Automation Fair 2025–2026

All those involved in global automation fairs each year – the engineers, consumers, CTOs, and machinery manufacturers, bring together different minds who will decide on the future of manufacturing in the next upcoming 10 years. If one would walk through the corridors of SPS Nuremberg, Automate in Detroit or Rockwell Automation Fair in Chicago, one will see the same physical robots, vision systems and PLCs that are being used on factory floors but when doing it in person, meeting the engineers behind their creation and watching them do live demonstrations, it becomes a whole different level of understanding. For someone interested in making an automation investment in assembly or testing, one day at an automation fair will give you more information than years of reading brochures. The guide will provide all vital aspects concerning major events in 2025 and 2026 explaining what each of them specializes in and helping in making the right choice on which one to visit.

The Automation Fair Calendar at a Glance

The world’s major industrial automation fairs follow a predictable annual rhythm. The table below summarises the key events, their locations, their focus, and who should attend.

The Major Automation Fairs in Detail

SPS — Smart Production Solutions (Nuremberg, Germany)

SPS is the European industrial automation capital. The exhibition takes place every November in Nuremberg, gathering more than 1,200 exhibitors and thousands of visitors from the field of manufacturing technology. Main topics are the components and devices needed for the operation of factories: programmable logic controllers, frequency inverters, industrial communications, sensors, industrial PCs, and manufacturing execution systems. In contrast to other comprehensive industrial exhibitions, SPS focuses solely on automation technology, and discussions held here are of technical nature. It is the place where one can conduct comparison of Siemens PLCs, new safety controllers by Pilz, and compact servo drives made by Bosch Rexroth. Information about SPS 2025 and 2026 can be found on the SPS official website.

Rockwell Automation Fair (USA, Rotating Location)

The Rockwell Automation Fair is the premier annual event catering to the Rockwell Automation ecosystem — that is, the users, integrators, and partners who implement solutions based on Allen‑Bradley products and FactoryTalk software applications. It is a comprehensive event consisting of an expo area as well as hand-on workshops, seminars, and specialized industry-specific discussion forums that cover topics pertaining to specific industries such as food and beverage, automotive engineering and life sciences. For any manufacturing company using Rockwell products, it is the location of the product roadmap announcements and the presentation of the latest devices plus discussions with the engineers behind the manufacturing software. The 2025 Fair will take place in the city of Chicago, Illinois. All the registration information and program details can be found on the Rockwell Automation’s official website. Depending on the type of registration, the prices vary and full registrations can go from few hundred dollars up to more than one thousand dollars; expo-only tickets can come at even lower rates or be free when registered ahead of time.

Automate Show (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

Automate is the largest North-American trade show featuring new products in automation, vision, motion control, and artificial intelligence. Automate takes place every year in Detroit, and is organized by A3 (Association for Advancing Automation) which is the leading robotics and automation organization in the US. The floor at Automate consists of working cells of robots, latest 3D vision systems, collaborative robots which can be programmed in just a few minutes and technology solutions from qualified manufacturers. Automate lets manufacturers to compare robot manufacturers and find the best suppliers available. The conference which takes place along with the trade show features wide number of topics related to automation such as basics of automation and advanced AI quality inspections.

Hannover Messe (Hannover, Germany)

Hannover Messe is the biggest industrial trade fair in the world with over 4,000 exhibitors and covering areas outside automation such as energy, digital ecosystems, hydrogen, among others. The automation halls in this trade fair involve the same companies as in SPS but in a broader context, including power supply, IT infrastructure and sustainability strategies.

IMTS — International Manufacturing Technology Show (Chicago, USA)

IMTS is an important event in North America concerning machine tools and subtractive manufacturing but its automation and digital manufacturing segments have developed very fast over the years. IMTS 2026 will happen in Chicago showcasing the growing convergence of CNC machining, additive manufacturing, robots, and information-driven quality assurance in production cells. For a precision manufacturing company — producing items like gears, precision shafts, die casts, etc. — IMTS is the event to see the latest in multi-axis machining, automated pallet changers, and on-line probe systems in one location. One can learn about the event from AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology.

What Automation Fairs Mean for the Electrical Manufacturing Sector

For people involved in manufacturing circuit breakers and related devices such as various types of switches and protective equipment, automation fairs function as either a platform for technology display or the market of goods. Manufacturing and testing techniques used in this field which consist among other production processes of contact welding, top-level automated assembly systems including robotic and computer-based methods of production are acquired from the same producers who participate regularly in the fairs such as SPS, Automate and others. Thus, the manager of any modern circuit breaker factory who visits SPS has an opportunity to explore the thermal calibration units and even acquire some devices instantaneously.

