industrial machinery · Cleveland
Metalcasting Congress 2027Exhibitor guide for Cleveland: booth costs, key dates, deadlines
Eight feet back, three in front: Metalcasting Congress 2027 booths in Cleveland
- Event dates
- April 20–22, 2027
- Exhibit hall
- April 21–22, 2027 (Wed 9 a.m.–6 p.m. (floor reception from 4:30), Thu 9 a.m.–noon)
- Venue
- Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, Cleveland
4.9 client rating3,000+ exhibitorsIn business since 201510,000+ booths built
Quick answers
Metalcasting Congress 2027 in 30 seconds
The short version for Metalcasting Congress exhibitors. Each Metalcasting Congress figure is sourced further down the page.
- When is Metalcasting Congress 2027?
- April 20–22, 2027, at Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, Cleveland.
- When is the Metalcasting Congress exhibit hall open?
- April 21–22, 2027, Wed 9 a.m.–6 p.m. (floor reception from 4:30), Thu 9 a.m.–noon.
- How big is Metalcasting Congress?
- 2,200+ attendees, 230 exhibits (2023 edition).
- What does booth space cost at Metalcasting Congress?
- $6,600 for a 10×20 inline, $9,900 for a 10×30 inline, 2027 rates, paid to the organizer.
- What does a 10×20 Metalcasting Congress booth cost all-in?
- $7,500 – $15,000 for a Purple rental in Cleveland: design, graphics, lighting, install and dismantle. Space and show services are billed by Metalcasting Congress.
- For Metalcasting Congress, what is the next exhibitor deadline?
- Last day for a written cancellation with a 50% refund; payments are nonrefundable after this date: January 4, 2027.
Official Metalcasting Congress 2027 links: Metalcasting Congress 2027 registrationMetalcasting Congress 2027 scheduleMetalcasting Congress 2027 booth space
Everything about Metalcasting Congress 2027 in one place
Metalcasting Congress 2027 fact sheet
| Official name | Metalcasting Congress 2027, the American Foundry Society's annual meeting and supplier exhibition |
|---|---|
| Event dates | April 20–22, 2027 |
| Exhibit hall dates | April 21–22, 2027 (Wed 9 a.m.–6 p.m. (floor reception from 4:30), Thu 9 a.m.–noon) source |
| Venue | Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland 300 Lakeside Ave E, Cleveland, OH 44113 |
| Organizer | American Foundry Society (AFS) |
| Size (2023) | 2,200+ attendees · 230 exhibits source |
| Who attends | Foundry owners and CEOs, metalcasting engineers, plant managers, supplier technical specialists, and casting buyers and designers from OEMs |
| Booth space | $6,600 for a 10×20 inline, $9,900 for a 10×30 inline, 2027 rates source |
| Next deadline | Last day for a written cancellation with a 50% refund; payments are nonrefundable after this date: January 4, 2027 source |
| Nearest airport | Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) About 20 to 25 minutes from downtown, per Purple's Cleveland venue guide |
| Hotels | AFS's 2027 housing block is not confirmed yet; downtown Cleveland hotels are within walking distance of the Center |
| Official website | afsinc.org |
Official Metalcasting Congress resources
Metalcasting Congress 2027 calendar
Metalcasting Congress 2027 dates and deadlines
In order: the dates the Metalcasting Congress organizer has published, each linked to the page that states it. The next one is highlighted.
- Last day for a written cancellation with a 50% refund; payments are nonrefundable after this dateExhibitors source
- IJMC-FEF Student Research Competition abstracts dueStudents and sponsoring schools source
- Student Research Competition final presentations dueStudents source
- Congress opens; exhibitor setup 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; space not occupied by 4 p.m. may be resoldExhibitors source
- Exhibits open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., floor reception 4:30 to 6 p.m.; displays complete by 9 a.m.Exhibitors and attendees source
- Exhibits open 9 a.m. to noon; dismantle after noon, hall clear by 5 p.m.Exhibitors source
01 Purple at Metalcasting Congress 2027
Eight feet back, three in front: Metalcasting Congress 2027 booths in Cleveland
We build Metalcasting Congress booths that put a casting, a core or a sand sample at a foundry engineer's fingertips inside AFS's 8-foot, 10-foot-deep linear rules. In Cleveland, every crate enters by the enclosed West 3rd Street dock, and booth power comes only from the convention center's own electrician.
