ISFT 2026: Forming the Future, Today

With the aim to enhance India’s manufacturing ecosystem through knowledge, collaboration, and global best practices, Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA) has announced the 9th International Seminar on Forming Technology (ISFT 2026), on January 22–23, 2026, at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC). The seminar will run concurrently with IMTEX FORMING 2026, IMTMA’s flagship exhibition dedicated to metal forming technologies.

Positioned as one of the most influential knowledge platforms in the manufacturing calendar, ISFT 2026 is expected to attract over 250 delegates from India and abroad. The seminar arrives at a time when forming technologies are rapidly transforming, driven by advanced materials, digitalization, automation, and sustainable imperatives.

With participation from sectors such as Automotive, Aerospace, Defence, and Die & Mold, the seminar serves as a critical convergence point for manufacturing leaders, technology providers, researchers, and solution experts as they navigate the next stage of industrial development.

Linking Insight to Impact

The two-day Seminar has been meticulously curated for high-level decision-makers and technical experts, including manufacturing and production heads, plant managers, tooling and die professionals, and design and R&D experts, as well as specialists in quality, metrology, and process improvement. The agenda reflects the growing need to couple advanced research with real-world manufacturing outcomes.

Agenda with Intent

The ISFT 2026 seminar will feature a robust mix of two keynote presentations, 12 technical presentations, and a thought-provoking panel discussion, encompassing the most disruptive and opportunity-rich trends in metal forming.

The first day of the Seminar will feature an inaugural and keynote session on ‘Innovation, Collaboration, and Skill – The Trifecta for India’s Manufacturing Future’ by FR Singhvi, Joint Managing Director, Sansera Engineering.

The technical sessions will delve into topics such as ‘Agentic Digital Twins for Intelligent Sheet Metal Forming’ by IIT Bombay; ‘Tube Hydroforming of Next Gen Automotive Exhaust Parts’ by Electro Pneumatics & Hydraulics; ‘High Performance Presses for Aerospace and Defence Industries’ from FICEP SpA; and ‘Current Implementation of Additive Manufacturing in the Indian Aerospace Sector and its Critical Qualifications’ by Objectify Technologies.

Day Two includes a high-level panel discussion on ‘Driving India’s Manufacturing Competitiveness: Role of Advanced Forming Technologies in the Era of Smart Manufacturing’.

Technical presentations will explore ‘Press hardening – History and Trends’ by AP&T; ‘Optimizing Tool Steel and PVD Coatings for Efficient High-Tensile Sheet Forming with Reduced Lubricant’ by Voestalpine High Performance Metals India, and ‘Friction Assisted Technology Machines for Parts Manufacturing & Research’ by RV Machine Tools.

In addition, Hindalco will discuss ‘High-Strength Aluminium 7000 Series Sheetmetal: Analysing the Demand, Manufacturing Constraints, and Roadmap for Indigenous Production’; Fronius India ‘Joining Dissimilar Metals through Welding Solutions for Mixed Materials’, and the most important topic on sustainability will be presented by ISGEC – ‘Improving Energy Efficiency in Metal Forming Through Advanced Press Design and Automation’.

Blueprints for Progress

ISFT 2026 is structured around focused knowledge tracks covering forming processes, Manufacturing 4.0, automation & robotics for press lines, engineering intelligence, and future-ready forming technologies. Topics such as hot stamping advances, high-speed stamping challenges, advanced formability simulations, and tool design for UHSS parts reflect the depth and relevance of the program.

The speaker roster features a strong mix of industry and academic expertise, including representation from Sansera Engineering, AP&T Sweden, IIT Bombay, Objectify Technologies, FICEP, Ficep Tech India, RV Machine Tools, Yaskawa India, Fronius India, and Jay Bharat Maruti.

Learning Goes Live

A key takeaway for seminar delegates is exclusive access to IMTEX FORMING 2026, running from January 21–25, 2026. This offers participants the opportunity to gain strategic insights through keynote presentations from industry leaders and technology pioneers and track the latest global trends and developments in forming technology. It also enables them to exchange ideas and concepts with peers, decision-makers, and OEMs, as well as bridge the gap between theory and practice by witnessing live machinery and technologies discussed.

The seminar, with its carefully balanced program, supports IMTMA’s role as a catalyst for industry growth. In a nation that is focusing its keen agenda on advancing manufacturing and global competitiveness, ISFT 2026 stands out as a crucial platform for ideas, insights, and industry-wide collaboration— reflecting the transformation underway in forming technology.

To register: https://www.isft.imtma.in/delegate_registration