AUTOMATE CONFERENCE AGENDA

This talk will examine case studies from the automotive industry involving the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) for vision-guided robotic applications. 

All these projects were retrofits of manual processes performed by operators, robotic processes without vision or cells using conventional vision technologies. We will be joined for the talk by the project participants.

The presenters will cover the following topics:

• The main driver of process retrofitting—quality and eliminating stops to production.
• Process and mechanical redesign requirements to use vision systems for robotic guidance.
• Expected and resulting performance from work cell retrofits.
• Project teams' learnings, including new skill requirements for implementing vision-guided robotics.

In the age of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and EdgeAI computing, the landscape of cybersecurity faces unprecedented challenges. Unlike traditional systems, IIoT and EdgeAI compute extend connectivity to a vast array of equipment, field devices, and employee gadgets. This connectivity revolutionizes automation and remote asset management but introduces a labyrinth of security concerns. In this complex realm, our talk delves into three crucial aspects:

Firstly, we analyze the ever-evolving trends in cybersecurity within IIoT and Edge infrastructure. As IIoT adoption grows, so do bad actors looking to compromise the network. 

Secondly, we explore the industry response to these challenges, focusing on the adoption of IIoT cybersecurity requirements and standards at both industry and regional levels. Examining how different sectors tackle these issues provides valuable insights into creating future-proof security frameworks.

Lastly, we investigate the art of crafting a successful, secure solution. This involves a comprehensive review of key security tools that not only maximize user experience but also deliver best-in-class security. Balancing usability with robust protection is a crucial aspect of ensuring IIoT systems remain resilient in the face of evolving threats.

As IIoT and EdgeAI compute continue to reshape the industrial landscape, addressing cybersecurity concerns is imperative. This talk serves as a guide to navigating the complexities of IIoT cybersecurity, offering insights into current trends, industry responses, and the tools necessary for building secure, efficient systems.

Within the ROS-Industrial Consortium, there has been a development vehicle called Focused Technical Projects (FTPs) which have sought to build out foundational capability at a more application level and demonstrate it through example applications. One of those initiatives has been Robotic Blending, which takes the Scan-N-Plan framework and applies it to surface processing applications. Most recently via a collaboration with the Steel Founders' Society of America, the Robotic Blending Milestone 5 FPT was launched and completed resulting in improvements to open-source tools and a foundational application that may be replicated for additional foundry end-users within their shop environments.

This talk will share the developments and the method for validating, as well as the foundations that were left at a collaboration University to enable them to develop additional capabilities leveraging ROS but ensure they are easily consumed by stakeholders. It is anticipated that additional universities will seek to add the framework to their lab systems to enable furthering component technologies to increase the array of processing that is capable. The foundation is the already open-source scan_n_plan workshop which has been featured in numerous demonstration venues and training workshops and is also available open source for further application development.

Collaborative robots were pioneered for businesses that had been left behind by traditional robotics. Almost 20 years later, cobots have become the fastest-growing segment of the robotics industry, driven by users who keep finding more areas of production for cobots to add value. Universal Robots even manages an ecosystem of over 400 pre-integrated products designed to put cobots to work across this ever-growing range of tasks and processes. The team overseeing this UR+ ecosystem is obsessed with finding the future of cobots: so what do they see cobots doing in the next 24 to 36 months?

Join Mike DeGrace, UR+ Ecosystem Manager, as he shares the most exciting new technologies and partnerships in the UR+ ecosystem and explores the emerging cobot use cases he sees in the market.

Daniel Zindl, Chief Product Officer at AGILOX, a leading technology company for AMR solutions, will discuss current market trends and developments in the autonomous mobile robot industry. He will provide insights into how AMRs can enhance manufacturing and warehousing processes for increased efficiency and offer valuable perspectives on successful applications. Furthermore, he will share his outlook on AMR innovations and how simulation-based robot prototyping can accelerate the realization of dark warehouses, potentially faster than initially anticipated. Join Daniel in an engaging speaker session on AMR innovations and discover how smart robot solutions can automate up to 80% of all transportation processes within a facility.

When I originally started my first company in 2010 it was not in additive, it was a mechanical engineering firm and to this day I still operate that business and we specialize in designing factory automation equipment. For the first 5 years when we were just an engineering firm, I was always keeping an eye on 3D Printing and its capabilities while thinking “Why are we not using this technology to make parts for all the machines we are designing”? The gap I kept finding that separated these two markets was that machine designers/builders did not know what additive technologies were capable of and additive manufacturers did not understand what these machine builders' true needs were (or what they were even trying to do). In 2016 I set out to bridge that gap with the acquisition of our local additive part supplier and the formation of our 3DP business unit. Since that point, my team and I have made it our mission to help educate machine build and automation companies about the potential for additive manufacturing beyond the simple jigs and fixtures.

When designing a machine vision system for high-magnification applications, selecting the correct microscope objective is critical. Often, microscope objectives are selected based on their numerical aperture (NA) as this specification is thought to describe the objective’s resolving power; however, this does not tell the whole story. This presentation will go over what defines a microscope objective’s performance and how this can be applied when developing high-magnification machine vision systems.

Industrial Robots are the heart of Lean Manufacturing and are vital to the current vibrant manufacturing economy in North America.  The “Getting Started with Robotics” presentation is an introduction to the Industrial Robotics or Flexible Automation Industry.  We will explore Robot-Based Automation Systems to include how the industry functions, why to choose robot-based automation, principles of system integration, general principles of robot technology, the business case for automating and calculating ROI plus the common mistakes made in Robot Integration. The attendees will learn through discussion and evaluating system photos and videos illustrating various robotic-based flexible automation systems.

Demonstrating safety to customers and code authorities is key to expanding your business opportunities for robot systems, industrial mobile robots, and commercial robots. Verification and validation are an important foundation for conveying safety to customers and demonstrating enhanced safety testing can be crucial in opening up expanded sales markets in a range of industries, including manufacturing, logistics, and commercial service markets with potential public interaction, such as hospitals, restaurants, delivery and more.

This session will demonstrate how testing to UL robotics standards can help further demonstrate safety for robots, components, and systems, including fire and shock risks, energy & battery system hazards, functional safety, object detection & avoidance, and injury hazards. Learn how testing to UL robotics standards can help complement your A3/RIA verification and validation to open up new business segments and market opportunities for your robotics products.

We will discuss different types of bin picking, review how we define “does it work”, review examples that we think to work, and highlight what we believe are critical variables and strategies for automated bin picking systems.  Examples will focus on sheet metal parts and assemblies that are common in the automotive industry.

My area of research interest lies where medicine and robotics intersect.  This includes where they currently intersect as well as where they can intersect in the future.  More specifically, as Director of the BioRobotics Lab at the Cleveland Clinic we have created a center of excellence for biomechanical testing of biological structures and biomaterials. Our mission is to employ world-class facilities to allow investigators to conduct high-quality research on the mechanical properties of existing biological structures and constructs, as well as to quantify the potential for new technologies and clinical advancements.  The robotic systems we developed allow researchers to simulate loading conditions on a cadaveric joint by using actuators to simulate muscle forces while simultaneously applying external loads to the joint.  Applications of this type of testing are numerous and can be used to provide insights into orthopedics, joint kinematics, surgical techniques, and disease pathologies. Applications of the enabling technology have benefits in manufacturing.

This session will focus on:

1. A general overview of our lab and how we are enabling researchers around the world to advance patient care with multi-axis robotic force control
2. The underlying force control technologies that make this research possible and how they have been shown to have applicability in manufacturing for worker safety and productivity
3. The key features that robot manufacturers should provide to enable this technology on their platforms

The landscape of manufacturing processes is evolving as established standards such as ISA 95 (Process Event Model), ISA 106 (Procedure Model), and ISA 112 (SCADA Standard) transition towards an event-driven paradigm. This shift aims to provide a unified operator experience and augmented capabilities. Advancements in technology platforms for Event Generation, Event Processing, and Event Correlation, bolstered by AI/ML models, are opening up extensive possibilities for IT/OT convergence. This convergence aims to harmonize data, offering a comprehensive operator view of equipment and process performance.

Nevertheless, despite these technological strides, organizational maturity lags. The struggle persists as IT champions digital transformation and IoT with relational database technology, while OT leans towards time series databases for Unit operation PLC/SCADA. This incongruity leads to redundant solutions and a resource-intensive approach, prolonging the achievement of comprehensive automated manufacturing management solutions. Consequently, real-time operator engagement and production management suffer setbacks, culminating in downtime, scrap, and reliance on manual or Excel-based workarounds.

The alignment of IT/OT silos with daily production issues poses a formidable challenge. The proclivity of IT and supply chain professionals toward procedure-centric MES clashes with the inclination of OT/Operations personnel toward machine-centric MES. The inevitable turf battles between IT and OT can be mitigated through an Event-Driven IT/OT convergence production model. While these battles may not be entirely avoided, they can certainly be minimized when all stakeholders rally around a shared Event-Driven IT/OT production model.