- Apr 20–22 · Huntington CC
- 230 exhibits in Cleveland 2023
- Linear booths up to 10×30
What makes Metalcasting Congress different, and how we build for it
Metalcasting Congress is the American Foundry Society's annual meeting, so the people walking the aisles in Cleveland have just left a technical session on melt quality, sand or simulation.The floor sells only linear booths up to 10×30, which puts every supplier on equal footing. Foundries themselves exhibit only inside the Cast in North America pavilion, where the Casting Designers & Buyers Track brings OEM engineers onto the floor. The 2027 Hoyt Memorial Lecture, the Women in Metalcasting Breakfast and the AFS Young Professionals Reception all fall on Wednesday, April 21, the day the floor reception runs until 6 p.m.
Equipment and consumables tied to scrap rate, energy use or labor hours on the melt deck, with a supplier engineer who can talk payback at the counter.
Physical samples to handle: cores, cut castings, binder or sand comparisons and defect photos, plus data sheets they can take back to the quality lab.
Walking over from the Casting Designers & Buyers Track beside Cast in North America, they want proof of what a foundry or supplier can hold to tolerance.
Your team in Cleveland
One project manager, two shops, the whole Metalcasting Congress build
Your Metalcasting Congress booth is built in our own production shop in Fishkill, NY, or at our Las Vegas hub, shipped to the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland and installed by vetted local labor with our own project manager on the floor. A predictable 30–45-day turnaround, secure storage and a pre-show QA before Metalcasting Congress.
Your staff walks onto the Metalcasting Congress floor and the booth is already lit and stocked. You just show up.
Inside Metalcasting Congress 2027
Rules that shape your booth
Booths are an 8-foot back drape with 3-foot rails; displays may reach 8 feet only out to half the booth depth, then 3 feet to the aisle, and no deeper than 10 feet (2027 rules). We cut walls and counters to that profile.
AFS bars any exhibitor from displaying, advertising or offering used equipment or machinery, and from retail sales on the floor. We plan demonstrations around new units, cut samples and process graphics instead.
Suppliers of equipment, consumables, processes and services take standard booths; foundries and metalcasters may exhibit only inside the Cast in North America pavilion. We design both formats, with casting displays sized for the pavilion's linear spaces.
Loudspeakers, megaphones and other sound devices are prohibited, and images may not be projected onto aisles, ceilings or walls outside your booth (2027 rules). We use silent captioned video and steady LED lighting.
Nothing may be anchored, nailed or wired to the building, nothing may be packed before noon on April 22, 2027, and every exhibit must clear the hall by 5 p.m. We build freestanding frames and run a timed dismantle.
Programs worth planning for
The floor area for North American foundries and casting-development service providers, priced from $2,500 for a member 10×10 inline in 2027 and aimed at OEM customers and the more than 100 students AFS expects.
Education for OEM engineers, supply chain staff and casting buyers held on the exhibit floor beside Cast in North America, free with general admission and the basic Exhibits Pass.
Undergraduates present metalcasting research live on the show floor on April 21, 2027 for up to $8,000 in scholarships; abstracts are due February 5 and final presentations March 5, 2027.
Dr. Alan A. Luo of Ohio State University gives the 2027 lecture on computational materials engineering and AI for metalcasting at 10:30 a.m. on April 21, the first exhibit day.
