IMTS 2026 puts industrial AI and automation on the shop floor for enterprise evaluation

Manufacturing technology orders in the United States totaled $2.19 billion through the first four months of 2026, a 28.9% jump over the same period in 2025, according to AMT's U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders Report. That number sets the backdrop for IMTS 2026, the International Manufacturing Technology Show, which opens September 14 at McCormick Place in Chicago and runs through September 19.

The macro signals are reinforcing the same story. The ISM Manufacturing PMI reached 53.3% in June, and the ISM Manufacturing New Orders Index expanded for the sixth consecutive month. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show manufacturing labor productivity rose 3.2% in the first quarter of 2026, while output grew 3.3% with no increase in hours worked. For operations leaders, that last figure matters most: output is climbing without adding headcount, a pattern that points directly to technology adoption.

What operators will find on the show floor

IMTS draws more than 89,000 attendees and around 1,800 exhibitors across 1.2 million square feet. The audience is largely composed of OEMs, contract manufacturers, and machine shops operating within the $2.96 trillion U.S. manufacturing sector, which represents 9.4% of GDP. The 2026 edition is positioned as the first major industry event where visitors can evaluate industrial AI across machining, automation, metrology, software, tooling, quality control, additive manufacturing, and production planning simultaneously, rather than through separate, siloed events.

Two new features anchor the AI focus. The Industrial AI Arena brings together 32 exhibitors and Sandia National Laboratories in a dedicated section of the floor. The adjacent Industrial AI Conference is a full-day program structured around practical deployment questions: predictive maintenance ROI, quality applications, edge versus cloud tradeoffs, and data readiness requirements. AMT's vice president of technology Ryan Kelly described the intent, per the AMT press release, as connecting manufacturers with AI experts who understand industrial processes well enough to move companies from curiosity to action.

Embedded AI across the technology stack

At the platform level, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft will show how cloud infrastructure and AI development tools can connect engineering, operational technology, and IT systems. Google Cloud's Praveen Rao, the company's global manufacturing industry lead, told AMT that connecting those data silos enables manufacturers to deploy AI agents that interpret real-time visual and sensor data to prevent downtime.

Embedded AI at the machine and software level will be visible throughout the floor. Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence is integrating AI into its Esprit Edge CAM platform with a tool called ProPlanAI, which draws on historical machining data to predict and optimize processes for new parts, with the stated goal of reducing programming time and enabling less-experienced programmers to achieve expert-level output. Autodesk Fusion integrates AI across its CAD/CAM workflows to automate repetitive tasks and surface predictive insights from project data. Heidenhain's TNC7 control adds an AI chatbot for task-oriented support alongside automated CNC program generation tools.

Automation providers including FANUC, Standard Bots, and Universal Robots will demonstrate AI-enhanced programming and vision systems. FANUC America president and CEO Mike Cicco, who also chairs AMT's board, noted in the AMT press release that AI-driven vision systems, predictive analytics, and adaptive control are making automation more accessible across a broader range of operator skill levels, a direct answer to the workforce constraints many shops are managing.

Additive manufacturing and supply chain resilience

EOS will use IMTS to introduce the EOS M4 Onyx to the North American market, a laser powder bed fusion platform built for industrial-scale production. Patrick Boyd, EOS marketing director, cited growing interest from defense and aerospace supply chains seeking faster, more resilient production options. AI capabilities in EOS's additive workflow cover build preparation, automatic part orientation, support generation, and real-time meltpool monitoring during production, with machine learning applied post-build to refine process parameters and reduce qualification cycles.

Scott Harms, president of MetalQuest Unlimited, a 70-person contract manufacturer that has attended every IMTS since 1998, offered a ground-level view in the AMT press release: the company runs unattended operations using multitasking and digital twin technology from Index, a Hermle 5-axis CNC with an automation package, and more than 20 Okuma CNCs paired with FANUC robots. For shops at that scale, the show functions as an annual evaluation cycle for deciding which technologies to integrate next.

AI-native platforms targeting specific workflows

The Industrial AI Arena also features a set of AI-native platform companies addressing discrete pain points. Purchaser.ai automates the RFQ process, ingesting vendor submissions in any format and normalizing them into a unified schema. C-Infinity's AutoAssembler compiles CAD and PLM data to generate production-ready assembly instructions. Ignizia focuses on helping manufacturers identify where AI delivers measurable ROI before committing to broader deployment. Atomic Industries combines software-driven mold design through production for injection molding in a single vertically integrated workflow.

What this means for your team

• Use the Industrial AI Conference agenda to pre-map your evaluation priorities: predictive maintenance, quality control, and edge versus cloud are the four structured tracks, and each maps to a different budget owner.
• The Industrial AI Arena's 32 exhibitors are organized around specific manufacturing use cases rather than general AI capability, making it a more efficient screening tool than vendor briefings conducted off-site.
• Review your current CNC, CAM, and automation stack against what Hexagon, Heidenhain, Autodesk, and FANUC are demonstrating: embedded AI upgrades in existing platforms may carry a shorter procurement cycle than net-new deployments.
• If your supply chain includes defense or aerospace components, the EOS M4 Onyx introduction and the broader additive sector at IMTS represent a direct evaluation opportunity for on-demand, localized production alternatives.