Single-source brief: Design World says IMTS 2026 will spotlight industrial AI and automation at Chicago’s McCormick Place.
What Changed
IMTS 2026 runs Sept. 14–19 at McCormick Place.
AMT, the Association for Manufacturing Technology, produces the event.
Design World says the show will feature industrial AI and automation.
It will also cover additive manufacturing, digital twins, software, machining, and metrology.
The event expects more than 86,000 registrants and 1,800 exhibitors.
It will span 10 technology sectors and 1.2 million square feet.
Automation Is an Operations Topic
The show will include connected production systems and systems integration sessions.
Those topics matter when automation must work with existing machines and software.
Design World says job shops use unattended operations to raise machine use and revenue.
The report does not identify the robots, machine tools, or control systems involved.
It also does not provide payback periods or throughput results.
Plant teams should treat those gaps as open questions.
What to Check at IMTS
A new Industrial AI Conference is set for Sept. 16.
Design World says it will cover data challenges and AI adoption foundations.
Ask automation vendors how their equipment links with current controls.
Ask what data, staffing, and support the setup requires.
Request proof from live plants, not only show-floor demos.
Compare uptime, quality checks, changeover time, and labor needs.