Metalcasting Congress is AFS's annual foundry meeting in the years between CastExpo; choose it over Forge Fair when your buyers pour metal into molds rather than press it, and a compact linear booth can carry your story. Compare all the industrial machinery shows we build for →
industrial machinery at Metalcasting Congress
The industry behind Metalcasting Congress, in pictures
02 Booths & pricing for Metalcasting Congress 2027
Popular booth sizes at Metalcasting Congress
AFS sells only linear space for Metalcasting Congress 2027, in 10×10, 10×20 and 10×30 runs, with no islands and no double booths at aisle ends. We recommend a 10×20 for one process story with samples, and a 10×30 premium-corner run when a second product line or a seated meeting table matters.
A backlit 8-foot wall on the rear half and a 3-foot sample counter at the aisle, showing cut castings or core samples where an engineer can pick them up.
Shown: a Purple inline booth for SunUs
See 10×20 rental booths →
The largest footprint AFS sells here: two process stories side by side on the 8-foot wall, a low sample table up front and a two-seat meeting spot at one end.
Above: Messilot, a Purple inline booth
See 10×30 rental booths →
Also outside the 2027 Congress floor plan; for CastExpo or FABTECH it carries a working molding or finishing cell, a quiet quote room and parts storage.
Pictured: TM AI Corp, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×30 rental booths →In Purple's Metalcasting Congress price
- Booth design with a 3D rendering, revised until it is right
- Structure, printed graphics, counters and storage, as specified for Metalcasting Congress
- Lighting and power distribution inside your Metalcasting Congress booth
- Install and dismantle at Metalcasting Congress, led by our project manager on the floor
- Show-service orders and deadlines for Metalcasting Congress, tracked on your behalf
Paid to Metalcasting Congress and its contractor
- Booth space, paid to American Foundry Society
- Material handling / drayage, where the space rate does not include it
- Electrical service, internet and rigging at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland
- Booth cleaning, and union labor where the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland requires it
Rates to plan with for Metalcasting Congress:
- Booth space, AFS corporate member $6,600 for a 10×20 inline, $9,900 for a 10×30 inline, 2027 rates source
- Booth space, non-member $8,000 for a 10×20 inline, $12,000 for a 10×30 inline, 2027 rates source
- Premium corner $600 per corner, 2027 rate source
- Drayage (Purple venue guide) About $145 per cwt, 200 lb minimum, Purple's 2026–27 Cleveland planning figure source
We estimate each of these on your Metalcasting Congress proposal, so the total is on paper before you sign.
These are all-in 2026 rental ranges (design, structure, graphics, installation and dismantle). A custom build is quoted per project. Run your Metalcasting Congress numbers in the booth cost calculator and the 2026 booth cost guide.
Send your Metalcasting Congress booth size and what the space needs to do for your team. We reply within one business day and send a rendering and a fixed proposal, usually within a week. No charge.
At Metalcasting Congress, your team walks into a lit, stocked booth. You just show up.
03 Built by Purple
Our booths, designed, built and installed, to compare for Metalcasting Congress
Case study · KLEEMANN
KLEEMANN at an industrial technology exhibition
A global elevator manufacturer’s interactive booth: real product showcases, digital simulations and a floor plan that guided visitors from the first step to the last.
KLEEMANN guided visitors from a real product to the engineering behind it in one floor plan; a foundry supplier's 10×30 needs the same path from casting sample to process conversation.
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 · client reviews
Trusted by exhibitors including
04 Designing for foundry equipment, melting, molding, sand and alloy suppliers at Metalcasting Congress
Four things we get right for Metalcasting Congress exhibitors
1Half-depth rule shapes every wall
AFS lets displays reach the 8-foot back-drape height only out to half the booth depth; from there to the aisle the cap is 3 feet. We put the tall graphic and lighting on the rear five feet and keep cut castings and sand samples on a 36-inch counter at the front.
2Samples beat screens with foundrymen
A Metalcasting Congress visitor wants to feel the surface finish on a casting or the grain of a core. We build lockable sample drawers and a lit tray into the counter so your team can swap parts between Wednesday's 9 a.m. opening and the 4:30 p.m. floor reception.
