industrial machinery · Chicago
Automation Fair 2027Chicago booth costs, dates and deadlines: exhibitor guide
Your machine, Rockwell inside: Automation Fair 2027 partner booths in Chicago
- Event dates
- 2027 dates not confirmed yet
- Exhibit hall
- Not confirmed yet
- Venue
- Chicago, ILVenue not confirmed yet
4.9 star rating from clients3,000+ exhibitorsIn business since 201510,000+ booths built
Quick answers
Automation Fair 2027 in 30 seconds
The short version for Automation Fair exhibitors. You will find the source for every figure further down the page.
- When is Automation Fair 2027?
- The 2027 dates are not confirmed yet. The event is planned for Chicago, IL.
- When is the exhibit hall open?
- Not confirmed yet for 2027. In 2026 the Expo opens November 17–19 in Boston: 9:45 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Thursday.
- How big is Automation Fair?
- 15,000+ attendees, 140+ exhibits (2025 edition).
- What does a 10×20 booth cost all-in at Automation Fair?
- $7,500 – $15,000 for a Purple rental in Chicago: design, graphics, lighting, install and dismantle. Space and show services are billed by Automation Fair.
Official Automation Fair 2027 links: Automation Fair 2027 registrationAutomation Fair 2027 hotelsAutomation Fair 2027 scheduleAutomation Fair 2027 booth space
Everything about Automation Fair 2027 in one place
Automation Fair 2027 fact sheet
| Official name | Automation Fair 2027, Rockwell Automation's annual event with its PartnerNetwork members |
|---|---|
| Event dates | 2027 dates not confirmed yet |
| Exhibit hall dates | Not confirmed yet In 2026 the Expo opens November 17–19 in Boston: 9:45 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Thursday |
| Venue | Chicago, IL |
| Organizer | Rockwell Automation |
| Size (2025) | 15,000+ attendees · 140+ exhibits source |
| Who attends | Plant, controls and process engineers, operations leaders and executives from manufacturers that run Rockwell systems |
| Nearest airport | Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) or Chicago Midway International (MDW) |
| Hotels | Maritz Global Events, the official housing company for the 2026 show; 2027 housing not confirmed yet Official hotel page → |
| Official website | rockwellautomation.com |
Official Automation Fair resources
Automation Fair 2027 calendar
Automation Fair 2027 dates and deadlines
The Automation Fair dates the organizer has published, in order, each linked to the page that states it. The next one is highlighted.
- Onsite General Access pricing ($895) begins for Automation Fair 2026 (last edition before 2027)Attendees source
- Automation Fair 2026 opens in BostonAttendees and exhibitors source
- Automation Fair 2026 Expo opens, 9:45 a.m.Exhibitors and attendees source
- Final Expo day of Automation Fair 2026, closing 4 p.m.; 2027 dates not confirmed yetExhibitors and attendees source
01 Purple at Automation Fair 2027
Your machine, Rockwell inside: Automation Fair 2027 partner booths in Chicago
We build Automation Fair booths where a running cell shows its Rockwell controls, so a plant engineer sees the cabinet, the screen and the part in one glance. Our project manager installs in Chicago with vetted local labor once Rockwell names the 2027 venue and dates.
- 2027 edition in Chicago
- 15,000+ attendees in 2025
- PartnerNetwork exhibitors only
What makes Automation Fair different, and how we build for it
Automation Fair is a single-vendor ecosystem show: Rockwell Automation runs it, and only members of its PartnerNetwork program may exhibit or sponsor.That makes every booth a variation on one question, how your machine or software works with Allen-Bradley and FactoryTalk systems. The 2025 Chicago edition, the 34th, brought more than 15,000 attendees to 140+ interactive exhibits across half a million square feet. The floor is built around running equipment: Featured Machine Demos from builders such as ATS, Mespack and Matrix, the Discovery Theater, New Technology & Solutions, plus the ROKathon hackathon. Visitors pay for full passes, with no Expo-only option, so the aisles are engineers who came to learn.
The panel door open, the PLC and drive model numbers visible, the HMI screen they would use, and someone who can talk tags, networks and safety integration on the spot.
