Ahead of the annual FABTECH metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing expo in Atlanta, Georgia, this week, here are the new products we are excited to see. 

CHICAGO — Organizers are loudly calling Fabtech 2017 a success, as the Nov. 6-9 event at Chicago’s McCormick Place conference facility attracted almost 45,000.

Sheet metal forming conference Fabtech has a new logo.

Here at Fabtech, I had a chance to see the Vulcan Laser-Max on display and contrast it with other laser cutting equipment.

This year’s Fabtech show, which takes place Nov. 16-18 in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Convention Center, will include an education program of industry speakers who will present on a variety of topics.  

The last time Fabtech visited Chicago, it coincided with tornadoes and severe thunderstorms that pummeled Illinois the day before the show opened. 

Exhibitors I spoke to were uniformly happy, and the show was nice and loud, with plenty of sheet metal works punching, banging and welding on display — just the way organizers like it.