3No sound, no flashing lights
AFS bans loudspeakers and sound devices, projection beyond your booth, and attention-getters such as flashing lights. We light the wall with steady LED and run any process video silent with captions, so the casting story reads without breaking the 2027 rules.
4Built in one Tuesday
Exhibitor setup runs only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20, and displays must be complete by 9 a.m. Wednesday. We pre-assemble and label every frame in our shop so a 10×20 or 10×30 goes up in hours, with time left for parts placement.
Concept rendering
Your Metalcasting Congress proposal comes with a rendering like this
Layout, graphics, lighting and product positions are all in the 3D view, revised until right, before a single panel is cut for Metalcasting Congress. Pictured: a Purple concept for Bonak.
Start my Metalcasting Congress conceptFloor at a glance
Where you could be at Metalcasting Congress 2027
Here is the Huntington Convention Center as its own planning guide describes it, and what each part means for a linear foundry-supplier booth.
Exhibit hall floor
225,000 square feet of continuous exhibit space on a floor rated at a minimum of 350 pounds per square foot, per the Center's planning guide.
Our advice A cut casting, ladle sample or compact machine on a 10×30 sits well within that rating; we still log every heavy piece on the freight list.
Loading dock, 1139 West 3rd Street
An enclosed, climate-controlled dock staffed around the clock, with 20 bays of which 17 are usable, reached by an access bridge.
Our advice With one dock for the whole floor, the Tuesday setup window is tight; we book an early truck slot and ship one consolidated load.
Lakeside and St. Clair entrances
The Center's two main doors, where exhibitors may hand carry single items without dollies; no parking is allowed at either entrance.
Our advice Sample cases and literature boxes come in this way with your team, which keeps them out of the drayage weight.
05 Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland · Cleveland
Logistics for Metalcasting Congress 2027, handled
The Huntington Convention Center works with union labor: Teamsters Local 407 move forklift freight from the enclosed dock at 1139 West 3rd Street, Carpenters install exhibits, and Electrical Local 38 is the Center's exclusive power provider. Your full-time staff may still set up your own display with hand tools and assemble your own equipment. The exhibit floor is rated at a minimum of 350 pounds per square foot, so a heavy sample or small machine on a 10×30 is no problem. Our drayage budget for this building is roughly $145 for each 100 pounds, minimum charge 200 pounds; we crate everything for the dock and book downtown hotels a short walk from the Lakeside entrance.
Metalcasting Congress exhibitors can find this building's hall rules, drayage estimates and freight deadlines in our Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland exhibitor guide.
What Purple handles
- Booth drawn to AFS's half-depth height rule and 10-foot depth
- Lit sample counters and lockable parts drawers for castings and cores
- Exhibitor Services Manual orders, freight and dock scheduling
- Electrical ordered through the Center's exclusive contractor
- One-day Tuesday install and Thursday afternoon dismantle with our project manager
- Storage and a scale-up plan for CastExpo 2028 in St. Louis
Metalcasting Congress timeline, counted back from move-in
Last day to cancel Metalcasting Congress space in writing for a 50% refund: January 4, 2027. After January 4, 2027 every payment to AFS is nonrefundable, so we settle size and corner choice with you before then.
For Metalcasting Congress, we need design sign-off by early February 2027.
- Late fall 2026AFS opens supplier and Cast in North America reservations; full payment with the contract secures your space, assigned first come, first served.
- Early February 2027Design sign-off: wall graphics, sample counter and lighting drawn to the 8-foot and 3-foot height zones.
- February to mid-March 2027Production in Fishkill, NY over 30 to 45 days; frames pre-assembled and labeled for a one-day build.
- Late March 2027Crates ship to Cleveland on the freight plan in the AFS Exhibitor Services Manual.
- April 20, 2027Setup from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; our project manager builds the booth while the technical sessions start.
- April 21–22, 2027Exhibits open; dismantle starts after noon Thursday and every crate clears the hall by 5 p.m.
Purple's planning timeline for Metalcasting Congress. The official Metalcasting Congress move-in, freight target and order dates come from your exhibitor kit and assigned schedule; when you book, we confirm them against your booth.