Throughput, changeover time and uptime figures from a machine like the one they need, plus a seated table to talk lead time and installed base.
A clear statement of which Rockwell products sit inside your system, so they can bring their own customers to your booth between sessions.
Your team in Chicago
Two shops and one project manager for Automation Fair
We fabricate in our own Fishkill, NY shop and our Las Vegas hub, then ship to Chicago, where our own project manager leads the install with vetted local labor. Every Automation Fair build runs a predictable 30 to 45 days and gets a pre-show QA, with secure storage after.
Your staff walks onto the Automation Fair floor and the booth is already lit and stocked. You just show up.
Inside Automation Fair 2027
Rules that shape your Automation Fair booth
Rockwell invites only PartnerNetwork members to exhibit or sponsor, and outside companies must join first, which can take several months. We plan your footprint while the membership application runs so the design is ready when you can sign up.
In the 2026 cycle exhibit sales opened March 17, early savings with early access to 2027 Chicago ended June 16 and exhibitor sign-up closed September 30. We set your design schedule backward from Rockwell's 2027 dates once posted.
All Automation Fair attendees must be 18 or older, and there are no one-day, Expo-only or guest passes (2026 rules). Your visitors are full-pass engineers, so we plan booth content for technical depth rather than quick giveaways.
Programs worth planning for
Running machines from Rockwell partners on the Expo floor, grouped as Innovations, Technology & Services Showcase and Industry Pavilion; more than a dozen builders were listed for 2026.
Thirty-minute live talks on the Expo floor by Rockwell staff, PartnerNetwork members, customers and industry experts, with time for audience questions (2026 program).
The second annual Automation Fair hackathon in 2026: 15 selected teams of three to four from PartnerNetwork system integrators and customers work on real plant problems over several days, and the winner is announced in the Expo.
Automation Fair is Rockwell's partner showcase, 140+ exhibits in 2025; choose it over Automate when your machine or software runs on Rockwell controls and you want Rockwell's own customers and account teams at your booth. Line up Automation Fair against every industrial machinery show we build for →
industrial machinery at Automation Fair
The industry behind Automation Fair, in pictures
02 Booths & pricing for Automation Fair 2027
Popular booth sizes at Automation Fair
Rockwell has not published booth sizes or package prices for 2027. We recommend a 10×20 for software and component partners, and a 20×20 island or larger whenever a machine runs, so guarding, an open cabinet and a meeting table all fit.
A software or component partner: two HMI stations against the back wall, an open control cabinet on a stand and a counter for badge scans.
Shown: Han Song, a Purple inline booth
See 10×20 rental booths →
Multiple product lines, a small meeting nook
Pictured: Messilot, a Purple inline booth
See 10×30 rental booths →
An island with one running cell behind guarding, a camera feed of the work zone on a large screen, the panel open on the aisle side and a small meeting table.
Shown: a Purple island exhibit for Gotec
See 20×20 rental booths →
Demo stations plus private meetings
Above: Senzani, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×30 rental booths →In Purple's price
- Your design and 3D rendering, revised until it is right for Automation Fair
- Structure, printed graphics, counters and storage, as specified for Automation Fair
- Lighting and power distribution inside your Automation Fair booth
- Our project manager on the floor for installation and dismantle
- Every Automation Fair show-service order and deadline tracked for you
Paid to Automation Fair and its contractor
- Booth space (paid to the organizer)
- Material handling / drayage, if the Automation Fair space rate leaves it out
- Electrical, internet and rigging orders for Automation Fair
- Booth cleaning and any union labor the venue requires
Rates to plan with for Automation Fair:
- Attendee pass $495 early to $895 onsite General Access, 2026 source
- Attendee pass with training $1,595 early to $2,295 onsite General Access + Advanced Training, 2026 source
Before you sign, your proposal already estimates each of these show charges, so the Automation Fair total is on paper.
All-in 2026 rental ranges: design, structure, graphics, installation and dismantle are included, and custom Automation Fair builds are quoted per project. For an exact Automation Fair figure, try the booth cost calculator; the 2026 booth cost guide has the ranges.
Tell us your Automation Fair booth size and what the space has to do. A reply within one business day, then a Automation Fair rendering and fixed proposal, usually within a week. No charge.
