# Why CNC and Robotics Buyers Should Stop at FANUC's Booth at IMTS 2026 | TradeShowIntel > FANUC America at IMTS 2026: CNC controls, CRX cobots and Physical AI demos at booth 338900, South Building, McCormick Place, Chicago. URL: https://tradeshowintel.com/blog/fanuc-america-imts-2026-spotlight --- Manufacturing & Automation # Why CNC and Robotics Buyers Should Stop at FANUC's Booth at IMTS 2026 Sept 14 – 19, 2026 · Chicago, IL · 10 min read CNC controls, collaborative robots, and Physical AI demos for production buyers evaluating their next automation investment — booth 338900, South Building, McCormick Place. TL;DR ## 4 things to know before IMTS - **Booth 338900, South Building** — FANUC moves to a front-row South Building position at IMTS 2026 with expanded demo space for CNC, robotics, and Physical AI. - **Three buyer conversations in one stop:** first cobot deployment (CRX series), CNC/ROBODRILL machine tending, and adaptive production lines with vision-guided robotics. - **Exclusive floor signal:** FANUC partners with ORNL and Mazak in AMT's Emerging Technology Center on a live drone-airframe manufacturing cell you won't see on fanucamerica.com alone. - **Best for plant managers, automation engineers, and automotive buyers** — less relevant if you're only sourcing pure software/ERP with no hardware integration path. At a glance ## FANUC Corporation at a Glance HQOshino-mura, Yamanashi, Japan IndustryFactory Automation / CNC / Industrial Robotics Website[fanucamerica.com](https://www.fanucamerica.com) Parent / OwnershipFANUC CORPORATION (TYO: 6954) Founded1972 (independent entity; NC roots since 1956) Employees~10,100 consolidated (as of Mar 2025) EventIMTS — International Manufacturing Technology Show Event DatesSept 14 – 19, 2026 Booth · Hall338900 · South Building ### Key products - FANUC CNC Controls (Series 30i/31i/32i) - CRX Collaborative Robot Series (3–30 kg payloads) - R-2000/E Series Industrial Robots - ROBODRILL Compact Machining Centers - FIELD system / Physical AI Open Platform Company read ## What FANUC actually brings to IMTS 2026 Not a single-product vendor. FANUC is one of the few exhibitors at IMTS where CNC controls, industrial robots, compact machining centers, and connected production data share the same engineering DNA. **FANUC CORPORATION** supplies CNC systems, industrial robots, and factory automation equipment worldwide through [FANUC America](https://www.fanucamerica.com/about). With millions of CNC controls and more than one million robots installed globally, the company sits at the intersection of metalcutting, assembly automation, and connected production data. That footprint matters at [IMTS 2026](https://www.imts.com), where buyers arrive expecting to compare full-stack automation vendors rather than single-product demos. For this edition of the show, FANUC expands its South Building presence to connect three buyer conversations that rarely happen in one place: upgrading legacy machine tools, deploying first collaborative robots on existing lines, and evaluating how Physical AI changes commissioning and uptime. "Automation is key to manufacturing growth, and there's no place more valuable than IMTS to demonstrate its critical role." — Mike Cicco, President & CEO, FANUC America ### The production problem FANUC solves at IMTS Skilled-labor gaps, integration risk on brownfield lines, and demo-heavy automation that never survives contact with a real shop floor. FANUC's booth is built for engineers who need to leave Chicago with a concrete answer on cycle-time impact, integration effort, and post-install service — not just a brochure. FANUC CRX cobot series — integrated automation solutions IMTS buyers evaluate against their own floor constraints. Buyer filter ## Is this booth worth your floor time? IMTS runs six days and the South Building is dense. Use this to decide in 60 seconds whether FANUC belongs in your visit plan — before you burn half a morning on demos that don't match your production reality. ### Strong fit if you're… - A plant manager or automation engineer on high-mix CNC lines evaluating first cobot deployment - An automotive or heavy-industry buyer comparing R-2000/E Series against existing servo-gun cells - Operations leadership exploring Physical AI, vision-guided robotics, or digital-twin commissioning - A job shop pairing ROBODRILL with CRX tending for unattended overnight runs - Food, medical, or packaging teams needing washdown-rated CRX variants or gentle palletizing - Anyone who needs integrator coverage, spare-parts logistics, and lifetime service — not just a demo cycle time ### Probably skip if you're… - Sourcing pure software, ERP, or MES with no hardware integration path - Looking for a single niche component vendor rather