Attendees of the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) are able to see the largest display of manufacturing equipment in one location. Despite the size and scope of the event, industry-specific pavilions make it easy to research the awesome new products and services — which is good for you and me, as I’ll be bringing you highlights from the event throughout the week.

After hours-long airport delays last evening, I am here at “the largest and longest running manufacturing technology trade show in the United States,” the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS). And I am surrounded by robots, jigs, gears, coils, controls, components and cutting tools…metals, abrasives, fixtures, fabricators, autos, productivity solutions and lasers — in addition to myriad other cool new machines, tools and technologies, for IMTS’ 26th edition in Chicago, IL. Although somewhat overwhelming in sheer size, it is also fantastic!

And I’ll be reporting to you from the floor for the next few days.

It’s not gonna be easy, I’ll not lie, as I try to proffer to you the highlights of the 2006 show that has more than 1,200 exhibiting companies and expects more than 85,000 visitors (and buyers) from every level of the industry in 80 countries from around the world — all occupying more than 1,150,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space.

In addition to the 15,000 new machine tools, computers, software, systems and processes that so many people have come to glimpse and buy, a few standouts of this show are expected to be as follows:

BattleBotsIQ
Hundreds of bots have been fought, fixed and crowned champions or losers since 1999. In addition to the sport and entertainment provided, however, BattleBotsIQ will be showing a solution for creating “the future workforce in manufacturing.”

Of course, those attendees who like metal gore will not be let down, as the robots will also face off, while attendees will even get to handle the controls themselves.

Emerging Technology Center
The Emerging Technology Center (ETC) will showcase thinking from some of the nation’s most innovative researchers of manufacturing-specific technologies, new initiatives and capabilities in the next few years, and what the industry needs to do now to get there. Discussion topics and their speakers include:

One Line, One Vision…The Future (on state-of-the-art manufacturing systems)
Dr. Thomas R. Kurfess, Ph.D., P.E., BMW Chair of Manufacturing and Director of Campbell Graduate Engineering Center, International Center for Automotive Research/Clemson University;

Dynamic Spindle Measurement
Don L. Martin, President, Lion Precision

University Research
Dr. Martin C. Jischke, President, Purdue University

High Performance Machining: A Dynamic View
Professor Tony L. Schmitz, Assistant Professor, Machine Tool Research Center, University of Florida

Improving Machine Precision: Managing Temperature Effects
Dan E. Luttrell, Moore Tool

Nanotechnology: Overview and Applications to Manufacturing Technology
Clayton Teague, Ph.D., Director, The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office

The Deterministic Approach
James B. Bryan, Bryan Associates

This should be interesting.

The Premiere of HypoSurface
Developed at MIT, HypoSurface is a new three-dimensional, interactive display. In fact, it is the world’s first digital architecture, IMTS claims. Designed principally by Mark Goulthorpe and a multidisciplinary team of architects, engineers, mathematicians and computer programmers, HypoSurface is a “dynamically reconfigurable, 3D screen that reacts in real time to surrounding motion and sound.” Goulthorpe, CEO of HypoSurface and an MIT professor, originally developed the display technology, which is driven by a bed of pneumatic pistons, as an interactive artwork for a competition in Birmingham, UK.

So these are some highlights — and the show has only just begun. I’ll bring you the scoop and the low-down directly from the center of things. No, folks, it’s not gonna be easy. But I’m gonna do it. And I can’t wait.

Stay tuned throughout the rest of the week for IMTS updates.