Editor's note: GlobalSpec is a proud media partner of IMTS 2026.

Chicago has its own kind of gravity, and every other September it pulls the entire manufacturing industry into McCormick Place for IMTS, the largest tradeshow of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.

For a full week, the convention center's halls become the manufacturing industry's most innovative factory floor, delivering a hands-on experience in machine tooling and production equipment that no other show can match. Visitors aren't just browsing - sometimes they're running the machines themselves.

Automation continues to redefine IMTS. Robotics, industrial networking, AI and a constant stream of data are evolving fast enough to be distinct every two years. And this year, AI-driven machine vision and automated workholding will earn new attention.

Nearly 100,000 visitors and 2,000 exhibitors will be in Chicago this September. If you won't be one of them, you can follow along here for the GlobalSpec editorial team's coverage from the show floor.

This page will update with show news, media and articles.

Show news

To contact the author of this article, email kharrigan@globalspec.com