than a full-stack automation platform - Evaluating only non-FANUC CNC retrofits with no interest in robotics or connected production - A buyer who already has a signed integrator contract and only needs pricing confirmation - Attending solely for additive manufacturing or metrology — FANUC is automation-first Fit assessment based on FANUC's IMTS 2026 positioning and product range. Verify project specifics, lead times, and regional integrator coverage directly at booth 338900. Collection scope ## What's on the floor at booth 338900 The demo floor is organized around three buyer use cases. Every platform below is designed to combine with the others — which is FANUC's commercial logic as much as an engineering one. ### For shops adding first-time automation The **CRX collaborative robot series** spans payloads from 3 kg to 30 kg and is aimed at teams with limited robotics experience. Programming runs through a tablet teach pendant with drag-and-drop motion blocks, hand guidance, and contact-stop safety, which shortens the path from first install to production runs on tending, picking, dispensing, and light welding tasks. FANUC also offers application-specific CRX variants that matter on a trade-show floor where buyers compare regulated environments: food-grade models with NSF-H1 grease and washdown-friendly finishes, a paint cobot rated for coating and dispensing work, and welding configurations bundled with partner systems. The line is positioned around eight years of maintenance-free operation, a practical selling point for shops calculating total cost of ownership against labor availability rather than sticker price alone. FANUC CRX-3iA collaborative robot ### For high-throughput machining and tending **FANUC CNC controls** and **ROBODRILL compact machining centers** address the core IMTS audience: job shops, contract manufacturers, and OEM production teams running turning, milling, and multi-axis work. FANUC's control portfolio is built around long mean time between failure and integration with its own servo and spindle ecosystems, which reduces the integration friction when a shop retrofits an existing machine or specs a new cell. ROBODRILL units fill another common gap on the floor: compact footprints for drilling, tapping, and light milling where floor space and unattended runtime matter more than full five-axis complexity. Pairing a ROBODRILL with a CRX tending solution is a recurring conversation at FANUC booths because it shows how a smaller shop can automate overnight runs without building a greenfield line. FANUC Series 31i-B CNC control ### For AI-driven, adaptive production lines **Physical AI and vision-guided robotics** are the thread tying FANUC's main booth to the wider IMTS floor. In AMT's Emerging Technology Center, FANUC joins Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Mazak on a continuously running cell that produces drone airframes using hybrid machining and robotic assembly, then integrates, tests, and disassembles units to show how modern factories recover from disruption under real constraints. At booth 338900, expect live demonstrations in the same problem space: robots that track moving workpieces for fastening and inspection, generative-AI-assisted programming that turns natural-language instructions into motion, and digital-twin workflows that let engineers validate cells before metal is cut. These are not slide-deck concepts. They are the kinds of demos FANUC has been running at recent Chicago shows, including real-time bolt tightening on a moving engine block and vision-guided box handling with dynamic proximity monitoring when operators approach the work zone. FANUC industrial robot — high-payload automation ### Integration logic to understand before you visit FANUC's commercial pitch is vertically integrated: CNC controls, robots, ROBOMACHINE products, FIELD system connectivity, and lifetime service through 260+ global locations. When you assess demos at the booth, evaluate them as a connected production system — not isolated hardware. The question that separates a good visit from a wasted one: can this vendor support my line after the show floor lights go off? Vendor due diligence ## Commercial health signals Before committing project budget to an automation vendor, production buyers read the signals that indicate whether the company can deliver, support, and scale with their operation. Here is what the available data shows for FANUC ahead of IMTS 2026. ### Floor position at IMTS 2026 Front-row South Building · Booth 338900 FANUC is moving to a premium South Building position for IMTS 2026 — a signal of long-term exhibitor commitment and expanded demo capacity, not a shrinking footprint. ### Installed base scale 1M+ robots · 40M+ CNC controls