Taking place just once every two years, IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show is the exclusive North American event to discover the latest technologies, hear new ideas, and connect with the best and brightest in the industry. IMTS is an inspiring experience that manufacturers don't want to miss as they truly value the knowledge gained from attending! If you couldn’t make this time, or to get a refresher on the highlights, read on…
From Sept. 9-14, IMTS 2024 welcomed 89,020 registrants from 110 countries to McCormick Place in Chicago. The show featured 1,737 exhibitors who displayed a record of more than 40 million pounds of machinery covering 1,226,523 square feet of exhibit space. Total registrants include 14,713 visitors to the Smartforce Student Summit.
See It on IMTS+ IMTS+ video crews captured video snapshots of the cutting-edge (some never seen before) technology, equipment, and tools from all 10 sectors in all four buildings of IMTS 2024 on IMTS.com/Watch.
See The Technology! “The ONE Big Thing”
Nearly 40, one-to-two minute episodes feature exhibitors from leading-edge companies showcasing their latest innovations in manufacturing technology, from software and controls in the East Building to additive manufacturing machines in the West Building, and from new 5-axis cutting machines with robot loaders in the South Building to dozens of automation solutions including robotic dogs in the North Building.
Hear Expert Insight! IMTS+ Main Stage Presentations
Throughout the six days of IMTS 2024, the IMTS+ Main Stage hosted more than 85 speakers ranging from industry icons to military officials, and from creators to influential entrepreneurs from all around the world. Expert panels and individual presenters addressed impactful topics including AI, automation, data utilization, software tools and improvement, productivity, workforce development, and public-private partnerships. Speakers hailed from every part of the evolving and flourishing manufacturing technology sector. They include:
“Accelerate Industrial Automation with AI,” Kathleen Mitford, corporate vice president, global industry marketing at Microsoft
“AI-powered Operations of the Future,” Praveen Rao, global head of manufacturing solutions at Google Cloud
“Innovation Motivation: A Pragmatic Roadmap for Manufacturing's Future,” Paul Rogers, president and CEO of the Americas and Asia Pacific for Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence
“Beyond the Assembly Lines: The Future of AI-Powered Humanoid Robots in Factories,” by Jeff Cardenas, co-founder and CEO at Apptronik (The AMT Emerging Technology Center (ETC) at IMTS 2024 featured Apptronik’s Apollo, the first commercial humanoid robot designed for user-friendly operation, mass manufacturability, performance, and safety.
“Manufacturing Defense: Innovation in the Submarine Industrial Base,” Rear Admiral Todd S. Weeks, program executive officer, strategic submarines at Naval Sea Systems Command (The AMT ETC showcased an exhibit by BlueForge Alliance (BFA) outlining the collaborative efforts with the U.S. Navy and industry leaders such as Newport News Shipbuilding, Electric Boat, and Austal.)
“Democratization of Technology,” Barbara Humpton, president and CEO at Siemens, and Tim Shinbara, chief strategy officer at BlueForge Alliance
Get Smarter! Beyond the Exhibits (“BTEs”)
The numbers show the IMTS community values knowledge. (They just want to be smarter!) The event’s longest running conference and namesake, The IMTS 2024 Conference, attracted 53% more registrants. Nine other educational programs took place at IMTS 2024. The BTEs feature insight into the IMTS Conference, as well as the Smartforce Student Summit – coproduced by AMT and SME, the IMTS Elevate programs, Investor Forum, and a fun look into the IMTS+ production studio.
For a total recap, enjoy “IMTS 2024 Thank You.”
For fun, check out the whimsical “IMTS 2024 Music Video.”
Up Next!
With a show as big as IMTS, more videos and articles on the technology, ideas, and people at IMTS 2024 are in the works. Stay tuned for more deep dives into the content.
