important to the auto, aerospace, and medical industries, all of which require a high degree of accuracy and precision. All varieties of grinding technology, as well as sawing and cutoff machines and a variety of finishing technologies such as lapping, balancing, honing, and polishing machines will be displayed.

Additive Manufacturing – Additive manufacturing enables layer-by-layer processes to fabricate three-dimensional products. See the continued improvements in materials and processes that are producing more industrial additive solutions than ever.

Controls & CAD/CAM – The world of custom automation and the latest software is on display in this pavilion, optimizing plant operations and cost efficiency. CAD/CAM and other digitally enabled tools help define Smart Manufacturing, the Industrial Internet of Things, Industry 4.0, and other advancements in the digital enterprise. Visitors will learn how to connect islands of digital data into a fully integrated solution from design to performance to recycle and reuse.

EDM – This is a proven, reliable, high-accuracy technology for those in the tool and die industry, and especially those who specialize in one-off or specialty components. Everything from CNC wire EDM equipment to die sinking machines can be found here.

Fabricating & Lasers – The latest technology in fabricating, lasers, and waterjet-based machining, along with displays of welding, metal treating, and marking equipment will be featured. Exhibits will highlight in-process monitoring, multifunctional beam capabilities, as well as design, simulation, and materials to produce the most capable systems to support industrial manufacturing applications.

Gear Generation – Gear manufacturing equipment such as gear cutting, forming, and finishing, as well as broaching, shaping, and slotting machines will be featured. Advancements in abrasive machining to improve dressable tooling applications and increased multi-functional, automated solutions to minimize workpiece movements to improve overall production time will be exhibited.

Machine Components/Cleaning/Environmental – The goods needed to run a plant, from parts to service, and monitor machines, as well as the components necessary for safe and environmentally responsible operations will be featured. The focus will be on plug-and-play modularity, integrated automation, the application of real-time data management to reduce consumable waste, and cleaning methods that reduce user exposure and provide increased recycle and reclamation opportunities.

Metal Cutting – The latest innovations in metal cutting equipment, machining centers, turning centers, drilling, boring, milling, and more will be displayed. Many technology builders will have product offerings with interconnectivity standards to provide the insight necessary to optimize today's dynamic production floors.

Quality Assurance – This is where visitors will find the metrology equipment and systems to keep processes on track and ensure the quality of output. Visitors can immerse themselves in the technical achievements that reduce the necessity for standalone work cells and have increased inspection abilities for both materials and features.

Tooling & Workholding Systems – The latest in state-of-the-art workholding systems are featured in this area, as well as technology that allows for minimum setup and machining time.

For more information on IMTS 2018, visit here .