The focal point of this presentation is to elucidate the approach of a production model for IT/OT convergence. This model not only addresses the ongoing issues arising from disparate approaches but also strives to pave the way for smoother alignment, reduced conflicts, and enhanced collaboration among stakeholders in pursuit of effective and harmonized manufacturing management.

Learn about the recent revisions to ISO 10218-1 and ISO 10218-2 and how they affect your operations.

Material removal is the removal of unwanted material from a workpiece. This is usually done through processes described as deburring, grinding, or polishing. Typically, the material to be removed remains from a previous manufacturing process like turning, milling, welding, etc. This unwanted material can cause interference during assembly operations, increased wear or premature failure on mating parts, safety concerns due to sharp edges and hazardous tasks, poor aesthetics from manufacturing defects, or an increase in corrosion rate. Oftentimes material removal is a step in the manufacturing process that isn’t considered until late in the process. Machine tools are typically large capital investments, but often they are used to do basic material removal functions that can be done outside of the machine improving throughput and reducing cycle time. Automated material removal outside of a machine tool with a robot and some specialty tools can help solve these issues and concerns. 

If a material removal task isn’t being done by a machine tool, oftentimes it is done post-process by humans. Typically, material removal processes are repetitive, dirty, and even dangerous. Doing the same task with sharp or rotating tools repeatedly during a shift is unergonomic and can result in varying output quality throughout a shift. Sometimes the quality variations can be severe enough that workpieces are defective and must be scrapped, resulting in increased manufacturing costs. Automating manual processes results in improved quality and consistency. This is not an easy task due to variations in workpieces, but there are ways to account for these deviations and successfully automate difficult material removal tasks. 

Several methods can be applied to increase success in an automated material removal process. Reducing errors in positioning and locating, increasing measurement capability, and material removal tool compensation can be combined or utilized individually to secure processes. The benefits of automated material removal are clear, but in many manufacturing environments, it has yet to be widely implemented. In this session, we will discuss the opportunities and challenges of automating a material removal process. The audience will learn the different types of material removal and how they can be used to address different defects in workpieces. We will discuss real-world application examples and how different variables can affect the success level of automation integration and the speed at which it is deployed.

For the past 30 years, industrial automation has undergone relatively few changes to the way automation is designed and deployed. Traditional automation technology was developed (and priced) for high-throughput manufacturing, making it most accessible to those who could afford complex, custom integration services. This left small and medium-sized businesses, the ones who would benefit from the democratization of automation, behind.

Over the past year, Vention has done extensive research on the impact that recent innovations, specifically the platforming of industrial automation, have had on the industry. We found that small and medium-sized businesses that were previously hindered by capital investment barriers are now leading the charge in adopting the Manufacturing Automation Platform (MAP) and do-it-yourself (DIY) automation because of their accessibility and low barrier to entry. The result? More manufacturers are leveraging their internal resources to create the Advanced Manufacturing Team.

Supported by intuitive and easy-to-use technology, Advanced Manufacturing Teams are built to drive the industrial automation roadmap across manufacturing plants, regrouping expertise in mechanical design, industrial control, and robotics into one team. Instead of relying on external engineering service firms, these teams embrace DIY industrial automation technologies and resources within MAP, such as user forums and an e-commerce website, alongside easier-to-use industrial automation components, to develop deep process knowledge and deploy self-designed automated solutions themselves.

This session will dive into Vention’s research on DIY automation and the Advanced Manufacturing Team. The research spans over one year and looks at manufacturers from small to enterprise size, and across 17 different industries to create a holistic view of manufacturer adoption patterns of DIY automation.

In this session, we will dive into the transformative world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in manufacturing. As the manufacturing landscape rapidly evolves, embracing AI-driven solutions is no longer a choice but a necessity for staying competitive.

Our expert will guide you through the process of developing, implementing, and scaling AI solutions tailored to manufacturing environments. We'll explore real-world case studies, demonstrating how AI enhances quality control, predictive maintenance, and overall operational efficiency.

Learn about the crucial considerations for data acquisition, model training, and scalability while ensuring a robust deployment strategy. Discover how AI can drive innovation, reduce costs, and unlock new possibilities for your manufacturing business.

Join us to unlock the full potential of AI in manufacturing, and position your organization for success in the Industry 4.0 era.

Seemingly daily advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are driving intense interest in harnessing AI in just about everything—and many people are already using AI-enhanced applications as part of their daily lives. While we have seen a remarkable spread of AI into business and software applications, the Industrial Automation sector has hesitated to leverage AI due to the real complexities of their applications. However, these advancements are steadily bridging the gap and AI’s increasing capabilities are unlocking the potential in applications that have historically been beyond its limits. 

This talk aims to provide attendees with a comprehensive overview of the key considerations and best practices for assessing and evaluating AI systems in mission-critical industrial applications to ensure they not only meet the application's needs but also the risks and corresponding mitigations have been carefully considered and accounted for. In industrial applications, the "cost of a mistake” can be severe. When chatbots make a mistake, it can be funny. When self-driving cars make a mistake, it can be tragic.  

This talk will explore state-of-the-art techniques and tools for validating AI models and performance metrics tailored to specific industrial use cases and highlight the need for rigorous error analysis and the development of fail-safe mechanisms to mitigate risks. We will discuss real-world case studies demonstrating the impact of AI failures and the strategies employed to prevent and manage such incidents. We will delve into the significance of robust testing frameworks to ensure the reliability and performance of AI models. We will emphasize the importance of repeatability and stability, particularly in the face of new training data, which is essential for maintaining the integrity of AI systems over time. 

By the end of this talk, attendees will have a solid understanding of the critical aspects of evaluating AI solutions in industrial applications and be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to make informed decisions when implementing AI systems. 

In this session, you’ll hear from subject matter experts who have taken their ARM Institute projects from funding to real-impact on U.S. manufacturing. You’ll walk away from this session with an understanding of advancements catalyzed by the ARM Institute, how you can become involved, best practices for projects that bridge the gaps between industry, government, and academia, and more.

While every building and process is different, many can benefit from the intelligent application of technology. Discover how you can optimize your existing footprint: increase storage, decrease labor, multiply production, safeguard assets, and enhance timeliness.

Attendees will learn how to design a scalable solution that matches the needs of their business today and into the future, without investing significant capital. Onshoring and nearshoring will drive changes in how facilities operate for years to come. Learn how to adapt and provide your customers secure and timely access to their components.

Critically, attendees will be able to determine how to benchmark their process to find where the greatest value can be driven through intelligent automation.

Many automation plans and roadmaps either lose steam, focus, fail to return on investments, or all of the above. 

Whether you already have an automation roadmap, or you know you need to create one, this session will give you in-depth insights into what has a strategy succeed, and what are pitfalls you need to avoid. 

Strategy topics will include:

• Stakeholder Engagement
• CapEx Planning
• Standard Specifications and Data Organization
• Integrator Selection
• Workforce Development
• Importance of an Automation Opportunity Matrix
• And more!

Do you have a roadmap?  Are you as far along on your automation plan as planned?  Are you getting the return that you promised?  How to select your integrator?  Where do you start?

Start your automation journey with a clear path forward to the fastest, plant or companywide implementation possible.

Prepare to delve deep into the world of 3D technology through this comprehensive seminar dedicated to the science of depth sensing. We will focus on two distinct techniques — active-stereo vision and time-of-flight (TOF) — that form the backbone of modern 3D imaging. This seminar aims to equip you with a foundation of knowledge that can be integrated into your automation applications.

We will begin by examining the fundamental principles behind each technique to provide an understanding of how these technologies operate, setting the stage for informed decision-making. Every technology possesses its unique strengths and inherent limitations. Through a comparative analysis, we will shine a spotlight on these aspects of each of the two techniques. By the end of our exploration, you'll possess an awareness of the situations where active-stereo vision and TOF cameras excel, as well as the scenarios that may present challenges.

You will gain a holistic view of the impact of 3D imaging on various industries as we explore real-world success stories where these technologies have been used to achieve remarkable results. Explore the cutting-edge advancements and emerging technologies that are poised to shape the landscape of automation and beyond. By the end of this session, you will possess the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions when selecting the most suitable 3D technology for your automation applications.

World Wide Fittings, Inc. is a 70-year-old company that manufactures steel and stainless steel hydraulics fittings in 11 facilities spanning 3 continents. When supply chain issues made getting parts from their Asian facilities impractical, Illinois-based manufacturer World Wide Fittings, Inc (WWF) needed to increase their domestic manufacturing capability while maintaining a high level of productivity and quality.  Increasing domestic output would lessen the impact of the supply chain issues, but domestic production had to do more than just shorten delivery times:  The facilities had to achieve a high level of productivity and efficiency to stay competitive.  Fortunately for them, the answer was just across from their parking lot.