worldwide Scale matters for spare parts, integrator familiarity, and second-hand market liquidity. FANUC's installed base is among the largest in factory automation. ### Service infrastructure 260+ service locations · Service First lifetime support For buyers comparing vendors on downtime risk, FANUC's global service density and lifetime maintenance policy are often as important as demo cycle times. ### Emerging Technology Center Live cell with ORNL + Mazak — drone airframe production FANUC participates in AMT's ETC with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Mazak on a continuously running hybrid machining and robotic assembly cell — not a static product display. ### AI & platform momentum NVIDIA Physical AI · Google AI agents · Open Platform Recent public alignments on Physical AI processing and shop-floor data connectivity signal R&D investment beyond traditional hardware — relevant for buyers evaluating adaptive production lines. "Automation is key to manufacturing growth, and there's no place more valuable than IMTS to demonstrate its critical role. I'm happy to share that FANUC will move to the front row in the South Building at IMTS 2026, where, as longtime exhibitors, we're able to showcase our innovative robotics and factory automation technologies to IMTS visitors." — Mike Cicco, President & CEO, FANUC America and Chairman, AMT Booth 338900 · South Building ETC partner with ORNL + Mazak R-2000/E Series — 8 model configs Recent momentum includes the next-generation **R-2000/E Series** industrial robots across eight model configurations, with higher wrist capacity and faster axis speeds aimed at automotive spot welding and heavy material handling. With more than one million square feet of exhibit space already committed to IMTS 2026 and a new Industrial AI Arena on the show floor, buyers will compare vendors on whether automation makes their current assets more productive or merely adds another island of technology. FANUC America's booth at Automate 2026, McCormick Place — live robotics and Physical AI demos preview the scale of exhibit visitors can expect at IMTS 2026. FANUC M-2000iA robots in automotive sealing and transfer — relevant for heavy-industry buyers comparing high-payload cells at IMTS. Company context ## Who you're talking to FANUC developed Japan's first private-sector NC system in 1956 and has operated as an independent public company since 1972, headquartered in Yamanashi Prefecture at the base of Mt. Fuji. The company's manufacturing campuses run highly automated production for CNC, servo, robot, and ROBOMACHINE assembly, which gives its booth conversations a credible "builder, not assembler" tone. FANUC America, based in Rochester Hills, Michigan, is the face most North American IMTS attendees know. It distributes controls, robots, and ROBOMACHINE products across the Americas and backs them with a Service First policy: lifetime maintenance support for equipment in the field. For buyers comparing automation vendors on downtime risk, that service density, authorized integrator coverage, and spare-parts logistics are often as important as the demo cycle time shown on the carpet. Pre-engineered CRX automation packages — how FANUC and integrator partners shorten deployment for first-time automation buyers. FANUC's Americas go-to-market leans on one of the industry's largest authorized integrator networks. That matters at IMTS because many visitors are not buying a robot off the show floor; they are scoping a project timeline, integrator shortlist, and training plan. Academy and field-service resources in Rochester Hills and regional offices support that longer post-show cycle. Floor planning ## Best time to visit the booth IMTS runs six days at McCormick Place. FANUC's main booth and the Emerging Technology Center are both in the South Building — plan your visit window based on whether you need deep technical conversations or a quick orientation pass. ### Opening week Days 1–2 · Mon–Tue Sept 14–15 Recommended for FANUC Peak demo window. Application engineers are fresh, live cells fully running, integrator reps often on-site. Second-best window. Good for CRX and CNC tending conversations after morning keynotes. Crowds build. Use for ETC visit (ORNL/Mazak cell) if main booth is packed. ### 9:00–11:30 Peak demo window. Application engineers are fresh, live cells fully running, integrator reps often on-site. ### 11:30–14:00 Second-best window. Good for CRX and CNC tending conversations after morning keynotes. ### 14:00+ Crowds build. Use for ETC visit (ORNL/Mazak cell) if main booth is packed. ### Mid & closing week Days 3–6 · Wed–Sat Sept 16–19 Still viable for follow-up demos. Bring specific part data or cycle-time questions. Best for integrator introductions