In this episode of the Machine Tool Maniacs podcast, Will and I sit down ahead of IMTS 2026 to talk about what we’re actually expecting to see at the show — and whether trade shows like IMTS are still as valuable as they once were.

Machine tool builders continue to make massive investments in IMTS, while companies like DMG MORI have taken a different approach by putting more emphasis on private showrooms, technology centers, and direct customer experiences. With YouTube, livestreams, and online machine demos making new technology easier to see than ever, we talk about what still makes walking the IMTS floor valuable for machine shops and manufacturers.

We also get into where the real innovation in manufacturing may be happening right now. Are we going to see major changes in CNC machine tools themselves, or is most of the progress happening around the machine through automation, robotics, machine monitoring, inspection, software integration, and AI?

With defense, aerospace, reshoring, and domestic manufacturing continuing to grow, we also talk about whether those industries are starting to influence the technology machine tool builders are prioritizing.

And before we head to Chicago, we ask one simple question:

What would we have to see at IMTS 2026 to walk away thinking something in manufacturing is genuinely changing?

A straightforward pre-IMTS conversation about CNC machining, machine tools, automation, AI, defense manufacturing, and where the industry may be headed next.