Printable budget & deadline sheetTravel to Metalcasting Congress 2027
Getting to Metalcasting Congress 2027: airport and hotels
Fly in
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
About 20 to 25 minutes from downtown, per Purple's Cleveland venue guide
Stay
AFS's 2027 housing block is not confirmed yet; downtown Cleveland hotels are within walking distance of the Center
Find the venue
Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland
300 Lakeside Ave E, Cleveland, OH 44113
Travel facts from purpleexhibits.com.
Metalcasting Congress by the numbers
Metalcasting Congress year by year
How Metalcasting Congress 2027 compares with other industrial machinery shows
The industrial machinery shows closest to Metalcasting Congress on the calendar, with the latest size each organizer has published. Each name other than Metalcasting Congress opens our exhibitor guide for that show.
| Show | Dates | City | Latest published size |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMPPAMPP (Association for Materials Protection and Performance) | April 11–15, 2027 | Columbus, OH | 6,345 registrants attendees · 350+ exhibitors (2026) |
| RAPID + TCTSME | April 12–15, 2027 | Detroit, MI | 10,000+ attendees · 470+ exhibitors (2026) |
| ReMA ShowRecycled Materials Association (ReMA) | April 12–15, 2027 | Nashville, TN | – |
| Design-2-Part Show, TexasDesign-2-Part Shows (D2P) | April 14–15, 2027 | Irving, TX | 90% of 2026 Irving attendees decide on outsourcing |
| ProMatMHI | April 19–21, 2027 | Chicago, IL | 52,223 attendees · 1,160 exhibitors (2025) |
| Metalcasting CongressAmerican Foundry Society (AFS) | April 20–22, 2027 | Cleveland, OH | 2,200+ attendees · 230 exhibits (2023) |
| TAPPIConTAPPI | April 24–28, 2027 | Indianapolis, IN | 100+ exhibitors (2026) |
| Powder ShowInforma Markets | April 27–29, 2027 | Rosemont, IL | 2,500+ attendees (2025) |
| WQA Convention & ExpoWater Quality Association | April 28–30, 2027 | Phoenix, AZ | 2,500+ attendees, WQA 2027 prospectus |
| AISTechAssociation for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) | May 3–5, 2027 | Nashville, TN | 9,711 attendees · 652 exhibitors (2026) |
Metalcasting Congress exhibitor questions
Questions exhibitors ask us before Metalcasting Congress
How much does a booth at Metalcasting Congress 2027 cost?
Two parts. AFS space for a 10×20 inline is $6,600 for corporate members and $8,000 for non-members in 2027, plus $600 per premium corner. A Purple 10×20 rental runs $7,500 to $15,000 and a custom 10×20 $15,000 to $45,000. Backlighting, sample cases and Cleveland drayage move the total most.
What booth sizes can we buy at Metalcasting Congress?
Only linear booths: 10×10, 10×20 and 10×30, inline or with a premium corner. AFS does not allow double booths at the ends of aisles, but an end-cap booth plus the adjoining inline booth up to 300 square feet is accepted. There are no islands at the 2027 Congress.
How tall can our display be at Metalcasting Congress 2027?
AFS caps displays at the 8-foot back drape and a 10-foot depth. The 8-foot height applies only to the back half of the space; from the midpoint to the aisle the maximum is 3 feet. We design the wall, header and lighting to that profile and keep the front open for samples.
Can we rent a booth for Metalcasting Congress, and what does it include?
We rent complete linear booths for the Congress: a backlit fabric wall cut to 8 feet, a 3-foot sample counter, LED lighting, flooring, graphics, freight, install and dismantle on one fixed proposal. AFS's own package adds carpet, a skirted 6-foot table, two chairs, a wastebasket and an ID sign per 10×10.
Can our own staff set up at the Huntington Convention Center?