In Chicago, your team walks into a booth that is already lit and stocked. You just show up.
03 Built by Purple
Built by our team: booths to compare for Automation Fair
Case study · KLEEMANN
KLEEMANN at an industrial technology exhibition
Digital simulations, real product showcases and a floor plan that guided visitors from first step to last, in an interactive booth for a global elevator manufacturer.
KLEEMANN paired real product with digital simulation so engineers grasped the system fast; an Automation Fair partner does the same with a running machine and its controls on screen.
Read the KLEEMANN case study All case studies →“Purple Exhibits made us look good. The booth was one of the nicest displays in our section of the convention center and generated a lot of positive comments from both customers and industry peers. Their attention to detail, professionalism, and willingness to go above and beyond made a huge difference.”
Kimberly Owens, Brand Manager, Owens Products · read more client reviews
Trusted by exhibitors including
04 Designing for Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork machine builders, integrators and technology partners at Automation Fair
Four things we get right for Automation Fair exhibitors
1Open the cabinet to the aisle
At Automation Fair the audience wants to see what controls your machine. We mount the panel with a clear door or a duplicate open enclosure at the aisle edge, label the Rockwell hardware inside, and run the HMI on a second screen above it so the logic is visible while the machine cycles.
2Match the Featured Machine Demos
Rockwell's 2026 Featured Machine Demos group running equipment under Innovations, the Technology & Services Showcase and the Industry Pavilion. We design your booth so it reads as one of those categories, with the production rate in large type, the way Matrix shows its 200 bags per minute.
3Guard the motion, show the part
A running cell needs guarding, and guarding hides the work. We use clear polycarbonate panels, put a camera inside the cell with its feed on a screen outside, and set finished parts on a shelf at hand height so visitors can hold what the machine just made.
4Seat the Rockwell account team
Rockwell account managers bring their customers to partner booths. We build a small table area that suits four people, with a screen showing your installed base by industry, so the account team can make the introduction and step away while your engineer takes over.
Concept rendering
Every Automation Fair proposal includes a rendering like this
The 3D view shows layout, graphics, lighting and product positions before we cut a panel, and we revise it until the Automation Fair booth is right. This one is a Purple concept for Bonak.
Start my Automation Fair conceptFloor at a glance
Where you could be at Automation Fair 2027
The 2027 Chicago building and floor plan are not confirmed yet. On the 2026 floor Rockwell groups running equipment into named demo categories and runs a stage on the Expo floor, and we design your booth to fit the area you join.
Innovations and Technology & Services Showcase (2026)
Featured machine demos from builders such as Aagard, Matrix by Promach, ATS, Bradman Lake and Tessy Automation, including Matrix's bagger at up to 200 bags per minute.
Our advice Neighbors here run machines too, so we raise your production rate and machine name above the guarding where the aisle can read it.
Industry Pavilion (2026)
Machine demos grouped by end market, from Mespack's horizontal form fill seal and Harpak-Ulma's robotic loading to Promation's radiopharmaceutical filling cell and a Cytiva SCADA demo.
Our advice Visitors walk this pavilion by industry, so we put your end market in the top line of the aisle panel before the machine name.
Discovery Theater (2026)
Thirty-minute live presentations on the Expo floor by Rockwell staff, PartnerNetwork members, customers and industry experts, with audience questions; the ROKathon winner is announced there.
Our advice When your engineer takes the stage, we hand the theater crowd a pocket map that walks them straight to the running machine.
05 Chicago, IL
Logistics for Automation Fair 2027, handled
Rockwell has not named the 2027 Chicago building or published its exhibitor kit, so we plan from what any large Chicago machinery show demands: freight crated and labeled for advance delivery, machines listed on declared weights with forklift and rigging time ordered ahead, and an install plan built for a union city. Once the 2027 kit names the hall, the contractor and the material handling tariff, we file the orders and price the machine moves as their own line. Our project manager runs the floor with vetted Chicago labor.