While there were numerous processes that they could start with, WWF started with a straightforward project to automate the loading and unloading of one of their CNC lathes. They opted for a complete turn-key system including the robot, gripper/end effector, controls, an HMI, and safety.  The results exceeded expectations:  in addition to the automation of the load/unload process, machine utilization increased from 70% to 95%.  The system featured storage for 4 hours of incoming parts as well as the same amount for the storage of completed parts.  This enabled the lathe to run unattended through breaks and beyond the end of the typical workday.  WWF is expecting a Return on Investment of less than 24 months.  Due to the success of this project, WWF is looking to automate similar processes within their facilities and increase their U.S.-based manufacturing.  Per Sean McCarthy, President/Owner of World Wide Fittings: “Bottom line, they’re helping us expand our domestic manufacturing and keep it at a competitive level.  That’s good for us, good for our employees, and good for the country.”

This session will go through the process of how WWF, Mitsubishi Electric Automation, and SCADAware worked together to identify and evaluate candidate applications, determine which one to start with, and customize the design to meet the goals and ROI requirements that WWF needed to cost justify the project.

Over the last few years, the robotics landscape has witnessed a remarkable surge in the number of companies entering the field. As a result, end users looking to augment their operations with automation must navigate a complex maze of technologies and work with multiple vendors. Fragmentation within the industry is a problem that hinders the rapid adoption of robotics solutions.

The answer to these challenges is collaboration. In this presentation, InOrbit CEO, Florian Pestoni, will explore the evolving robotics ecosystem and demonstrate how fostering a sense of community at multiple levels can yield significant benefits for all stakeholders. This model will be illustrated by real-world orchestration of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) from partners such as Mobile Industrial Robots (part of Teradyne), Clearpath/OTTO Motors (part of Rockwell Automation), and Kärcher.

Despite the fears of commoditization from some early market entrants, a thriving ecosystem that supports interoperability is not a zero-sum game. Collaboration across vendors grows the overall market and participants are still free to differentiate. By facilitating the coexistence, coordination, and ultimately collaboration between different robots, the ecosystem can better serve the nearly unbounded need for automation from end users.

But this is not enough. A broader community that encompasses academics, educators, and students at all stages, as well as practitioners and makers, ensures that more talent and, yes, more companies will keep growing the ecosystem. Standards initiatives also play a pivotal role as the industry matures, although progress is slow and these efforts often struggle to keep up with a quickly-changing landscape.

Explore the transformative potential of collaboration in robotics and learn how it is shaping the future of the industry. Together, we will pave the way for a more integrated, accessible, and efficient world of robotics.

Collaborative robots (cobots) have transformed automation across diverse industries. Over the past decade, cobot applications have evolved from simple pick-and-place tasks to more complex functions such as inspection, welding, material handling, machine loading, and palletizing. Today, the potential impact of cobots even extends to the finishing and coating industry. In this session, we'll explore the numerous advantages of integrating cobots into your production process, including:

• Minimized Programming and Integration Time - Cobots streamline the setup process, especially in low-volume, high-mix shops. Their "easy-teach" features, including drag-and-drop programming and "lead-through teach" significantly reduce the learning curve, and fast implementation leads to higher production efficiencies.
• Human-Cobot Collaboration - Unlike traditional robots, cobots allow people to work alongside them. Force-sensing technology ensures safe interaction within the cobot’s workspace. In addition, a collaborative approach enhances flexibility and adaptability.
• Accessible Automation - First-time users can program cobots on day one. The ease of use makes automation feasible for businesses of all sizes, and their accessibility empowers small- and medium-sized enterprises to embrace automation more readily.
• Higher Consistency and Precision - Cobot arms move at a constant speed, ensuring consistency and higher quality with precision and repeatability.
• Speed and Efficiency - Cobots offer fast production cycles, helping reduce overall lead time and improving efficiency.
• Cost Savings - Cobots minimize the need for expensive safety guarding, and their compact size requires less floor space. In addition, cobots may be used to handle repetitive tasks allowing human workers to focus on value-added activities.

AI has been top of mind for every business for over a year now, but how do we bring the rapid advancement of technology to practical applications on the manufacturing floor and fulfillment center?

OnLogic is a leading provider of Edge Hardware and AI solutions. We work closely with our customers and partners to reinvent our customer’s workflows and make their operations more efficient. In this presentation, we will review several examples focusing primarily on the manufacturing and logistics industry to illustrate how AI can be utilized to drive automation to the next level.

Robotics technology providers can’t operate in a bubble. Ensuring that robotics innovations can be easily adopted and integrated by manufacturers of all sizes is critical. Join this session to better understand the opportunities and challenges (both business and technical) that come with making robotics technology more accessible, learn about best practices, hear from subject matter experts who are working on this issue, and join an interactive discussion on possible solutions.

In today's rapidly evolving industrial landscape, automation has transcended from a mere technological advancement to a strategic imperative. The transformative potential of automation is undeniable, promising increased operational efficiency, reduced costs, enhanced product quality, and heightened competitiveness. Yet, for many organizations, the path to automation remains unclear.

In this comprehensive session, you will gain a profound understanding of automation's transformative power, the crucial role of systems integrators, and how to strategically navigate the automation journey. Whether you're new to automation or a seasoned professional, these insights will empower you to harness automation's full potential and drive success in an ever-evolving industrial landscape.

In the contemporary industrial landscape, safeguarding control data through robust backup strategies is of paramount importance. While IT departments have long prioritized business data backups, the intricate manufacturing environment is often heavily reliant on workers physically connecting PCs to PLCs with backups not happening on a regular and consistent basis. Even with these manual processes to backup machines and devices, in addition to diverse automation programs, there is no way to know if code was changed, when, why, or by whom, leading to vulnerabilities in the system.

By contrast, modern backup solutions eliminate these manual and tedious tasks. More importantly, these solutions enable the visualization of code that is running on the plant floor and provide visual comparisons to previous versions. Custom alerts to popular business apps, such as Slack and Jira, can be sent when changes are detected, and automatic backups can be scheduled and run on demand. This superior visibility and control accelerate troubleshooting and maintenance to help prevent downtime and recover quickly when it occurs.

This presentation will explore the risks and challenges of current backup practices, and provide modern solutions that provide automated backups and additional benefits.

To do Robotic Abrasive Processing correctly and gain the full ROI an End Customer & SI are looking for, it takes an ecosystem of partnerships. Featuring real-world examples from both the technical and business side, this presentation will apply beyond Robotic Abrasive Processing to give insights and learnings that can be applied to your area of automation expertise.

3M Abrasive Robotics Application Engineer Tyler Naatz, and 3M Senior Global Robotics Portfolio Manager Michelle Frumkin, discuss the types of players it takes to be successful, why it's good that everyone has their expertise, the different types of partnerships there are, and the aspects of how to make those partnerships work.

To realize the full potential of warehouse automation, new robots need to be flexible to handle multiple tasks at multiple sites in the warehouse. Palletizing, depalletizing, truck loading, truck unloading - how can one robot handle it all?

Join us as we discuss how new approaches in AI, reinforcement learning, and sensing combine with classic controls to make off-the-shelf robot hardware capable of tackling some of the most complex challenges in material handling. Rather than waiting for the next generation of robots, let's help robotic hardware gain new skills at the speed of software.

The session will provide an overview of current applications of AI technology in manufacturing and robotics. Starting with AI as a tool for engineering in the form of Copilots for writing software, generating specifications but also finding relevant documentation, the talk will also cover other AI applications such as AI for data analysis, AI systems as user interfaces in the factory.

It will also cover the role of standardization as a mechanism to enable AI systems to interact with factory automation systems and robotics and present the goals of the newly created AI working group in the OPC Foundation towards enabling this. An outlook to the role of AI in new forms of robotics such as humanoids will conclude the session.

If you’ve ever had to select lighting for a machine vision application, you know that the wrong lighting can derail a project. By the time you realize, you have to spend extra on redesign and leave your customers hanging with an uncertain delivery window.

The pitfalls that lead to engineer's improper lighting are rooted in 5 key misconception "themes":

1. Considering the vision portion too late
2. Scope and scope creep
3. Samples and machine environment conditions
4. Previous application experience
5. Seeing versus detecting defects

Knowing what causes applications to get derailed and delayed means those mistakes can be avoided and projects can be successful with the right lighting solution.

We'll explore what the incorrect assumptions are, why they are incorrect, and what to do instead.

There is no shortage of articles and use cases on Generative AI but how do you eliminate the hallucinations and drift of your generative AI in your LLMs?

AI models don’t “know” anything in a human sense. They are trained on large datasets and use statistical analysis to identify patterns and make predictions based on those patterns. When an AI model is asked a question, it uses its training data to identify patterns in the question and generate a response that is most likely to follow from those patterns. While an AI model may not “understand” a question in the way that humans do, it can still generate responses based on statistical analysis.” Even the most well-trained and unbiased AI models can drift if their training doesn’t align with incoming data. If model drift isn’t detected and mitigated quickly, it can lead to a negative business impact. 

