Our experience at IMTS 2022

For GD&T Basics, this was our first time attending IMTS as an exhibitor, and it exceeded our expectations! For some of our team, this was the first time ever attending IMTS, and for some it was the 14^th time – but the first time as an exhibitor for all of us.

IMTS, the International Manufacturing Technology Show, is the largest industry trade show in the Western Hemisphere. The show is held every other year in Chicago, Illinois.  This year, 2022, there were a total of 86,307 registrations for the show – according to the IMTS website. WOW – that’s a lot of people, all in our industry!

We met a lot of people at the show – customers we’ve trained, subscribers of our newsletter, fans of our fun social media posts and memes, fellow nerds of GD&T, personal heros, and more. Not to mention all of the really cool displays and demonstrations of the machines and technology in our industry.

Customers/Partners we Met

It was really great being able to meet so many of our customers, in person. It’s always nice meeting the people that you work with so closely, who all have the same goals in mind.

Our Booth

Our booth was located in the metrology building, where we had some great conversations with people and even nerded out several times on GD&T.

The Cool Stuff

We saw a lot of cool machines and tech at the show – showing the world all the awesome things the industry has to offer. Check out some of the note-worthy things we saw.

Meeting Personal Heros

For some of the team, it was a dream come true to meet some of the coolest content creators in the industry – the Titans of CNC guys.

Team

The Food

Of course we had a list of food items we had to try while in Chicago, and NONE of them disappointed! If you have plans to visit Chicago in the future, we highly recommend that you try the deep dish pizza from Gino’s or the Poutine from The Green Door Tavern (GDT).

Final Thoughts

Being an exhibitor at IMTS was an amazing experience, and totally worth it in our opinion! For those interested in attending a future IMTS, here’s a list of things we’ve learned over the years.

• Prepare to walk…a LOT – and then walk some more. Oh – and wear your most comfortable shoes.
• Plan your visit – there is a lot to see and chances are you will not have the opportunity to see it all. Map out the things you want to see the most, and hit those booths first.
• If you plan to eat lunch at IMTS – we highly recommend that you visit the food vendors on the water (behind the east building). It’s a hidden outdoor gem of multiple food vendors all serving Chicago favorites with a wonderful view of the water.

For those who plan to have an exhibitor booth at a future IMTS, here is a list of things we learned this past year:

• Don’t harass the attendees about scanning their badge – they get enough emails as it is. Have something tangible that you can give them (like a business card or a QR code to scan) so that you can give them the option to reach out to you or for you to scan their badge to send them information.
• Unless you have tons of people to take shifts manning your booth, it’s super important that you map out the exhibits you want to visit on your “off time”. It’s a huge show – make sure you start with the places you want to visit the most.
• Start your planning and preparation for the show as early as possible.

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