In less than 145 days more than 90,000 visitors will descend upon Chicago’s McCormick Place to attend IMTS 2026. This year IMTS is expected to host nearly 2,000 companies, a more than 10% increase from the 2024 event. The show provides a platform that allows attendees to compare new technologies and see machinery demonstrations. AIMS Metrology will be there too, not just to show job shops and manufacturers how our measurement and inspection solutions can help them—but to create a two-way, collaborative conversation with companies that will foster mutual understanding and connection beyond the trade show floor. We understand that today’s manufacturing industry is a volatile environment, impacted by trade policy shifts, inflationary pressures and labor constraints. Some experts call it the era of “permanent uncertainty." - Photo courtesy of IMTS
High-quality parts remain the foundational first step for companies looking for ways to maintain their competitive edge. Investing in quality upfront prevents the high and sometimes hidden costs of defects such as rework and recalls. Starting with good parts prevents production schedules from being interrupted by failures and keeps operations predictable and efficient. High-quality components help establish predictable production schedules, reduce waste and are essential for smart manufacturing practices.
This is the first of 11 blogs that we will be posting between now and IMTS. In this series we will build a roadmap for customers to help point them to the solutions they need. Over the coming months we will preview our core products and why they continue to anchor parts inspection programs across the country as well as provide a sneak peek at some of the new technology we’ll be demonstrating at the show. AIMS is proud to design, engineer, and build CMM’s here in the US. Our goal has always been to help companies thrive by giving them the tools they need whether it is equipment, software, training, support or something that may not even exist yet. We are in the trenches with job shops, machinists, and manufacturers every day. The biggest concern we hear is that customers are fed up with lack of support from equipment manufacturers. We have been listening to what companies are looking for in a measuring and inspection partnership.
Since 2009 AIMS has aggressively worked to identify and bring companies and equipment with unique capabilities under its brand to better serve customers’ needs. The effort began with CMI Technologies to boost CMM production and develop specialized air/electronic gages. Measurement Specialties Inc. followed in 2021 with its calibration, certification, programming and repair services. AIMS soon added Certified Comparator Products (CCP) which has since helped the OEM take the lead as the industry’s refurbishment center for optical comparators and profile projectors. In 2025 AIMS teamed with Italian-based Itaca Srl to expand its Revolution series product offering with FlexGauge, a shop floor flexible gauging system for inspecting smaller, high-precision parts with industry leading accuracy. AIMS also expanded its product offering and support services with a new Southeast Technical Solutions Center.
Companies often tell us that they have become locked into an OEM models and designs which can mean buying “more machine” then they really need. That’s why we build custom equipment tailored to the customer’s requirements. We have the capability to adapt our machines to fit what our customers need. We have also partnered with software experts to give customers a better cost of ownership versus being committed to maintenance contracts that usually increase in price each year. We have expanded our product offering beyond our core coordinate measuring machine series. We are continually changing and enhancing what we offer with an eye toward greater accuracy and precision. Don’t miss our next blog in this new series as we ramp up for IMTS.