The dangers of data management within generative AI are well documented, just read about Samsung’s big oops but how do you overcome this cognitive dissonance from generative AI?

The newest methodology for dealing with this issue is Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG). Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) is a technique that enhances the capabilities of language models by combining the power of pre-trained language models with the ability to retrieve and use external information.  RAG AI bridges the critical gap between static knowledge of LLMs and the needs of the manufacturing environment. 

RAG AI has access to current information sources, ensuring that responses are both logical and grounded. RAG can be particularly useful when dealing with unstructured data, such as repositories of manuals, PDFs, production reports, and other documents. It allows users to find accurate answers to questions based on existing sources of internal documents. This keeps the AI grounded in actual, pertinent current knowledge. Because they have been condensed from pre-vetted and reliable sources. Unlike LLMs, which require lengthy retraining to update their knowledge, RAG's internal knowledge may be changed effortlessly without completely revamping the system thanks to the interaction between retrieval and generation. This phase makes sure that the information used to construct the subsequent answer is both correct and contextually meaningful. The original query and its final data subset are then loaded into a Large Language Model (LLM). 

And this is what makes RAG AI unique. The LLM can produce a response that is linguistically sound and based on the most recent and accurate data because to the augmented contextual prompt.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) promises better, more human-like decision-making and more autonomous operation, yet 87% of machine learning models never make it to production. The disconnect between AI technologists (IT) and industrial stakeholders (OT, from executive to the plant floor) significantly drives this failure. This disconnect shows itself as a lack of common understanding of AI capabilities, lack of common terminology to discuss AI solutions, and no framework for discussing AI Automation at various organizational altitudes.

The audience for this course is industrial stakeholders that own and operate industrial processes. This includes business executives, innovation teams, plant / line managers, process engineers, controls engineers, line supervisors, and industrial data scientists. We will provide a 101-level introduction that helps industrial stakeholders like you navigate the confusing AI landscape. The course arms will arm you with context that helps you select technologies, service providers, and vendors that will help you improve your manufacturing and logistics process control. The result is the foundation of building AI-powered automation that passes the ethics, explainability, and trust criteria needed to reach production and significant return on investment.

The course has been designed and will be presented by Kence Anderson, AI author and start-up founder, formerly with Microsoft Bonsai. 

COURSE OUTLINE:

• How Machines Make Decisions
• How AI Can Improve Industrial Automation
• AI for Perception: How Machine Learning Helps You Understand What's Happening
• AI for Taking Action: Reinforcement Learning Decides What to Do
• Deploying AI-Powered Automation
• Capstone Exercise

The goal of this speech is to provide an introduction to Amazon Mechatronics and Sustainable Packaging (part of Amazon Global Robotics) organizational structure and scope, and to provide an overview of some main AI/ML potential applications to Mechatronics Product Development process, with a main focus on the safety and compliance/standardization aspects, available norms and policies, and what’s outstanding to tackle the future technical and operational challenges in complex manufacturing and logistics environment.

When evaluating machinery safety, doing a risk assessment is the first step. When a risk that is not acceptable is identified, risk reduction measures are selected to reduce that risk to an acceptable level. Some machines may not have control systems that are compatible with the latest and greatest engineering controls technologies used to reduce risk. What happens in these cases? It might be possible to make the machines safer without running into technology implementation issues.  Approaches such as ensuring a process is followed as documented or ensuring only authorized personnel are performing tasks may reduce the risk to an acceptable level.

Join us to see case studies where the identified risk is reduced using approaches that do not require a complete machine control system upgrade or the latest high-end technologies.  And of course, we will link the case studies to the relevant machinery safety standards as we show how the risks within the applications were reduced.

Many manufacturers launching new products are challenged with how to scale their manufacturing operations, with capital equipment investment being a major consideration.
With new products and new processes, come several challenges that are not as prominent in steady-state, mature product manufacturing.

There are many more risks and unknowns, but with some planning and thought around some of those risks, they can be mitigated to enable a successful manufacturing ramp-up.
In this session, I will share some of the considerations for manufacturing scale-up. We’ll talk about some best practices and pitfalls I have seen from the perspective of an automated equipment builder.

Topics Include:

• Considerations for Implementing a Phased Ramp-Up Plan
• Automation Concept Development 
• Mitigation of New Automated Process Risks
• Considerations for Autonomous Operation
• Use of Digital Twin Technologies
• Early Planning of Data Architectures
• Planning Transition to Operations

The continued demand for machine vision technologies in increasingly advanced applications highlights the long-standing need for a disciplined and organized approach to the systems integration of these sometimes-complex components. The success of machine vision applications in industrial automation always has been unarguably tied to the competent analysis, specification, design, programming, and implementation of the components critical to the application. More than ever, machine vision integrators and end-users need a successful and low-risk path to implementing automated machine vision systems solutions.

Mobility is becoming an important part of many integrated manufacturing systems and logistics solutions. This session explores the opportunities created when adding autonomous mobility to your automation menu. We will discuss the key items to consider and pitfalls to avoid when choosing and deploying IMR systems.

The manufacturing industry is undergoing a transformation driven by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI). However, implementing AI in manufacturing presents a unique challenge: choosing between cloud-based AI and edge AI. Cloud AI has been the dominant approach in recent years in many domains outside the factory, involving training AI models on vast amounts of data stored in centralized cloud servers. While cloud AI offers scalability and accessibility, it faces limitations in industrial manufacturing settings, including latency issues, bandwidth constraints, security concerns, and cost considerations.

Edge AI addresses these limitations by bringing AI processing closer to the data source, typically to a smart camera or the manufacturing equipment itself, with all processing performed inside the premises of the production facility. This approach offers several advantages, including reduced latency, bandwidth conservation, enhanced security, and cost reduction. Additionally, the emergence of new generative learning paradigms enables learning (not only inference) to occur at the compute Edge. This means that the AI can be directly configured by the operator directly on the production line, providing the necessary adaptability, efficiency, and on-device optimization.

In this talk, we will review real-world deployments that show how Edge AI has delivered improved quality control, process optimization, and real-time insights to the manufacturing floor across several industry segments and use cases at a cost that is affordable for every manufacturer.

This will be an interesting talk describing the top 10 tips and tricks that I have used over a long career to make integrating machine vision simpler. I will discuss PLC logic, the use of standard templates, and working with applications people to identify pain points and problems with your machine vision integration. I will include real-world applications and dive into a few of the items that I use in my day job to solve customer applications and make their integration life easier. I will showcase the tools and equipment that can be used to make your machine vision application work for a long time.

This session will discuss Robotics engineers’ need for motion control solutions that offer leading edge performance and reliability while navigating around tight design constraints. Power density continues to be a cornerstone in robot actuator design, but this is often compromised by additional functionality required of actuators and their cabling. We will examine a new solution to these problems through the development of Harmonic Drive’s LPA-20 actuator that optimizes power density while integrating a servo drive with options for CANopen® or EtherCAT® communication protocols.

Condition monitoring and predictive maintenance are “hot topics” in factory automation. However many facilities still use preventative maintenance or “run to fail” approaches. Moving to a condition monitoring or predictive maintenance approach can be intimidating, concerns include:

• Perception that it’s expensive
• Disruption to existing controls architecture and machinery
• Technology seems challenging
• Don’t know where to start

So why should manufacturers implement condition monitoring or predictive maintenance?

• Global trends, competition, and customer demands place increasing pressure on manufacturers to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and reduce unplanned downtime.
• Only 20% of equipment failures are age-related and addressed by preventative maintenance.
• The number and range of solutions are growing, and the cost is dropping.
• Many solutions are scalable – start small, learn what works/doesn’t work, then deploy more broadly and more.
• Recent innovations are easy to “add on” to legacy or new equipment and minimize the impact on controls architecture and machinery.

It can be easier to get started by gaining a basic understanding of:

• The stages of machine failure
• The related indicators
• The connection to the four maintenance approaches
• The cost-benefit tradeoffs

I’ll give an overview of these key topics, and will then provide some advice and processes on how to get started with condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.

In today's rapidly evolving industrial landscape, automation is the key to efficiency and competitiveness. However, the traditionally complex process of programming industrial robots has often been a barrier for end users seeking to harness its potential. This presentation explores a revolutionary approach to automation that empowers end users to take control.

We delve into the world of no-code robot programming, which eliminates the need for intricate coding skills. Through user-friendly interfaces and intuitive tools, attendees will discover how end users can easily design, customize, and deploy robotic automation solutions tailored to their specific needs.

Join us to explore the tangible benefits of this approach, including increased productivity, reduced downtime, and enhanced adaptability in the face of changing production demands. Real-world case studies and demonstrations will showcase the practical applications of no-code programming, making it clear that automation is no longer limited to the realm of specialists.

Whether you are a seasoned automation professional or new to the field, this presentation promises valuable insights into simplifying automation, making it accessible to all end users. Leave equipped with the knowledge and inspiration to harness the power of robotics, drive operational efficiency, and propel your organization forward in an increasingly automated world.

