Metalworking China is Asia’s flagship in-person trade fair for the sheet-metal, laser and metal-forming industries. Organised by Messe Frankfurt, the 2024 edition runs 24-27 September at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The show occupies eight halls and 90 000 m², uniting 1 200 exhibitors from 25 countries and 42 000 professional visitors. The audience is made up of production managers, R&D engineers, purchasing directors and plant owners from automotive, rail, aerospace, electronics, medical equipment, construction machinery, new-energy vehicles and battery manufacturing who come to source machines, benchmark technology and meet suppliers. The exhibition is grouped into five themed sectors: laser cutting, welding and additive systems; sheet-metal processing; metal-forming machinery; tooling and dies; and factory automation and software. Global market leaders such as Trumpf, Bystronic, Amada, Salvanini, Prima Power, Mitsubishi, Han’s Laser, HSG, Bodor, Huagong, LVD and Kawasaki will launch new fibre-laser cutters, panel benders, servo presses, robotic bending cells, coil-fed blanking lines, ultra-high-speed 20 kW+ laser bevellers and automatic tool-change systems. A 4 000 m² “Smart Factory Live” demonstration area recreates a connected shop-floor where robots, AGVs, 3D vision and MES software produce batches of electric-vehicle battery housings in real time. Parallel conferences tackle lightweight design, energy efficiency and supply-chain resilience. The 2024 Laser Technology Forum on 24 September features keynote speaker Prof. Li Lin, director of the National Laser Processing Centre, on “20 kW+ ultra-high-speed cutting of thick aluminium alloys”. The Automotive Lightweight Joining Conference the same day brings together engineers from SAIC, Tesla Shanghai and BYD to compare laser, friction-stir and adhesive solutions for multi-material car bodies. A two-day Metalforming Summit analyses servo-press trends and tool monitoring. All registered visitors receive free access to the sessions, on-site match-making and shuttle buses. Visitor pre-registration opened in March; admission is 50 RMB on-site. The next edition is scheduled for September 2026 at the same venue.