Benlong Automation participates in these global conversations. Our automated assembly and testing lines for MCBs, MCCBs, AC contactors, and SPDs — including the MCB-Automatisierungslinie and the AC contactor automatic assembly and testing production line — are built on the same industrial automation platforms (PLCs, servos, vision, data) that the global industry uses, applied specifically to the calibration, testing, and certification demands of the electrical sector. When a manufacturer visits an automation fair and discusses their production challenges with the Benlong team or with one of our integration partners, the conversation starts from a shared understanding of what an automated production line must deliver: consistent quality, documented test data, and a throughput that matches the market.

Automation Trends That Will Dominate the 2025–2026 Fairs

By 2025 and 2026, many technology themes will dominate the floors of major automation fairs, which will influence the investment decisions of manufacturers for future purchases.

• AI‑powered quality inspection. Machine vision systems that apply deep learning techniques to identify minor defects, such as a hairline crack in a ceramic case, a missing micro screw, or a misaligned contact, now have started moving from research to commercialisation. These systems do not rely on rules but learn from practice and they can be utilised for learning a new product in hours, not months as in the past.
• Digital twins and virtual commissioning. The digital twin of a physical line must first be simulated and optimised in software before it can be actually constructed. This fastens the commissioning process and provides the possibility for training operators before the first machine is installed. You can see practical applications of this technology at the Hannover Messe and SPS exhibitions.
• Collaborative and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). The distinction between a stationary robot cell and a mobile robot that carries materials from one cell to another is diminishing. Autonomous mobile robots that can move around freely, talk to production control systems, and supply parts just at the right moment at assembly stations will be among the major trends at Automate and SPS.
• Sustainability data and energy monitoring. In the age of automation, production lines are being fitted with mechanisms that measure the energy consumed per unit produced. This would not only help reduce costs, it would also help in corporate sustainability reporting. You will witness the inclusion of energy monitoring dashboards in all of the mainstream MES and SCADA systems at the major exhibitions.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Where is the automation Fair in 2026?

In 2026 there are a great number of important automation exhibitions held around the world. The Rockwell Automation Fair venue is generally selected at the end of the year before. For example, SPS will be held in Nuremberg, Automate will take place in Detroit and Hannover Messe will be in Hannover, Germany and Chicago will host the IMTS exhibition. Each event has unique topics and customers.

Where is Automation Expo 2026?

Automation Expoa large Indian industrial automations exhibition is usually held in Mumbai. The specifics of the 2026 edition will be made available by the organising people before the event. You can always check the Automation Expo 2026 official website for updates.

How much does Rockwell Automation Fair cost?

At the Rockwell Automation Fair, there are different registration types available. Some passes for the expo are available for free or at a low-cost if you register in advance. Full conference passes can be priced from hundreds of dollars to over one thousand dollars. Specific prices are announced on the Rockwell Automation Fair’s website when registration begins.

What are the automation trends in 2026?

According to experts, the important process automation trends in 2026 will be the introduction of AI-based quality checking, usage of virtual copies, robots able to collaborate with machines as well as with each other, and the association of production results with sustainability reports. These technologies will be seen at every significant automation fair in 2025 and 2026.

Referenzen

• SPS — Smart Production Solutions (Nuremberg, Germany) — Official website for Europe’s leading industrial automation exhibition.
• Rockwell Automation Fair (USA) — Official website for the annual Rockwell Automation ecosystem event.
• Automate Show (Detroit, USA) — Official website for North America’s leading robotics and automation trade show, organised by A3.
• Hannover Messe (Hannover, Germany) — Official website for the world’s largest industrial trade fair.
• IMTS — International Manufacturing Technology Show (Chicago, USA) — Official website for the premier North American machine tool and manufacturing technology show.
• Industrial Automation India — Automation Expo — Industry publication covering Automation Expo and the South Asian automation market.

Der automation fair calendar for 2025–2026 offers a global circuit of events — SPS for the European PLC and drives community, Automate for North American robotics and vision, the Rockwell Fair for the Allen‑Bradley ecosystem, Hannover Messe for the big‑picture industrial strategy, and IMTS for the machine‑tool world. For a manufacturer considering an investment in automated assembly, calibration, or testing, the right fair is the one that puts the decision‑maker in front of the technology, the integrator, and the reference customer who has already solved the same problem. Benlong Automation is part of that global conversation, bringing the specific expertise of electrical device automation to the broader world of industrial manufacturing technology.