Get the latest information on robotic standards from the experts. Join members of A3's Robotic Standards team, Carole Franklin and Maren Roush for this important update.

In today's rapidly evolving industrial landscape, the convergence of artificial intelligence and machine vision has opened up a world of opportunities. From improving quality control and enhancing safety protocols to optimizing production processes and increasing efficiency, AI-powered machine vision is revolutionizing the way manufacturing and industrial production operate. Join us for this discussion with industry experts that will shed light on the latest trends, real-world use cases, and best practices that are driving these transformative technology:

Closing the Loop on Quality Using AI-Powered Vision and Analytics
Ayre Barnehama, Elementary

Your First Steps to AI Automation
Ed Goffin, Pleora Technologies

Why AI Wins the Inspection Race for High-Speed Factory Automation
Eric Hershberger, Cognex

Revolutionizing Machine Vision: Harnessing Event-Based Vision for Industrial Automation Systems
Gareth Powell, Prophesee

Smart Visual Quality Inspection with Artificial Intelligence
Rajesh Iyengar, Lincode Labs

There are more than 2.7 million industrial robots safely operating in factories worldwide, and the robotics industry can take pride in its impressive safety record. For nearly forty years, A3 Robotics – formerly the Robotic Industries Association – has taken a lead role in assuring that the robotics industry continues to proactively assess the safety environment and provide safety resources as robotic applications continue to expand. At the forefront of A3 Robotics’ leadership role in industrial robot safety is the development of the ANSI/RIA R15.06-2012 safety standard. 

Join A3's lead robot safety trainer to learn to help you keep your team safe and learn the basics of conducting a risk assessment for your facilities.

In this talk, we will delve into the fundamental significance of Signal to Noise Ratios (SNR) in Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) imaging and detection applications. The choice of SWIR camera holds an important role in shaping the outcomes of detection and imaging, especially when dealing with high frame rates where SNR is critical. Our exploration will encompass an in-depth analysis of dark current, read noise, quantum efficiency, and frame rate, shedding light on their substantial influence on the detection of SWIR phenomena in both imaging and spectroscopic applications.

Throughout this talk, we will discuss how these various factors interact and affect one another. While the wavelength of light holds undeniable importance in discerning specific characteristics, it is imperative to recognize that SNR can be the decisive component enabling machine vision algorithms to execute detection tasks without errors. Real-world imagery will be employed to illustrate the impact of SNR on detection and how inadequate signal-to-noise ratios can render various machine vision algorithms and artificial intelligence ineffective in achieving their intended objectives.  Choosing the wrong camera with poor SNR is like trying to pull your camper with a moped.  You are just going to go nowhere, as it is underpowered for the job.

The maturity of the robotics industry has been profound over the past 10 years. Vision systems have improved drastically, computing power has moved to the edge, the cost of parts has become less expensive, and developments with AI and engineering have surpassed what was previously imaginable. As a result, innovative companies have built advanced robotic systems that have found success in the commercial world – robots are no longer confined to research and university labs. It is well-known that one industry has been leading the charge in adopting these advanced robotic solutions: warehousing and logistics. Warehousing has some of the most advanced automated solutions, but many have been deployed in silos and have created islands of automation.  Hear from Melonee Wise, CTO of Agility Robotics and veteran robotics pioneer, on the current and future state of robotics in the warehousing industry. Learn how to prepare your warehouse for the next phase of robotics – human-centric, humanoid robots – and how to connect existing islands of automation.

The growth potential of robotics is immense. Yet, many businesses – including SMEs – are still waiting for the right opportunity to invest.

How can robotics be turned into a compelling business opportunity for these new end-users?

By drawing upon insights from several hundred automation projects and 1000+ supplier proposals from HowToRobot’s global marketplace, Søren Peters will show how to fill the gaps between new buyers and sellers and accelerate adoption, including:

• The common communication gaps between buyers and sellers during the procurement process – and how to address them.
• How current business models are discouraging businesses from investing in robotics – and how to turn customer incentives around.
• The key “market switch” that accelerated IT adoption among mainstream users – and what the robotics industry can learn from it.

Livestock management is a growing market for 3D video, but using AI to detect and monitor animals from depth video is a particularly challenging problem given the lack of labeled data sets and pre-trained AI models.  So to do so, one needs to collect data, label the data, train the AI model, and then export the AI model to something one can integrate into OpenCV or OpenVino libraries.  Each of these steps is essential to achieving accurate segmentation, and if not given the appropriate time and energy, could spell doom for the entire project. So in this presentation, I share personal experiences with training an AI model from a livestock video and relate what worked and what didn't so you can avoid the mistakes while enjoying my successes in your projects.

Everything built is created through a manufacturing process. It's never just one step, but rather a series of activities and actions that result in a finished product. These steps are often intertwined in varying degrees of order and linearity, even transcending multiple facilities and multiple suppliers.

This webinar will review the primary process steps seen in most automated manufacturing projects, the importance of these elements, how to approach and define each step, and then insight into maximizing process outcomes from both operational and business perspectives. Real-world examples will be utilized throughout to provide context, along with tips to take advantage of and pitfalls to avoid.

Healthcare is a burgeoning field for autonomous mobile robots, and AMRs present several opportunities to rethink how care is delivered, but the healthcare environment also poses several challenges to the wide-scale adoption of AMRs. This session will discuss some of the driving forces behind the shift to AMRs in healthcare, common use cases, tips on how to get started if you are thinking of deploying AMRs in your facility, as well as many of the challenges you are likely to encounter.

This presentation will demonstrate how the Digital Thread and Digital Twins are used to control and monitor the real-time manufacturing of the Super Profiler Cell and Henry Coolant Filter process line at Boeing Portland. The demo project in this presentation used Siemens’ TIA Portal to create a 3D digital twin model and control program Via Profinet communication protocol. It will work in a real-time 3D digital twin model with a  machine controller. 

These Digital Twins utilize the ISO 23247 Digital Twin Manufacturing Framework as well as ANSI/ISA95/IEC 62264-1.
Hardware: Siemens 840D Sl CNC and S7-300 PLC, Rockwell ControlLogix PLC
Software: (real-time 3D digital twin model) – Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk® View SE, SIMATIC WinCC. 
Communication protocol: Rslink, Profinet.

As a zero CapEx and pay-as-you-go model, the automation approach known as "Robots-as-a-Service" (RaaS) disrupts the conventional way of justifying automation investment. With RaaS, how do Operations and Engineering Managers then calculate the business value of automation when it is rented instead of purchased? In this case, the best calculation approach uses a different comparison to the current operation financials, and it can be summarized into a single Net Present Value for comparison against capital purchases if desired. Attend this session to learn how!

You’ve heard about artificial intelligence (AI) and have probably seen many companies touting how their products use AI to help your warehouse. We’re going to dive deep into separating the facts from fiction when it comes to AI in the warehouse. Attend this session to learn about the impact, benefits, and considerations of implementing AI in your warehouse. 

In this presentation, we’ll discuss: 

• Embodied AI and what it is 
• What’s AI and what isn’t AI 
• The benefits of AI 

Understanding these perspectives and the true reality of AI helps warehouse managers separate the fluff from the facts and learn how to use AI for good.

In this session, attendees will delve into the diverse applications of collaborative robots (cobots). The presentation will commence with an exploration of cobot safety measures, followed by an analysis of optimal application scenarios. Finally, attendees will be introduced to a variety of cobot application examples, including machine tending and welding processes.

Machine Vision Filters play a critical role in 3D systems like LED/Laser Metrology. MidOpt® Optical Filters are designed to enhance contrast and improve resolution in these types of applications by selectively passing light from a specific range of wavelengths while blocking unwanted light. This helps to reduce interference and increase signal-to-noise ratio, leading to more accurate measurements and improved system performance. 

MidOpt® will also discuss how Protective Windows play an important role in shielding lenses and enclosures from harsh environments without affecting image quality and the many available options to customize Protective Windows for specific application needs, including:

• Coatings: oleophobic and anti-reflection coatings to enhance durability and image quality
• Silk Screening: available in a variety of colors and opacities for printing borders, masks, or logos
• Chemical Strengthening: for applications where the glass is placed in front of a camera lens and optical distortion and surface quality are important
• Assembly Mounting Tape: for easy assembly when screws are not an option

Machine and line builders face many challenges today to deliver and integrate discrete production systems. How can they speed up the commissioning of machines? How can unplanned machine behavior be avoided? How can mechanical defects or software errors be detected at an early stage? What can be done to tackle the shortage of skilled workers & the decreasing willingness to travel?
In this session learn how you can shorten machine commissioning time at the end customer’s site, secure project timeline due to validation of the mechanical design and processes in the virtual space, reduce stress levels at the real commissioning with already tested software, and reduce the risk of real damage with collision detection on the digital twin. With Siemens's comprehensive digital twin solutions, we can simulate and virtually commission all relevant parts of a machine, such as mechanical components, electrical device behavior, and automation software.

