With less than 100 days to go before it opens, Simodec 2026 is clarifying its positioning. Thanks to the innovations and expertise of exhibitors and partners, discussions during the show will open up new perspectives for everyone. From 2 to 6 March 2026, this biennial event will support the economic, technological and human future of the bar turning and precision machining industry.
Bar turning and precision machining, a professional positioning
Today more than ever, the positioning of a trade show is crucial to its success. After celebrating its 70th anniversary at the 2024 edition, the Rochexpo association has just clarified the positioning of the SIMODEC show, with the informed advice of SN Dec, the professional union and partner. Historically, the two organizations adopt the terminology of “bar turning and precision machining” to define the scope of the industry they are jointly committed to supporting and developing. These terms are now incorporated into the SIMODEC 2026 logo. Concretely, Rochexpo is expanding its offering to include specialty and capacity subcontracting. The opening of this subcontracting village to specialists involves design offices and workshops for sharpening, tooling and prototyping, heat and surface treatment, washing, grinding, rolling, barrel finishing, polishing, quality control, and assembly. Companies practicing electrical discharge machining, additive manufacturing, cutting-stamping, sheet metal work, and plastic injection will also be accepted, often complementing the supply of screw machined and precision machined parts. Additionally, capacity subcontractors in precision machining are also included in this village. It will be built around a welcoming square, with accessible, harmonious, and pre-equipped stands. By supporting this creation with the Subcontracting Trophy, highlighting high-quality and local procurement, Rochexpo fully embraces its role as an economic driver for the SIMODEC exhibition for SMEs. Ready to accept applications in this regard, the ROCHEXPO team aims to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s industrial challenges, with professionals and for professionals.
Photo illustrations CP4-1 to CP4-3.
Finding the keys to adopting AI in production.
Automotive, aerospace, medical, energy, communication, banking, defense… all human activities are now digital and are experiencing upheavals related to AI applications. Analytical software already assists in monitoring manufacturing processes. The massive arrival of artificial intelligence will multiply, or even exponentially increase, their working power. Deep learning allows this capability to be permanently improved, while passing on acquired experience almost automatically. At SIMODEC 2026, visitors will be able to observe this evolution in the monitoring of machine tools and their production, automatic tool corrections, measurement systems, and maintenance. Most of the world’s manufacturers of machine tools dedicated to bar turning and precision machining are present at SIMODEC. They are bringing their latest innovations from EMO 2025. Additionally, specialized automation integrators, production management, and quality control companies will exhibit at SIMODEC 2026. Meeting these highly skilled exhibitors, along with the roundtables, conferences, and workshops organized by our partners, will help better understand the impact on the professions and how to best approach this evolution. The greatest profitability of artificial intelligence will come from its adoption by the women and men who are going to use it.
Photo CP4-4 to CP4-7
The 2026 Trophies increasingly demanding
Constantly evolving, the organization of the Innovation Trophies also reflects the desire to serve the industry with standards of excellence. The jury is made up of screw machine operators and machinists, teachers from regional technical high schools and universities, professionals in metalworking research and studies, and journalists from the trade press, partners of the exhibition. Based on a multi-criteria scoring system, the scores determining the six winners are awarded after compiling a technical file and conducting a discussion of the same duration for all nominees with the jury. This rigor aims to ensure fair treatment of the files, to guarantee a label recognized by professionals. For the past two years, the review of the Innovation Trophies from the previous decade has been featured in SIMODEC’s monthly Newsletter. This publication highlights the usefulness of the products showcased in previous editions, as well as the relevance of the choices made by successive juries, for professionals in Swiss-type turning and precision machining.
Photo CP4-8 to CP4-10:
The transmission of skills and know-how at SMILE 2026
Primarily dedicated to exchanges between professionals, the SIMODEC exhibition never forgets its role in transmitting knowledge. Together with its partners, numerous initiatives will be carried out in 2026 to introduce regional high school and university students to current technologies and manufacturing methods for Swiss-type turning and precision machining. To allow nearly 2,000 students and job seekers to learn about the professions and operation of the industrial company, an area of 600 m² is dedicated to SMILE. Dedicated to an original exploration of the professions in the bar turning and precision machining industry, this space contains a reconstructed company. It allows school visitors, young people in vocational training, and adults in career transition to experience industrial jobs through fun, interactive, and innovative activities. They learn and gain understanding through direct exchanges with professionals in the field. This 12th edition continues and strengthens the renewal of the SMILE event format, which began in 2024. OPEN SMILE also welcomes 3,000 visitors throughout the year in its permanent, interactive, and digital version installed at ID Center in Cluses.
Photos CP4-11 to CP4-12
The Keys to Inclusion for People with Disabilities
Promoting the inclusion of people with invisible disabilities within companies is a performance lever that is too often overlooked. Within companies, employees with atypical behavior possess real creative talents that are often underappreciated. AI now allows better integration of these employees by automating complex tasks. The support available to companies can thus be directly beneficial, and even funded by the government. By better understanding atypical individuals and valuing them, companies gain both in humanity and performance. However, recruiting and managing these atypical profiles cannot be improvised. A roundtable in the auditorium and several conferences bringing together specialists in these disabilities and industrial users will take place at SIMODEC 2026. By better understanding how they function, and by discovering how to manage and motivate these individuals, these events organized around the employability of atypical profiles in the industry aim to optimize the hidden talents of “non-standard” human resources.
Manufacturing & Engineering Magazine | The Home of Manufacturing Industry News