What Purple handles
- Machine bases, guarding and camera feeds for running demos
- Open control cabinet displays with Rockwell hardware labeled
- Exhibitor kit orders for power, air, rigging and material handling
- Crated freight to the advance warehouse on declared weights
- Install with our own project manager and vetted Chicago labor
- Storage between Automation Fair and your next machinery show
Automation Fair timeline, counted back from move-in
For Automation Fair, we need design sign-off by About 10 weeks before move-in.
- When Rockwell opens 2027 salesSign up for exhibit space through the PartnerNetwork sign-up; in the 2026 cycle sales opened March 17 and early savings ran to June 16.
- About 10 weeks before move-inDesign sign-off with machine dimensions, guarding, weights, air and power locked.
- 8 to 4 weeks before move-inProduction in Fishkill, NY over 30 to 45 days: machine base, guarding panels, cabinet stand and graphics built and test-fitted.
- About 3 weeks before move-inCrates and machines ship to the advance warehouse named in the 2027 kit, with power and rigging orders placed.
- Move-in days before the Expo opensOur project manager and vetted Chicago labor install, then your engineers commission the machine.
- Show days, 2027 dates not confirmed yetThe 2026 Expo runs three days; after the 2027 close we dismantle and send the booth to storage or your next show.
Purple's planning timeline for Automation Fair. Official move-in, freight target and order deadlines for Automation Fair come from your exhibitor kit and assigned schedule; we confirm them against your booth when you book.
Printable Automation Fair budget & deadline sheetTravel to Automation Fair 2027
Getting to Automation Fair 2027: airport and hotels
Fly in
Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) or Chicago Midway International (MDW)
Stay
Maritz Global Events, the official housing company for the 2026 show; 2027 housing not confirmed yet
Travel facts from rockwellautomation.com.
Automation Fair by the numbers
Automation Fair year by year
How Automation Fair 2027 compares with other industrial machinery shows
The industrial machinery shows closest to Automation Fair on the calendar, with the latest size each organizer has published. Each name other than Automation Fair opens our exhibitor guide for that show.
| Show | Dates | City | Latest published size |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAMXAmerican Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) and the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) | October 18–21, 2027 | Anaheim, CA | ~6,000 attendees · 500+ exhibitors (2025) |
| Equip ExpositionOutdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) | October 19–22, 2027 | Louisville, KY | Nearly 30,000 attendees (2025) |
| MT Series SOUTHEASTSME | October 19–21, 2027 | Greenville, SC | 5,000 attendees · 300 exhibitors (2025) |
| Motion + Power Technology ExpoMotion + Power Manufacturers Alliance (MPMA) | October 26–28, 2027 | Detroit, MI | 4,425 professionals with ASM Heat Treat · 170 exhibitors (2025) |
| MT Series SOUTHWESTSME | November 2–4, 2027 | Dallas, TX | 150 exhibitors (2025) |
| AMI Plastics World ExposApplied Market Information LLC (AMI) | November 10–11, 2027 | Cleveland, OH | 5,453 attendees · 352 exhibitors (2025) |
| MT Series WESTSME | November 16–18, 2027 | Long Beach, CA | 7,000 attendees · 331 exhibitors (2025) |
| RoboBusinessThe Robot Report and Arrowfly | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Santa Clara, CA | 100+ expected exhibitors (2026) |
| The ASSEMBLY ShowBNP Media | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Rosemont, IL | 200+ exhibitors (2025) |
| Automation FairRockwell Automation | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Chicago, IL | 15,000+ attendees · 140+ exhibits (2025) |
Automation Fair exhibitor questions
Questions exhibitors ask us before Automation Fair
How much does an Automation Fair 2027 booth cost?
For a partner showing a running machine, a 20×20 custom island runs $50,000 to $120,000 and a rental island $16,000 to $40,000; a software partner in a 10×20 rental spends $7,500 to $15,000. Machine bases, guarding and forklift time move the number. Rockwell sells exhibit packages separately and has not posted 2027 prices.
Who can exhibit at Automation Fair?
Only Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork members are invited to exhibit or sponsor. Companies outside the program must join PartnerNetwork first, and Rockwell warns that the application can take several months. Sponsors do not have to exhibit. If you are not yet a partner, start the application well before 2027 sales open.
When do we need to sign up for Automation Fair 2027?