Get the latest information on global vision standards from the experts. Join Bob McCurrach from A3 Vision & Imaging and other vision experts for this important update.

The presentation aims to provide attendees with an overview of the safety requirements for AGV and its validation. The course will focus on the verification and validation of AGV based on applicable standards. The attendees will have an understanding of the steps involved in validation to ensure compliance with current standards and requirements. 
Validation that the main safety principle is effectively implemented, and their effect is sufficient for the desired risk reduction. Typically, this kind of validation will consist of a Visual inspection of the AGV, a Functional test to check if reactions of safety measures are adequate for the intended purpose, a Review of risk assessment by revaluation of the risks after the measures have been implemented, and a Review of the documentation. ISO 3691-4 & ANSI B56.5

Collaborative Robots (Cobot) are all the rage in many application areas because of their ease of use and simple operation.  Teaching a Cobot through lead through method and programming from a tablet icon-based programming makes this the easiest robot to use.  Recently, handheld lasers entered the market providing high power and excellent beam quality for welding and cleaning applications.  These lasers have an ease-of-use factor enabling almost anyone to make a quality laser weld.   NEW software and hardware developments combine the high value and low operating cost of Cobots and Handheld Lasers improving the productivity and application use for these high tech easy-to-use machines.  This talk will cover Cobot operation, handheld laser ease of use, and the synergy of both products showcasing the latest in robotic laser automation.

NOTE: Laptop needed to participate in the course’s hands-on exercise.

This comprehensive 4-hour course delves into the design of autonomous AI agents, focusing on the principles, strategies, and methodologies used to create intelligent systems capable of autonomous industrial operations. Through a blend of theoretical instruction and hands-on projects, you will learn how to design, implement, and evaluate these agents.

At the end of the course, participants will have the opportunity to test their knowledge by building an AI agent for a real-world scenario using a no-code toolkit. 

The manufacturing industry is experiencing a tight labor market as fewer and fewer workers are available to – or want to – fill physically challenging, laborious positions. In this session, Apptronik’s co-founder and CEO Jeff Cardenas will explore how supplementing workers with humanoid robots powered by AI technology can increase employee productivity, decrease injuries on the job and give workers the opportunity to focus on higher-level tasks at work.

In the year since he delivered his talk, “Humanoid Robots: The Only Automation Solution Not Limited To What It Can Do Today, Nor Tomorrow” at Automate 2023, Apptronik has made monumental strides towards making the vision of allocating physical labor to the robots a reality. In August, Apptronik unveiled Apollo, the world’s most capable humanoid robot designed to transform the industrial workforce and beyond as the first commercial humanoid robot that was designed for friendly interaction, mass manufacturability, performance, and safety.

In this session, Jeff will discuss real-world use cases for humanoid robots both in the near-term and long-term. His talk will span how humanoid robots will initially focus on tasks that involve gross manipulation and later expand and meet an even wider range of use cases in the future that involve dexterous manipulation – all while providing the human workforce with the ability to focus on roles that are most fulfilling and uplevel their impact.

For a long time, we’ve talked about humanoid robots as the future of robotics and automation. But with this year’s advancements, we are now talking about humanoid robots in the present – in shifting from special purpose automation to multi-purpose to general purpose automation, the manufacturing and logistics industries will evolve dramatically in 2024 and beyond. This session will cover that new reality and how to get ahead.

In this presentation, we will explore the latest trends and developments in sensor technology, specifically focusing on laser triangulation sensors and their impact on metrology applications. We will discuss how advancements in resolution, speed, and on-sensor processing are pushing the limits of sensor-to-FPGA interfaces, leading to more efficient and cost-effective solutions. The presentation will also examine the benefits of customized sensor configurations based on standard sensor modules and the emergence of multi-feature sensors that enable advanced multi-channel evaluations while reducing system costs.?

Moreover, we will highlight the growing importance of standardization in sensor features and data levels, which facilitate ease of use and faster time-to-market for application solutions. Finally, we will delve into the trends in 3D processing technology, particularly the increasing adoption of multi-sensor setups for fast and precise metrology applications. These setups are replacing traditional tactile coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), enabling new inline applications. To fully harness the potential of these technologies, we will emphasize the need for standardized algorithms and characterized scanners following existing metrology norms.

Advancing 21st century automation will require a nextgen upgrade to electric motor design, optimization, and manufacturing.

In this session, ECM EVP Robert Luchars will explain why and how and welcome audience questions.

He will offer a deep dive on the following:

MACRO TRENDS

• An overview of an electric motor landscape that will demand over a billion specialized units annually in a sector valued at over $300 billion.
• How hyper specialization in automation across nearly every vertical – robotics, industrial, mobility – will require greater optimization in electric motor design, performance, and form factor.
• The global regulatory push for ecodesign Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPs) mandates for electric motor Sustainability.

ELECTRIC MOTOR TECH AND INNOVATION

• Technical detail on how electric motor innovation can best serve future automation needs, including the pros and cons of radial flux vs. axial flux topology.
• An overview of printed circuit board (PCB Stator) technology and Motor CAD applied to advanced automation.

REAL WORLD APPLICATION
Use cases on optimized electric motor design for automation in three
verticals --

• Consumer Electronics
• Advanced Robotics; and
• Defense and Aerospace

Please join this engaging presentation that will include Q&A on advanced electric motor technology and CAD for automation.
 

Humans have always played an important role in manufacturing enterprises. Humans offer unparalleled flexibility to quickly adapt and have creative abilities to handle new challenges. Humans are also the best at deciding what features offer the highest value to potential customers. Humans will continue to play an important role in the next generation of manufacturing as we move from mass-produced products to cost-effective customization and personalization. Deploying automation without considering its interaction and impact on humans will simply not work. We need human-centered automation technologies that increase human productivity, reduce health risks for humans, and improve quality of life through innovation.

In the past, robots were used as programmable machines to automate dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks. These types of robot implementation did not facilitate collaboration between humans and robots. Recent advances in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are enabling the realization of smart robotic assistants that can increase human productivity, enable innovation, and make workplaces more accessible to people with disabilities. 

Many applications require the use of multiple collaborating robots to operate under human supervision to deliver human-centered automation solutions. To be useful in such applications, robots need to (1) program themselves, (2) efficiently learn from the observed performance, (3) safely operate in the presence of uncertainty, (4) appropriately call for help during the execution of challenging tasks, and (5) effectively interact with humans. We will use manufacturing applications as illustrative examples to discuss how robots can learn to autonomously manipulate tools and deliver human competitive task performance. 

This presentation will provide an overview of physics-informed AI technologies that enable robots to learn safe and efficient autonomous tool manipulation. These new technologies serve as the foundation for realizing smart automation for sanding, polishing, buffing, spraying, and coating applications. AI-based planning enables the automated generation of efficient robot trajectories for performing complex tool motions to meet process-specific requirements. The use of synthetic images generated from physics-informed simulations enables the use of deep learning in defect detection. Self-supervised active learning enables the robotic cell to autonomously and safely conduct experiments to learn the process parameters most efficiently. Generative AI techniques enable humans to interact with robots in a much more natural way. 

This presentation will conclude by presenting case studies that illustrate the benefits of human-centered automation. The deployment of human-centered automation is increasing human productivity and reducing the need for humans to perform ergonomically challenging tasks. It is also contributing to more sustainable manufacturing by reducing the resources needed in manufacturing and minimizing scrap and rework.

With autonomous mobile robots (AMR) gaining in popularity, more and more end users are finding themselves in the situation of managing a heterogeneous fleet of AMRs. This has caused the need for interoperability among these systems. This panel will discuss the various standards that encompass the operation of AMRs and/or Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) and the latest developments in these standards.

Introduction
LMI's fusion of 3D vision technology and AI has revolutionized industrial sectors, particularly in robotic weld inspection. Traditional methods often fall short, making 3D vision and AI indispensable for ensuring weld quality. LMI's systems have successfully monitored weld quality in high-volume environments. Combining traditional measurement tools with AI for defect detection has proven crucial.

1. Enhanced Precision and Accuracy: 3D vision and AI improve precision by capturing the weld's three-dimensional structure accurately, reducing the risk of defects like porosity and cracks. This precision ensures reliable defect detection, minimizing structural failures.

2. Speed and Efficiency: 3D vision and AI enable rapid, real-time inspection during welding, eliminating production delays. This efficiency leads to cost savings and increased throughput, enhancing competitiveness.

3. Data-driven Decision-making: AI quickly analyzes vast amounts of data, identifying deviations from quality standards and predicting potential issues. This proactive approach enables prompt action and process optimization.

4. Cost Reduction: Early defect detection reduces rework, scrap, and recalls, while efficient inspection reduces labor costs. Long-term benefits include improved product quality and reduced liability, making the investment cost-effective.

Conclusion
LMI's 3D vision and AI technology offer efficient, accurate, and cost-effective weld inspection. These tools enhance precision, speed, and safety, contributing to long-term cost reduction and competitiveness. Embracing these technologies is essential for meeting modern production demands and ensuring component reliability.

