The opening of IMTS 2024 coincides with the start of football season. This seems appropriate, since IMTS is the “big game” for manufacturers. While I don’t anticipate seeing anyone in a helmet and pads at McCormick Place (hey – that’s one way to get through the crowd), I do think we should begin training now to make the most of our time under the big lights in Chicago.
Strengthening your IMTS game requires smart planning and sharp execution before, during, and after the show. As of press time, IMTS 2024 opens in a little over a month. Your pre-game training needs to start now. I promise, you won’t regret it! Best of all: No squats required (but lift with your knees when you’re loading your bags).
PREGAME PLANNING
1. Register. Star players don’t wait in line. If you registered online by Aug. 1 and it was confirmed prior to Aug. 2, then your badge will be mailed to you. If you have not registered, do it now at IMTS.com/Register.
2. Decide Dates To Attend and Schedule Your Time in the Game. IMTS 2024 takes place Monday, Sept. 9, through Saturday, Sept. 14. Scan the website to see the schedule for daily keynote speakers, which includes executives from Fortune 500 companies and Manufacturing USA representatives. Check out the conference calendar (IMTS.com/Conferences). A dozen conferences are taking place and include invaluable networking receptions and special fundraising events and programs.
Pro-tip: When deciding when to come, don’t cut your time short. Your time at IMTS is an investment; spend as much as possible. You’ll need more time than you think. And nobody likes riding the bench.
3. Looking for Some Actual Physical Training? There is no better event to get your heart pumping for manufacturing than participating in the Miles For Manufacturing (M4M) 5K (IMTS.com/M4M) on Wednesday at 7 a.m. Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, M4M has raised more than $190,000 for manufacturing education at schools and STEM programs throughout the country. The best part is 100% of the funds raised goes directly into manufacturing education.
4. Book Your Hotel. Visit IMTS.com/hotel to reserve your hotel room with AMT's Global Housing Solutions team for the best rates and guaranteed rooms. AMT contracts with more than 90 hotels to secure custom blocks for IMTS, but rooms at hotels with preferred locations fill up fast. Nightly rates range from $289 to $330 and are the lowest rates available at selected properties during IMTS show week. Free shuttles operate daily to and from McCormick Place from most of the hotels.
New to the IMTS family of hotels this year are Cambria Hotel Chicago Loop, Hotel Cass, Hyatt Place Chicago/Downtown-The Loop, Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile, SpringHill Suites Chicago, and voco Chicago Downtown. Watch “Chicago Locals” on IMTS+ at IMTS.com/ChicagoLocals to check out a few of the new hotels, including Sable at Navy Pier Chicago and Chicago Athletic Association.
5. Create a Free Show Planner Account. The Show Planner is your playbook. It grants you access to planning tools to create a personalized agenda, schedule meetings with exhibitors, gain special offers, and see recommendations. When logged in to the Show Planner (IMTS.com/myshow):
Bookmark companies of interest and recall their location on the floor plan.
Make notes about the company.
E-mail the company or book an appointment.
Save product information and company literature.
Make note of special offers.
Map a route for your booth visits. First-time attendees always underestimate the immensity of IMTS. There are over 40 million pounds of equipment covering 1.2 million square feet of exhibit and conference space. To grasp the scope of IMTS, imagine 5,000 trucks filling 22 football fields!
6. Check Out Exhibitors and Technologies. Many exhibitors have an online showroom on IMTS.com with expanded descriptions, videos, photos, literature, and links. Once you find an exhibitor, click on their booth number to display their location on the IMTS floor plan.
7. Sign Up for the IMTS Insider e-Newsletter. Be the first to know about the latest updates on IMTS 2024. Enjoy stories from the IMTS community at IMTS.com/read.
8. Review IMTS+ for Even Richer Content. Gain inspiration from manufacturing leaders in “The World According To…” series; explore technologies by watching compelling industry shows such as “Manufacturing Explorers,” “Road Trippin’ with Steve,” “Smart(er) Shop,” or listen to the “Tech Trends Podcast” for the hottest news and developments; and pick up practical tips and personal stories from the IMTS community, the people behind the technology.
9. Make Dinner Reservations With Choose Chicago. Visit ChooseChicago.com/IMTS to access the IMTS Chicago concierge service to explore dining, nightlife, and other Chicago attractions. With more than 100,000 people visiting Chicago for IMTS, restaurants will fill up quickly. If you want deep dish pizza but don’t have reservations, you’ll be deep in the restaurant’s waiting line. For more tasty recommendations, visit IMTS.com/ChicagoLocals to watch the all-new IMTS+ series “Chicago Locals,” where three of our Chicago locals check in on the latest hotels, restaurants, unique Chicago neighborhoods, and local activities.
McCormick Place also has a new food service provider, so look for a wider variety of dining options throughout the facility. On-site dining options include sit-down restaurants, casual cafes, and grab-and-go markets.