Rockwell has not published the 2027 sales calendar. In the 2026 cycle, sales opened March 17, early savings ran to June 16 with early access to 2027 Chicago opportunities, sponsorship sign-up closed August 31 and exhibitor sign-up September 30. Our build clock starts at design sign-off, roughly ten weeks ahead of move-in.
Can we rent a booth for Automation Fair?
A rental suits partners whose machine is the exhibit: we supply the frame, graphics, lighting, a machine base sized to your footprint, clear guarding panels and an HMI stand, then take the structure back after the show. You ship the machine and the engineers. Freight, install and dismantle go on the same fixed proposal.
Can we run a live machine demo at Automation Fair?
Running equipment is the heart of the Expo: Rockwell's 2026 Featured Machine Demos include ATS's modular platform at up to 80 parts per minute and Matrix's bagger at up to 200 bags per minute. We build the base, guarding and cable routes to your machine and order power and air from the 2027 kit.
What does drayage cost for Automation Fair in Chicago?
The 2027 rate depends on the building and the show contractor, and both are not confirmed yet. Material handling is billed per hundredweight, and a machine plus its base can weigh thousands of pounds, so we price its handling as a separate line once Rockwell's kit names the tariff, and keep booth crates light and consolidated.
Can we reuse our Automation Fair booth at other shows?
Automation Fair moves city each year, so we design the booth in modules that travel: the same machine base and cabinet stand can go to PROMAT and FABTECH in Chicago, Automate or PACK EXPO Las Vegas with new graphics. Between shows we store it and refresh the Rockwell partner messaging.
Do you handle the Automation Fair exhibitor kit and orders?
We do. Once Rockwell releases the 2027 exhibitor resources, we read them, register as your exhibitor-appointed contractor where the kit allows it, and order electrical, compressed air, rigging, internet and material handling. Each order is copied to you with its deadline.
When is Automation Fair 2027?
The 2027 dates are not confirmed yet. Rockwell has said only that 2027 is in Chicago. Automation Fair 2026 runs November 16–19 in Boston, with the Expo open November 17–19, and the 2025 and 2024 editions also ran in mid-November.
Where is Automation Fair 2027 held?
In Chicago, building not confirmed yet. Boston's Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center hosts 2026, the 2025 show was in Chicago and 2024 was in Anaheim, so the event moves from city to city. Maritz Global Events handles official housing for 2026.
How many people attend Automation Fair?
Rockwell reported more than 15,000 attendees and 140+ interactive exhibits at the 2025 Chicago show, and more than 10,000 attendees in Anaheim in 2024. For 2026 it lists 14,000+ connections, 150+ interactive exhibits and 250+ educational sessions. Attendance for 2027 is not confirmed yet.
Is Automation Fair open to the public?
Attendance requires a paid pass: in 2026 General Access runs $495 early to $895 onsite, with no one-day or Expo-only passes. Every attendee must be 18 or older, and students and educators get complimentary General Access passes with proof of status.
Before you sign for Automation Fair
Five questions to ask any exhibit builder for Automation Fair:
- Will the proposal show every Automation Fair fee, including show contractor charges?
- Who actually builds it for Automation Fair: your shop or a subcontractor?
- Will your own project manager be at Automation Fair for install and dismantle?
- What exactly is in the rental, and what does Automation Fair bill?
- Where does the booth go after Automation Fair, and what does storage cost?
Common situations
Already own a booth? We refresh its graphics, repair what is worn, ship and install it for Automation Fair, and store it between shows. You keep the structure you paid for and bring it to Automation Fair.
Exhibiting from outside the US? We are your team on the ground in Chicago: freight to the advance warehouse, show-service orders, installation and storage, with one project manager answering your emails in your time zone.
Short on time? A rental with your graphics can be ready in two to three weeks. On the first call, we tell you what is realistic for Automation Fair.
Get a proposal
Tell us about your Automation Fair booth
What happens next
- We reply within one business day with questions about your products, goals and Automation Fair footprint.
- You get a concept rendering and a fixed proposal for Automation Fair, usually within a week. All fees listed upfront, in full, on paper, before Automation Fair.
- Production runs 30–45 days, then we ship to the advance warehouse and install before the Automation Fair hall opens.