The session will give an overview of why ease-of-use is important for flexible robot solutions and how it can be achieved followed by the example of an easy-to-use flexible robot solution by Zimmer Group, the ZiMo (www.zimmer-group.com/en/technologies-components/system-technology/zimo-the-freely-configurable-handling-system).

Why ease-of-use is important?
Because of skilled labor shortage, mass customization resulting in High-Mix-Low-Volume production, global competition, and reshoring, automation solutions that can be deployed and adapted flexibly are becoming ever more important. Easy-to-use interfaces are a key element of these solutions.

Traditional High-Volume-Low-Mix robot systems are set up by a solution provider and give the customer limited flexibility to adapt. This limited flexibility has been already thought of during requirements specification and is often realized using a dedicated PLC visualization to modify or add recipes containing process parameters that can be adapted by the customer. Adaptations beyond this “recipe management” can only be done by the solution provider. This has a high lead-time, is expensive, and therefore not done regularly… and also not required for Low-Mix-High-Volume production.

But this way of realizing automation solutions is not applicable for High-Mix-Low-Volume production where adaptations need to be done regularly with short lead time and little extra costs. In the end, this means that shopfloor workers need to be able to adapt automation solutions themselves without support from external experts.

What does ease-of-use mean exactly?
In this chapter different levels of adaptions/ease-of-use and the requirements of different target groups will be presented and discussed:

Levels of adaptions/ease-of-use

• Change parameters
• Change trajectories
• Adapt logic, sequence, and add processes

Target groups

• Shopfloor technicians: technical background, but no robot expert, no programming skills
• Shopfloor operators: no technical background

Solutions for easy-to-use interfaces.
In this chapter, different available solutions, their possibilities, and their benefits to achieve ease of use are presented and discussed:

• PLC visualizations
• Graphical cobot/robot interfaces with no-code programming
• Software solutions like drag&bot OS
• Others: speech, pens, …

Example: ZiMo flexible robot cell

In conclusion, an example of a flexible robot cell is presented, the ZiMo (www.zimmer-group.com/en/technologies-components/system-technology/zimo-the-freely-configurable-handling-system). The focus will be on the easy-to-use interface, its possibilities, the underlying system architecture and why ease of use is key for ZiMo.

The global marketplace is highly competitive, with constant pressure to innovate in order to avoid falling behind. Manufacturers are asking themselves what changes are needed to stay competitive, what expectations their customers have, and what their industry will look like in five years. The answer is automation. Since material handling is one of the biggest consumers of labor in a manufacturing operation, leading manufacturers have implemented autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to save money, improve efficiency, keep people safe, and ensure business continuity.

Once a manufacturer has determined that AMRs are the right solution for their facility, their next step is to identify the AMR provider that is best suited to automate their material handling workflows based on their specific requirements.

In this session, attendees will learn the eight key considerations in their search to select the right AMRs for their facility. Each consideration will also include a list of specific questions that manufacturers can ask shortlisted vendors to help them understand which vendor is the right match for their needs. Attendees will also be provided with an evaluation worksheet to assist them as they visit each AMR booth at the expo.

While robotics and AI have been major buzzwords in both the automation industry, but also in a larger scope over the last few years, many factories are still learning how to actually harness the power of AI to their advantage. In this presentation, Matt will share some basic definitions of "What is AI?" and share concrete examples of where AI can be used to make manufacturing businesses more productive, resilient, and adaptive to the future.

In the United States alone there were nearly 50 fatalities and tens of thousands of injuries attributed to robots and cobots in the workplace over the last 25 years. Despite great leaps in safety solutions, accidents are still happening because of the lack of more effective surrounding sensing. Safety concerns force manufacturers to slow down the robots and cobots to keep humans safe which leads to loss of efficiency and still doesn’t prevent all accidents. Some manufacturers are using stationary area scanners or cameras, which leave areas around the robot unprotected with limited coverage, others are using solutions like air pressure sensors that require a collision with a human or object to occur before the system will shut down.

With the advent of new tactile sensing technology, robots can now sense their surroundings and identify approaching humans and objects via proximity sensing without the need for physical contact and without blind spots. This technology not only improves safety but also increases manufacturing productivity by enabling robots to work faster and safer. In this presentation, we will explore the mechanics of this technology and examine how it is being used to upgrade safety and efficiency with real-world examples.

The manufacturing industry is facing several challenges, including labor shortages, increasing competition, and changing customer demands. Augmented reality (AR) is helping manufacturers overcome these challenges by bridging the skills gap, equipping workers with the tools they need to excel in complex tasks, and making manufacturing jobs safer and more efficient. By strategically leveraging AR, manufacturers can optimize production processes and gain a competitive edge in the market.

In this session, LightGuide CEO Paul Ryznar will discuss how augmented reality (AR) is transforming the manufacturing industry. These technologies can be used to improve training, safety, ergonomics, productivity, and quality control. AR gives manufacturers a way to empower their workforce and transform them into a competitive advantage.

Case studies from the Automotive, Aerospace, and Defense industries will demonstrate the benefits of AR for manufacturing and workforce transformation.

Ford Motor Company is on the cusp of a transformative era in automotive manufacturing with the development of the all-new Blue Oval City assembly site, set to redefine global standards for advanced and efficient production. This presentation will provide an in-depth exploration of the groundbreaking advancements driving this transformation, with a specific focus on the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies and an advanced autonomous logistics strategy that is propelling the Blue Oval City to the forefront of innovation.

At the heart of this evolution is the seamless integration of Industry 4.0 technologies, including the utilization of artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to create a connected and intelligent manufacturing environment within the site. This convergence of cutting-edge technologies empowers Ford Motor Company to optimize production processes, enhance quality control, and maximize operational efficiency, setting a new benchmark for automotive manufacturing on a global scale.

Furthermore, the launch of an advanced autonomous logistics strategy has been instrumental in revolutionizing the movement of parts and materials within Blue Oval City. By harnessing next-generation "natural navigation / VSLAM" technology, Ford has enabled 100% autonomous, dock-to-line delivery, marking the largest deployment of its kind in North America. The seamless controls, IT, and robotic integration of these Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) into Blue Oval City processes not only enhance precision and efficiency but also signify the future of "lights-out" manufacturing, cementing Ford's position as an industry leader in advanced automation and autonomous operations.

In this comprehensive presentation, we will delve into the intricacies of Ford Motor Company's innovative approach to next-gen manufacturing, the incorporation of Industry 4.0 technologies, and the strategic vision driving the evolution of the Blue Oval City. Join us as we unveil the pioneering journey towards redefining the industry standard and setting new benchmarks for excellence in automotive manufacturing.

Collaborative robots excel at loading and unloading machined products, and their [benefits] have revolutionized manufacturing for high-mix, low-volume machine shops. Nearly twenty years after their “launch,” cobots are increasing productivity for manufacturers of all sizes across the machining and metal fabrication industry. Explore the benefits and wide-ranging practical applications of cobots in machine tending with Justin Crump, Application Engineer at Universal Robots. He will use this session to share real life case studies of cobots tending machines, advise on best practices that streamline manufacturing processes powered by cobots, and present emerging and cutting-edge technologies in the collaborative automation space.

Risk assessment is a key step in the development of safety solutions for all robot systems. When IMRs are part of the system, the risk assessment approach needs to be expanded beyond the typical task/hazard pairs of traditional systems. This session explores the additional scope to be considered when autonomous mobility is introduced.

For manufacturing companies, the talent and labor shortage we are all experiencing is not limited to the engineering group or the production floor. Good accounting, human resource, and support staff are hard to find, and as Robotic Process Automation (RPA) becomes more mainstream in the modern economy, small and midsize manufacturers are looking for new transactions to automate in order to improve efficiency, reduce costs and develop new sources of revenue. This has led to an explosive growth in the number and scope of tasks that are automated. During this presentation, we will look to expose some of the most common automated business transactions and what the future of automation holds for small to midsize manufacturers around the world.

There are several 3D sensing technologies to choose from, each with its advantages and disadvantages and as such, each is suitable for different applications. However, regarding the area capture and 3D reconstruction of scenes in motion, one technology can provide both high acquisition speed and high resolution and accuracy – the Parallel Structured Light. The technology provides the fast speed of ToF systems and the high resolution and accuracy of structured light systems.

The Computational Image Sensor (COMPIS), is a unique CMOS image sensor that implements a patented Mosaic Shutter technology which enables a novel way of 3D image capture, fundamentally differing from conventional approaches. The sensor's proprietary multi-tap pixel design allows for customizable shutter sequences in multiple pixel groups organized in a mosaic. In the context of 3D sensing using the principle of structured light, the Mosaic Shutter technology enables the parallel acquisition of multiple structured light patterns in a single sensor frame, hence the name Parallel Structured Light. This approach effectively freezes the 3D scene in time, enabling joint high-resolution and accurate 3D area scanning of objects moving up to 144 km/h, without motion artifacts.

