Storming into Chicago Sept. 8-13, the International Manufacturing Technology Show will inhabit all four halls of McCormick Place, occupying a whopping 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space. The 27th edition of the biennial tradeshow is expected to feature more than 1,500 companies exhibiting for attendees from more than 119 countries.

With such a massive presence, attendees will have their pick of attractions from which to choose. The Manufacturing Business and Technology Forum will be the place for conference sessions, while the Emerging Technology Center will again host recent developments in technology from universities and research labs, including MTConnect, a new communications protocol.

Attendees can gain knowledge of new technology and techniques by partaking of The Manufacturing Business and Technology Forum. Sessions ranging from data collection to machine tool design to metal cutting to Lean tools and more are scheduled.

Returning to the IMTS show floor this year, the Emerging Technology Center will host many of the latest research and development efforts in science-based manufacturing and innovative process developments. A featured part of the exhibit will be MTConnect, the new open communication protocol standard for interconnectability between machines, independent systems, devices and higher level applications.

“MTConnect may be the most exciting development in our industry since the introduction of NC almost 40 years ago,” said Peter Eelman, IMTS vice president — exhibitions.

The protocol will be featured at IMTS in a number of ways. A video presentation will be available for attendees to explore MTConnect in detail, and it will be the subject of an international student competition that challenges universities to demonstrate new and innovative concepts for its use. Finally, approximately 20 exhibitors will be connected via the Internet and an illustrative computer dashboard that will demonstrate MTConnect live.

Space in the exhibit halls will be broken into nine theme-specific pavilions. Visit www.imts.com for more information or to register for the show.

IMTS 2008: The nuts & bolts

Dates : Sept. 8-13

Venue : McCormick Place, Chicago

Hours of operation : text

Lakeside Center: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

North, South and West Halls : 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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