GAME-TIME PERFORMANCE
After you register (you did register, right?) and book your hotel room, you need to be prepared to make game-time decisions, as IMTS 2024 has a lot to offer. To ensure on-time arrival, see “IMTS 2024: Your Essential Guide” on Page 21 by Michelle Edmonson for info on hotel shuttle bus routes, McCormick Place parking locations, registration, and other IMTS-savvy traveler advice.
10. Know the 10 IMTS Technology Sectors. This is just like knowing all the positions and players in a game. IMTS is grouped by categories to streamline your experience, allowing you to explore or compare specific technologies of interest, capabilities, services, and innovations relevant to your needs. To simplify navigating IMTS 2024, the four buildings house the following sectors:
South Building: Metal Removal
North Building: Automation, Accelerated by SPS – Smart Production Solutions; Abrasive Machining / Sawing /Finishing; Gear Generation
East Building: Quality Assurance; Software; Fabricating & Lasers (new location); Machine Components / Cleaning /Environmental; Smartforce Student Summit (Level 2, new location)
West Building: Additive Manufacturing, Accelerated by Formnext; Tooling & Workholding.
11. Find Your Way Using the Color-Coded Floor Strips. From the Main Concourse, four different colors guide you to the four distinct buildings of IMTS 2024. Pink takes you to the South Building, green to the North Building, orange to the East Building, and purple to the West Building.
12. Listen to Keynote Speakers on the IMTS+ Main Stage. Daily, the show offers a chance to hear from industry leaders on the IMTS+ Main Stage, brought to you by Google Cloud, Hexagon, and Microsoft. The lineup includes Apptronik, BlueForge Alliance, championship driver Brad Keselowski (co-owner of RFK Racing and owner of Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing), Google Cloud, Hexagon, Manufacturing USA, Microsoft, NASA, NASCAR, Siemens, and Stratsys.
The Main Stage will also feature a special celebration marking the 10th anniversary of the Strati, the world’s first 3D printed car, which was built at IMTS 2014. In honor of 9/11, the Main Stage will welcome special guests, including Jim Cornelison, who will perform his rousing rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” a mainstay of Chicago Blackhawk home games.
13. Engage With Speakers and Industry Insiders in the New IMTS+ AfterWords Lounge. After their presentations, you can connect with speakers in this casual space located in the South Hall (IMTS booth #338000). This relaxing lounge will also allow visitors to take a break and enjoy casual meetups with friends.
14. Listen to Industry Influencers in One of the Four IMTS+ Hubs. Interviews by leading influencers in the IMTS+ Creators Lounge will stream in the new IMTS+ Hubs. Brought to you by Google Cloud and Hexagon, the four IMTS+ Hubs will be located in premier locations on the show floor across IMTS’ four buildings.
15. Visit the Attractions. IMTS is so much more than just a trade show. It is a series of interconnected networking events, learning opportunities, and enrichment options. Be sure to make time for the highlights:
AMT’s Emerging Technology Center (ETC), located at the entrance to the North Building, unveils the cutting-edge realm of disruptive technologies and visionary concepts reshaping the landscape of advanced manufacturing. Read Bonnie Gurney’s column, “The ETC Tackles Automation, Efficiency, Agility, and Productivity at IMTS 2024,” on Page 22 for more.
The Smartforce Student Summit is now located on Level 2 of the East Building, a new location that is close to the bus drop-off point on Level 1.
The IMTS 2024 pop-up store (swag galore!) is located in the Metal Removal Sector (IMTS booth #338434) of the South Building. Pick up a shirt, hat, jacket, or more.
The IMTS History display on Level 2.5 of the Main Concourse features the start of the “Machine Tool Show” in 1927; the origin of pink cutting fluid in 1947; the infinite-axis hexapod in 1994; the return of the Strati, the world's first 3D printed vehicle, for its 10-year anniversary (photo op!); and much more.
POSTGAME
But wait – there’s more! While the physical IMTS 2024 show wraps up on Saturday, Sept. 14, IMTS carries on with postgame action.
16. Review Your Notes. You might not have postgame tape to watch, but I’ll bet you have notes, business cards, and literature. Don’t let them end up in a pile on your desk. Here’s where the notes function in the Show Planner can pay huge dividends. Jot down product information, names, and contact information so you don’t have to search for that lost business card. Also, the IMTS floor plan remains alive and online so you can search for companies by name, location, and technology.
17. Stay Connected With IMTS+. Think of IMTS+ as the digital twin of IMTS. At IMTS.com/plus, you’ll find continued reporting on show and industry news, including tech, market, and economic trends, as well as more original IMTS+ programming about the incredible people in our manufacturing technology industry.
Get your game face on, and we’ll see you in Chicago! Go Bears!
P.S. You registered, right? Register at IMTS.com/Register.
To read the rest of the IMTS Issue of MT Magazine, click here.
