Get a sneak peek of IMTS 2018 exhibitor offerings

The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) is set to take place September 10–15, 2018, in Chicago, IL at the McCormick Place convention center. This year's show, according to the event producer, is on pace to have the most exhibit space in its 91-year history. Technology, product, conference, and meeting areas will occupy all five levels of McCormick Place's four buildings, which an expected 115,000+ attendees will have access to.

"Factors include the exponential rate of technology advances, the need to use technology instead of manpower to boost productivity, and the strongest manufacturing economy in a decade," says Peter R. Eelman, Vice President – Exhibitions & Business Development at AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, which owns and produces IMTS. "Businesses have more money and will continue boosting their investment in capital equipment and R&D. Coupled with higher consumer confidence, manufacturers need to increase production to meet strong demand."

With machine capabilities reaching physical limits, Eelman notes that IMTS exhibitors have moved beyond incremental improvements. “The new technology showcased at IMTS adds completely new science that changes manufacturing processes. Manufacturing has become more of a science than ever before," he says.

A preview of the IMTS 2018 Grand Concourse.

At IMTS 2018, visitors will be able to experience thousands of demonstrations featuring digital connectivity. Additive manufacturing continues to permeate more mainstream solutions, such as the 3D-printed entrance ways to the IMTS technology pavilions.

"Visitors find more productive technologies and change their business practices as a result of attending IMTS," Eelman states. "Exhibitors make finding new solutions easy because they time product introductions to coincide with IMTS. Booths emphasize new ideas, not standard products."

Here, we present a selection of companies that told Industrial Laser Solutions what they will be exhibiting at IMTS 2018—click through each link below for more details, including these exhibitors' booth numbers for your reference:

• Coherent OR Laser to showcase direct metal additive manufacturing machine


• FOBA Laser Marking + Engraving to showcase laser marking feature


• Jenoptik to showcase optical shaft measuring devices


• LaserStar Technologies to showcase fiber laser welding systems


• LNA Laser to showcase multiaxis laser welding platform


• Mahr to showcase surface finish and contour measurement systems


• Optomec to showcase large-format metal 3D printer with hybrid machining


• Takumi USA, 3D Hybrid Solutions to showcase metal 3D printing tool


• Vision Engineering to showcase noncontact video measurement systems

For more information on IMTS 2018, please visit www.imts.com.