and regional service discussions — less demo theater, more project scoping. Final-day energy. Good for recap conversations, not first impressions. ### 9:00–11:00 Still viable for follow-up demos. Bring specific part data or cycle-time questions. ### 11:00–15:00 Best for integrator introductions and regional service discussions — less demo theater, more project scoping. ### Sat afternoon Final-day energy. Good for recap conversations, not first impressions. ### Two-stop visit plan Split your FANUC visit: booth 338900 for vendor-specific Physical AI and product demos, then the Emerging Technology Center for the ORNL/Mazak end-to-end cell. The useful question at both stops is the same — what fails first when demand spikes or a tool breaks, and how fast does the line return to rate? Booth conversation prep ## What to ask at the booth These three questions separate a productive FANUC visit from a brochure collection. Bring your machine count, average lot size, and regional service requirements — the answers will tell you whether this vendor can support your line after Chicago. ### What is the realistic integration timeline for CRX tending on our existing CNC fleet — including integrator assignment, safety assessment, and operator training? Why this matters: demo cycle times on the show floor rarely reflect brownfield reality. A vendor who can walk through weeks-to-production — not just seconds-per-cycle — has done this on real shop floors. One who can't is selling hardware, not a deployment plan. ### How does Physical AI change commissioning on our existing line versus a greenfield cell — and what shop-floor data should we bring to the conversation? Why this matters: Physical AI is the headline, but buyers need to know whether it applies to their current assets or requires a new build. The answer reveals whether FANUC's Open Platform and FIELD system connect to your reality or only to a future-state architecture. ### What does post-install service look like in our region — spare parts lead time, field response, and what's covered under Service First lifetime maintenance? Why this matters: automation ROI dies in downtime. FANUC's 260+ service locations and Service First policy are competitive differentiators — but only if they map to your geography. Ask for a named regional contact, not a corporate brochure. Getting there ## Find FANUC at IMTS 2026 IMTS 2026 at McCormick Place, Chicago — September 14–19. FANUC exhibits in the South Building at booth 338900. **Booth 338900** · South Building **McCormick Place** 2301 S Martin Luther King Dr, Chicago, IL 60616 **Dates:** September 14–19, 2026 **Organizer:** [AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology](https://www.amtonline.org) IMTS runs six days at McCormick Place and remains the largest manufacturing technology marketplace in the Western Hemisphere. Plan time for both FANUC's main exhibit and the Emerging Technology Center in the South Building if you want the full picture of how the company positions CNC, robotics, and connected production in a single visit. [FANUC's official IMTS 2026 page →](https://www.fanucamerica.com/events/imts-2026) [](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=McCormick+Place+South+Building+Chicago+IL) Get in touch ## Talk to FANUC America before the show Drop your details below and your interest goes directly to the FANUC America team. No middleman — they reach back within 1–2 business days. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does FANUC manufacture? FANUC manufactures factory automation (FA) systems including CNC controls and servo drives, industrial and collaborative robots, and ROBOMACHINE products such as ROBODRILL machining centers, ROBOSHOT injection molding machines, and ROBOCUT wire EDM systems. The company also offers IoT platforms like FIELD system for connecting shop-floor equipment to digital production systems. ### What automation problems does FANUC solve for IMTS attendees? FANUC addresses machine tool automation (CNC control and tending), repetitive manual tasks via collaborative robots, and production-line adaptability through Physical AI and vision-guided robotics. For manufacturers facing skilled-labor gaps, long changeover times, or difficulty integrating new automation into existing cells, FANUC's booth demonstrates integrated hardware-and-software paths from first cobot deployment to full-line digital twin commissioning. ### Where is the FANUC booth at IMTS 2026? FANUC America exhibits at booth 338900 in the South Building of McCormick Place, Chicago, during IMTS 2026 from September 14 through 19, 2026. The company also participates in AMT's Emerging Technology Center on the show floor alongside Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Mazak.