From September 13, 2027 to September 16, 2027
FABTECH 2027 | Robotic welding show returns to Chicago in September
FABTECH, billed as North America's largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event, returns to McCormick Place in Chicago on Sep 13–16, 2027, with automation and robotic welding cells on the floor.
QUICK FACTS
| Date | Sep 13–16, 2027 |
| Location | Chicago, USA |
| Venue | McCormick Place (North & South Halls) — 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60616, USA |
| Organizer | SME, Fabricators & Manufacturers Association (FMA), American Welding Society (AWS), Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) and Industrial Finishing & Coating Association (IFCA) |
| Event type | Trade Show |
| Official website | https://www.fabtechexpo.com/ |
| Admission | 2027 pricing not yet published. For 2026, expo admission was free with advance registration and $50 onsite; conference sessions sold separately; verified press admitted free. |
| Scale | 2025 edition (Chicago, McCormick Place) drew 42,000 attendees and 1,700+ exhibitors on 885,000+ sq ft (organizer). 2026 Las Vegas edition: official site cites 700,000+ sq ft across three halls and 40+ technology categories. 2027 figures not yet published. |
EVENT OVERVIEW
FABTECH 2027 will take place September 13-16, 2027, in the North and South Halls of McCormick Place in Chicago. The show rotates between US cities; after the 2026 edition at the Las Vegas Convention Center (October 21-23), it returns to Chicago, where the 2025 edition drew a record 42,000 attendees and more than 1,700 exhibitors across 885,000 square feet, according to the organizers. The 2027 edition runs four days and moves earlier in the calendar, to mid-September. FABTECH is co-owned by SME, FMA, the American Welding Society, PMA and the Industrial Finishing & Coating Association.
For robotics readers, the draw is the automation area, where robot makers and integrators show welding, cutting, bending and material-handling cells, including cobot welding systems. The 2026 edition added an Artificial Intelligence for Manufacturing (AIM) Pavilion alongside pavilions for welding, forming and fabricating, finishing, tube and pipe, stamping and job shops. Registration, pricing and the 2027 conference program have not yet been published. The organizers also run FABTECH Mexico (May 4-6, 2027, Monterrey) and FABTECH Canada (June 13-15, 2028, Toronto).
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Four-day run in September, earlier in the year than the 2025 (Chicago) and 2026 (Las Vegas) editions
Automation pavilion with robotic and cobot welding, cutting and material-handling cells
Artificial Intelligence for Manufacturing (AIM) Pavilion, introduced in 2026
Welding, forming and fabricating, finishing, tube and pipe, stamping and job shop pavilions
AWS welding education program and conference sessions
RECOMMENDED ATTENDEES
Manufacturing and plant engineers evaluating robotic welding, cutting and bending cells; job shop and contract fabricator owners; welding engineers and AWS members; automation integrators and robot OEM sales teams; buyers of lasers, press brakes, tube and finishing equipment; vendors of manufacturing AI and software; and educators and students in welding and fabrication programs across the Midwest manufacturing base.
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