What is IMTS 2026 – International Manufacturing Technology Show?
IMTS 2026 — the International Manufacturing Technology Show — runs from September 14 to September 19, 2026 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Held every two years and organised by AMT, it is one of the largest industrial trade shows in the world, covering metal cutting and forming machinery, automation and robotics, additive manufacturing, tooling, metrology, and manufacturing software.
What is IMTS 2026 – International Manufacturing Technology Show?
IMTS fills all of McCormick Place with machine tools running live, robotic cells, CNC controls, cutting tools, workholding, inspection equipment, CAD/CAM and MES software, and additive-manufacturing systems. Exhibitors are global machinery builders and component suppliers; visitors are manufacturing engineers, plant managers, owners of machine shops, and buyers from aerospace, automotive, medical, defence and energy.
For Indian machine-tool builders, tooling and automation companies, IMTS is the primary route to North American distributors and OEM buyers. For Indian manufacturers and job shops, it is a single trip to evaluate and negotiate capital equipment, and to see automation and digital-manufacturing technology before it reaches the Indian market.
When and where is IMTS 2026 – International Manufacturing Technology Show?
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | IMTS 2026 – International Manufacturing Technology Show |
| Dates | September 14–19, 2026 |
| Country | United States |
| Venue | McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois |
| Organiser | AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology |
| Frequency | Biennial (even years) |
| Sectors | Machine tools, automation, additive, metrology, manufacturing software |
Who should attend IMTS 2026 – International Manufacturing Technology Show?
IMTS 2026 – International Manufacturing Technology Show is most useful for:
- Indian machine tool builders, tooling, workholding and automation companies
- Metrology, additive manufacturing and industrial software vendors
- Manufacturing engineers, production heads and plant managers evaluating capital equipment
- Procurement teams from aerospace, automotive, medical device, defence and energy manufacturers
Why attend?
Meet North American distributors and OEMs
AMT’s show is where machinery builders sign US and Canadian distribution and where OEMs qualify new suppliers.
See machines cutting metal live
Buyers can watch target machines in cycle, compare cycle times, and negotiate specifications and delivery on the spot.
Benchmark automation and digital manufacturing
Robotics, lights-out cells, in-process inspection and MES / digital-twin software are demonstrated at scale.
Do I need a visa for the United States, and how can I track my application?
Yes — Indian passport holders need a B-1 business visa to attend IMTS 2026 – International Manufacturing Technology Show. Apply well in advance, as appointment and processing times vary through the year.
Once your application is submitted, you can check its progress on the U.S. Department of State CEAC visa status tracker using your application or reference number. BTW Visa Services prepares, submits and follows up the United States business visa applications for corporate teams, and can chase your status on your behalf.
See our US Business Visa Guide and the BTW Visa Application Tracking hub for official visa-status links covering 100+ countries.
Key Takeaways
- IMTS 2026 runs September 14–19, 2026 at McCormick Place, Chicago, USA
- It is a biennial, world-scale manufacturing technology show
- Indian attendees need a US B-1 business visa; group applications should start early
- Track a filed US visa on the CEAC status tracker
