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Photonics and Precision Trade Shows 2027 for Low-Expansion Parts Buyers

By Invar Machining editorial team· Published October 25, 2026 · How we write these guides

East entrance of the Messe München trade fair centre with Laser World of Photonics and World of Quantum signs above the doors and visitors walking in
Photo: Derbrauni, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (File:Laser World of Photonics 01.jpg, the 2022 edition)

Five fairs matter for a buyer of low-expansion parts for photonics: SPIE Photonics West in San Francisco, LASER World of Photonics in Shanghai and in Munich, SPIE Optics + Photonics in San Diego and OPTATEC in Frankfurt. The 2027 dates and the 2028 OPTATEC date below come from organiser pages, apart from SPIE Optics + Photonics, which we could not confirm. A fair will not give you a part. It tells you which suppliers work with Invar, Super Invar and Kovar, and how they talk about measurement, and that is the useful half. This page is a calendar and a method.

The calendar, 2027 and 2028

Dates are as given by the organiser on the page listed in the sources, as of October 2026. Confirm on the organiser site before booking travel, because fairs change dates and halls.

Event Dates City Organiser source Scope in the organiser’s words
SPIE Photonics West Conference 30 January to 4 February 2027; BiOS Expo 30 to 31 January; Photonics West Exhibition 2 to 4 February San Francisco, Moscone Center SPIE press release, 14 October 2026 SPIE says it draws 24,000 researchers, engineers, students and business leaders, with more than 1,400 exhibitors expected
LASER World of PHOTONICS CHINA 8 to 10 March 2027 Shanghai, SNIEC Messe München Photonics trade fair of the Messe München group, organised by Messe Muenchen Shanghai Co., Ltd.
LASER World of PHOTONICS Munich 22 to 25 June 2027; World of Photonics Congress 20 to 25 June Munich, Messe München World of Photonics page Integrated photonics, optics, biophotonics and medical engineering, laser systems for industrial production, sensors and optical measurement
SPIE Optics + Photonics Not confirmed by the organiser as of October 2026 San Diego SPIE pages did not open for us Third-party listings place it in the late summer; check spie.org
OPTATEC 9 to 11 May 2028 (biennial) Frankfurt Organiser page, P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG The organiser lists the 18th OPTATEC on these dates

Two more points on the calendar. SPIE’s site returned a bot-check page when we tried to open the Photonics West and Optics + Photonics pages, so the Photonics West dates come from SPIE’s own press release, which gives the same dates for the conference, the BiOS Expo and the exhibition. Listings elsewhere show only the 2 to 4 February exhibition days, which fits the split in the release. Photonics West 2028 and any Munich edition after 2027 are not confirmed by the organiser as of October 2026.

The LASER World of Photonics page also lists World of Quantum (22 to 25 June 2027) and automatica (22 to 25 June 2027), both in Munich, with the World of Photonics Congress from 20 to 25 June. The organiser describes clear overlaps between these fairs. A buyer of structures for laser systems or inspection stations can see optics, automation and quantum suppliers in one trip.

What a visit can and cannot do for an Invar buyer

A fair can do three things:

  • Show who works in the low-expansion range. Use the exhibitor directory to search for the alloy names, “opto-mechanical”, “precision machining” and “vacuum”. We have not checked which categories each directory uses, so search by keyword, not by category.
  • Let you compare how suppliers talk about measurement. Ask each how they inspect at 20 °C, how long a part soaks and what the report shows. Our guide to inspection temperature and metrology room rules lists the answers to listen for.
  • Put a physical sample in your hand. A finished part shows surface, edge break and flatness better than a photo.

A fair cannot qualify a supplier, confirm a lead time or settle a tolerance. A salesperson at a booth will not know the material lead time on your size. Treat anything promised at a fair as a question to repeat in a written quote.

What to bring

Item Why
A drawing or sketch with alloy, UNS number and reference temperature Gives the supplier something concrete; see the RFQ drawing checklist
Critical tolerances and the feature they apply to Separates what must hold from what can relax
Quantity per year and prototype quantity A one-off and a repeat part are quoted differently
Your inspection requirement Tests whether the supplier works to a stated temperature
Whether you supply the bar Changes the material line; see buyer-supplied material

Questions to ask on the floor

  1. Which low-expansion alloys do you cut, and in what size range?
  2. Where does stress relief happen and at what point in the sequence?
  3. At what temperature do you inspect, and how long does a part soak first?
  4. What is on the inspection report?
  5. How do you handle a change to the drawing after the order?

None of these has one right answer. A supplier who answers with specifics (temperatures, hours, report contents) is more useful than one who answers with a certificate list. For more on the wording of these answers, see our guide to finding an Invar machine shop with real experience.

Which fair for which part

Choose by end market, since no public source ranks fairs for Invar parts.

After the show: drawing, soak, report

The route from a card in your pocket to a part is the same as without a show.

  1. Drawing. Add the reference temperature and the thermal notes. Read drawing thermal notes first.
  2. Soak. Agree how long parts rest at the inspection temperature before measurement.
  3. Report. Ask for the measurement temperature, the soak time and the results on the report.

If a supplier you met at a fair cannot quote against those three, move on. If you want to widen the field before you decide, send the drawing through our RFQ form. We reply within 24 business hours and match you with up to 3 shops that cut the alloy and can run the stress relief your part needs.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Which photonics trade show is best for sourcing precision parts?

No public data ranks them for Invar parts. Choose by the end market your part serves and by region, then read the exhibitor list. LASER World of Photonics in Munich lists optics, laser systems for industrial production and optical measurement among its topics, and OPTATEC is held every two years in Frankfurt. The calendar on this page gives each organiser's own description.

Do I need to go to a show to buy Invar parts?

No. A drawing and a clear reference temperature get a quote without travel. A fair helps when you do not yet know who works with low-expansion alloys, or when you want to see how a supplier handles measurement. Most of the work still happens after the show, with a drawing.

What should I bring to a trade show to discuss an Invar part?

A drawing or a sketch with the alloy, the reference temperature for the dimensions, the critical tolerances and the quantity per year. Also bring your inspection requirement, because the supplier's answer on how it measures says more than its answer on price.

When are the next dates of LASER World of Photonics in Munich?

The organiser page lists the 2027 edition on 22 to 25 June 2027 in Munich and announces no later Munich edition as of October 2026. Check the organiser site for later dates.

Reviewed against

Values in this guide are typical handbook figures for planning. The mill certificate for your heat lot and the shop's quote for your geometry govern.

Need a quote for this part?

Send the drawing. We match you with up to 3 shops that machine Invar and reply within 24 business hours.

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