Partly. The Center lets your full-time employees set up your own display with hand tools and assemble your own products and machinery. Forklift freight from the dock is Teamsters work, exhibit installation by contractors falls to the Carpenters, and anything rigged overhead or powered goes through the Center's exclusive electrical contractor.
What does drayage cost in Cleveland, and who pays it?
You pay it to the show's general service contractor, billed by weight. For this building Purple budgets roughly $145 for every 100 pounds, charged on at least 200 pounds, through 2027; the tariff in the AFS Exhibitor Services Manual sets the final rate. Hand-carried single items can come through the Lakeside or St. Clair entrances instead.
Can we hold a prize drawing or serve drinks in our booth?
Drawings must stay inside your booth, cannot require winners to be present, and prizes over $1,500 need city and state licenses. Exhibitors may not serve alcohol or popcorn anywhere in the exhibit area, and food must come from the facility. We plan a lead form on a tablet instead.
Can we reuse our Metalcasting Congress booth at other shows?
Yes. The fabric walls and counters we build for a 10×30 here pack small, travel to Forge Fair or ASM Heat Treat with new prints, and become the back wall of an island at CastExpo 2028. We store the kit between shows and refresh graphics when your product line changes.
Do you handle the AFS contractor orders and freight?
We read the AFS Exhibitor Services Manual, order carpet upgrades, furniture, labor and lead retrieval, book your freight into the West 3rd Street dock and order power from the Center's electrician. You approve each order and get a copy, and we track every deadline in the manual.
When is Metalcasting Congress 2027?
April 20–22, 2027 in Cleveland. Tuesday, April 20 is technical sessions, setup, the Volunteer Leadership Awards Luncheon and the AFS Reception and Banquet. The exhibit floor opens Wednesday, April 21 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to noon, when the Congress concludes.
Where is Metalcasting Congress 2027 held?
Downtown Cleveland, in the Huntington Convention Center on Lakeside Avenue East, a few blocks from the Lake Erie shore. AFS last brought the Congress to the same building in 2023. The 2027 housing block is not confirmed yet; downtown hotels sit within walking distance of the Center.
How many people attend Metalcasting Congress?
AFS reported more than 2,200 attendees, 230 exhibits and more than 160 students when the Congress was last held in Cleveland in 2023, with more than 70 technical and management presentations. For 2027, AFS expects more than 100 students in connection with the Cast in North America pavilion.
How do we get a booth at Metalcasting Congress 2027?
Reserve through AFS's exhibit page: suppliers book standard space, while foundries and metalcasters may exhibit only in Cast in North America. Full payment is due with the contract before AFS assigns a booth, first come, first served. A written cancellation by January 4, 2027 returns 50 percent of the money paid.
Before you sign for Metalcasting Congress
Ask any Metalcasting Congress exhibit builder these five questions:
- Is every fee on the proposal, including what the Metalcasting Congress show contractor bills?
- Who builds the Metalcasting Congress booth: your own shop or a subcontractor?
- Will your project manager be on the floor at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland for install and dismantle?
- What does the rental include, and what is billed by Metalcasting Congress?
- Once Metalcasting Congress closes, where does the booth go and what does storage cost?
Common situations
Already own a booth? Bring it: we refresh the graphics, repair what is worn, ship it, install it at Metalcasting Congress and store it until the next show. You keep the structure you paid for and bring it to Metalcasting Congress.
Exhibiting from outside the US? We are your team on the ground at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland: freight to the advance warehouse, show-service orders, installation and storage, with one project manager on your emails in your time zone.
Short on time? In two to three weeks, a rental with your graphics can be ready for Cleveland. On the first call, we tell you what is realistic for Metalcasting Congress.
Get a proposal
Tell us about your Metalcasting Congress booth
What happens next
- Within one business day we write back to ask about your products, your goals for Metalcasting Congress and your footprint.
- You get a concept rendering and a fixed proposal for Metalcasting Congress, usually within a week. Each Metalcasting Congress fee listed upfront and in full, on paper.
- We build in 30 to 45 days, ship to the advance warehouse and have the booth installed before Metalcasting Congress opens.