The show in numbers
The 22nd AMB, the international exhibition for metal cutting, ran in Stuttgart from 15 to 19 September 2026. The organiser reports about 65,000 visitors from 76 countries, level with 2024, and 1,195 exhibitors from 34 countries across all ten halls.
Visitors from abroad made up 22%, led by Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Turkey, the Netherlands and France. 68% of visitors have a say in purchasing decisions: people who go to AMB usually go with a project in mind.
The mood: investing again, carefully
Not every exhibitor told the same story. Gühring described the economic climate as still challenging for many companies; others, such as Römheld and Open Mind, reported a recovery already showing in orders. The organiser's message was clear: deals were signed at the show, not just discussed.
Three themes ran through the whole programme: automation, artificial intelligence (mostly simulation, digital twins and quality control) and the circular economy. For the first time there was also a defence and security format, run with the German association VDMA.
Launches at the show
Among the toolmakers' stands, these are the ones closest to the daily work of a tool room. Figures and performance are as stated by the manufacturers.
- Horn, S274 system: new sintered chip breakers for turning and parting off on sliding-head lathes; the parting geometry now goes down to 0.6 mm width, so less bar is wasted.
- WhizCut: double-edged parting inserts (WhizTwin), a new range for grooving and turning, and WhizFix 2.0 modular holders to cut setup time.
- Kyocera Unimerco, drill reamer: drills and reams in one pass, with H7 holes in selected steels and cast irons. One tool instead of two.
- Kyocera Unimerco, KGX: one insert platform for external, internal and face grooving, plus parting off.
- SPK Cutting Tools (CeramTec): SiAlON ceramic and CBN inserts and end mills for superalloys and hardened steel, and a ceramic carrier for CBN inserts free of tungsten and cobalt.
- Ceratizit: EcoPeel, a peel-turning system with one insert type for roughing and finishing; ToolSelect, which suggests tools from the 3D model of the part; and buy-back of used carbide for recycling.
- Zoller: smart cabinets that log who takes what, presetting and shrink-fitting in one machine (redomatic 600), and wearCheck, an AI function that rates wear to decide when to change the tool.
- Kyocera Unimerco, CC945: tool management with a vending machine, so you always know what is in stock and what is missing.
In the same week, in Chicago, Kennametal launched KAF82, a carbide grade for 3D printing: hole-finishing tools with internal coolant channels that sintering cannot make, development in weeks instead of months and less tungsten per part. Two major car makers already use it; the powder, however, is not for sale.
What it means for a tool room
Two threads run through almost every launch: using less tungsten, which has become expensive and hard to buy over the last two years, and always knowing where the tools are.
- When choosing a tool, look at ceramic and CBN too, especially on superalloys and hardened steel, and at tools that do two operations in one.
- Used carbide is still worth a lot: collecting it separately and selling it by weight remains one of the easiest sources of income for a tool room.
- Smart cabinets and vending machines are no longer only for big plants: the starting point is still a clean tool numbering system with no duplicates.
The next AMB is in 2028, again in Stuttgart.