A Bigger Tent
The Fall Technical Meeting (FTM) is expanding its format—and its audience. Here’s why researchers and practitioners alike should be paying attention.
As a reader of this magazine, you understand first-hand the quality of the research that goes into past FTM presentations, because many of the papers are printed here as technical articles. That tradition isn’t going anywhere. But starting this October, FTM is unveiling a bigger tent, open to practitioners whose hands-on experience in the industry has not had a regular place at the table.
The 2026 FTM, held October 5–7 at the Hilton Rosemont–Chicago O’Hare, marks the first year the event will run a dual-track format. Alongside the classic peer-reviewed technical paper sessions, a new presentation-only track opens the floor to case studies, manufacturing breakthroughs, inspection innovations, and emerging technologies, the kind of practical, experience-driven knowledge that is rarely formalized but shapes how real production decisions get made every day.
Key registration dates at a glance:
Questions? Reach the organizing team at: FTM@motionpower.org |
The expanded format also reflects a bigger organizational shift. In 2025, AGMA and ABMA merged to form the Motion + Power Manufacturers Alliance (MPMA), uniting the gear and bearing communities. This year, the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) joins as a co-host, dedicating a full session to topics from its triennial Trends Report: AI and digitalization, thermal management, decarbonization, and more. The payoff is a conference that now speaks fluently across disciplines that have long influenced each other without always sharing a stage.
For professionals in manufacturing, quality, sales, or business development, the new presentation track changes the equation, drawing in parts of the industry that have long worked in parallel without crossing paths. A 20-minute session with Q&A, focused on how a real company solved a real problem, complements the peer-reviewed technical sessions.
FTM is three days—a tight program that rewards early planning. So, we look forward to seeing you and encourage you to share the event information within your organization and bring a friend!