The technology of Parallel Structured Light revolutionizes vision-guided robotics and enables businesses to enter completely new spheres of automation. During the presentation, I will explain the basic principles of this technology and general applications with real-life business cases, including industrial automation, AI applications, and real-time 3D model creation.

The widespread use of imaging technology requires easy-to-use, powerful, and flexible smart cameras to simplify system design and provide a low total cost of ownership (TCO). Smart cameras with integrated AI can optimize automation processes to save companies money and time, but they are currently being underutilized in many industries.

In this webinar, Nagle highlights how AI technology helps companies optimize their processes and solve tricky automation applications. Throughout the presentation, Nagle discusses the potential for smart cameras in AI applications and the benefits and challenges of freely programmable smart cameras. He provides examples of applications where smart cameras have been successful along with a look at how the program works with AI.

Recent advancements in mobile robot technology have made it increasingly accessible for integration into manufacturing and production environments. Reduced investment costs and the persistent challenge of attracting and retaining manufacturing workers have fueled a surge in mobile robot projects. Despite the available technology and funding, a substantial number of robotic process automation projects worldwide encounter difficulties, with Ernst and Young's study reporting challenges and setbacks ranging from 30% to 50%.

This raises the question: What hampers automation progress in manufacturing, and why do so many projects face obstacles? The answer partially lies in a disconnect between emerging technologies and the workers who have traditionally performed tasks being considered for automation. They often lack a substantial voice in the automation transition, despite their invaluable expertise honed through years of experience. As mobile robots increasingly become part of their workspace open, honest consultation can help minimize the challenges, but maximize opportunities for owners and workers.

While worker safety remains paramount in integrating mobile robots into manufacturing, it is equally critical to consider their expertise, experience, knowledge, and overall well-being. Automation should not replace human workers but enhance their capabilities. It should leverage human strengths for higher-skilled and more complex tasks. To achieve smart and effective automation, a comprehensive understanding of existing processes, strengths, and vulnerabilities is essential. Who better than those who engage with these processes daily to provide this insight? Mobile robots excel at routine tasks, allowing humans to focus on creativity and critical thinking.

This presentation offers a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities associated with mobile robot integration in manufacturing. It delves into the distinctions between stationary and mobile robot integration, with a particular emphasis on their impact on workers. Unlike stationary collaborative robots, mobile robots engage more intimately with workers, necessitating deeper consideration of their well-being and expertise. In a world where respect, responsibility, and equitable treatment in the workplace are increasingly advocated, recognizing workers' input is pivotal.

Manufacturing workers are the undisputed process champions and experts. Their insights are invaluable for successful automation. This talk underscores the importance of not only protecting workers but also empowering them as key stakeholders in the ongoing automation journey. By merging technology with workforce expertise, we can unlock the full potential of mobile robots in manufacturing while upholding principles of respect and shared responsibility.

In conclusion, integrating mobile robots into manufacturing offers substantial potential for productivity and efficiency enhancements. However, this transformation should not compromise workers' well-being or their vital expertise. Recognizing the value of workers' contributions and involving them in the automation process is essential for genuine success on the factory floor. This presentation will shed light on these critical considerations and offer insights into a more inclusive and effective approach to automation.

Encoders or resolvers have looked more or less the same all over the world for decades. Additionally, they need encapsulation to protect against environmental influences. How could a new way of encoder/motor integration provide the next level in motor design and eliminate the current restrictions? Machine-down situations are major horror scenarios for every operation. Money is lost because of strict maintenance scheduling or at worst because no maintenance schedule exists at all. Errors often expressed through vibrations of the drive train. External sensors are often a non-starter because there is too much effort to integrate, hardware or software-wise. What if a bearingless encoder can provide additional information about the system itself and through novel design concepts, improve motor performance by removing the need for motor de-rating?

Automotive component manufacturer, Hitachi Astemo, is continually exploring innovative solutions to help its customers improve quality, efficiency, and productivity. The company’s research and engineering teams wanted to explore potential use cases for 5G technology in the manufacturing industry and engaged Ericsson and AWS to collaborate in that effort. After identifying several potential use cases for 5G-enabled machine vision, Hitachi, Ericsson, and AWS set up a trial of a model private 5G wireless infrastructure at Hitachi Astemo’s manufacturing plant in Kentucky. 

Leveraging Ericsson 5G radios, AWS edge-to-cloud technologies, and Hitachi video analytics, the trial determined that 5G provides stable, reliable connectivity for manufacturing use cases leveraging AI and ML models. The trial also showed that a 5G infrastructure with edge and cloud technologies could scale effectively across multiple global manufacturing sites quickly and cost-effectively. 

In this session, we’ll explore the journey Hitachi, Ericsson, and AWS went through to demonstrate how defects can be detected earlier in the assembly process for greater quality assurance and the potential for significant cost savings by reducing waste.

Industrial robots play a pivotal role in modern manufacturing, but their effectiveness hinges on their defined reach or working envelope based on axis articulation and design geometry. Some applications require you to expand the reach of your robot to perform your process, enhance your system design, increase speed, or increase robot utilization. This seminar explores various strategies for expanding robot reach using Rail Transfer Units (RTUs, also referred to as tracks) and gantries, addressing critical aspects such as mechanisms and area of reach, system design considerations, installation requirements, and controls, and will present advantages and disadvantages of each solution.

Automation technology is advancing at a fast pace. New technologies together with existing tried and true technologies build a strong offering of robotic end effectors to choose. Many gripping technologies are developed with flexibility in mind because most automation users can benefit from re-deploying an automated cell if their requirements change. As technologies advance and more challenging tasks are automated, customization is needed to fit specific needs. Many automation challenges can be solved with individual technologies. Oftentimes, unique automation projects require pairing gripping technologies together to accomplish an automation task.

In this session, we will review different gripping technologies and learn how they can be applied in both off-the-shelf situations and custom end-effector designs. Pneumatic, electric, vacuum, magnetic, and others each offer advantages and sometimes they need to be paired together to achieve the automation project goals. We will review the process of building a custom end effector including scope and discovery, concepting, and solution design. In many automation projects, the end effector can be the last piece considered because it is furthest away from the robot. In reality, the end effector is what interfaces with the workpiece and can be one of the most complex and important components of an automation system. Understanding questions to ask and information to obtain for end effector specification can be very important to successfully deploy automation.

Discover how automated analytics can be the catalyst for industrial digitalization projects, with a primary focus on reducing downtime. But that's not all – did you know that the same data can be harnessed to enhance product quality, ensure safer operations, optimize maintenance precision, and boost corporate sustainability?

Join us for an insightful session where we demystify the world of data analytics and AI. We'll explore accessible technologies that improve production and management KPIs by analyzing and predicting machine and maintainer behavior. The best part? You don't need to be a data scientist to leverage these transformative tools. Unlock the potential of data-driven insights and elevate your industrial operations to new heights!

Collaborative automation has revolutionized the metal fabrication industry and is quickly becoming the go-to productivity tool for skilled welders looking to multiply their productivity, ensure consistent quality, and extend their physically demanding careers.

This session will highlight advances in cobot welding through Coordinated Motion technology developed by Universal Robots. Join Will Healy, Global Industry Segment Leader for Welding at Universal Robots, as he unveils the transformative capabilities of our new technology, enabling metal fab businesses to optimize cycle time within automated systems, maintain a consistent Tool Center Point (TCP), and track TCP for enhanced efficiency and increased throughput. Discover how this innovation can propel your welders and metal fab processes to new heights.

Learn the importance of proper abrasive selection and optimal parameter settings for automation, while leveraging AI to autonomously program robots, enabling them to work on almost any part within minutes, delivering superior, faster, and more consistent results.

The machine safety standards that evolved over the past few decades simplified and accelerated the machine design process. This lecture will present an overview of the relevant safety standards and discuss how the new servo drives with built-in certified functional safety can further facilitate machine design, increase safety, and reduce costs.

South Korea has a thriving e-commerce market that has been rapidly growing and evolving. The country’s e-commerce market share volume takes over 30% of its retail sector, marking it as one of the largest e-commerce markets in the world. South Korea has a strong digital infrastructure, high internet penetration, and a tech-savvy population, all of which have contributed to the expansion of the e-commerce sector.

Such rapid growth has necessitated advancements in warehouse automation to meet the increasing demand for efficient order processing, reduced delivery times, and improved customer satisfaction. However, compared to the growing need for automation and even in other countries including North America and European countries, South Korean warehouses are at the very early stage of acknowledging, understanding, and deploying such automation, especially in Autonomous Mobile Robots.

In this session, as a pioneer in AMR solutions provider in South Korea, we want to talk about the dilemmas we faced due to the gap arising from the high demands/poor on-site reality of e-commerce warehouse automation. We also want to share how we overcame them to deliver a successful AMR experience, using our two real-world cases of logistics giants in South Korea: 1) Lotte Global Logistics, and 2) LX Pantos.

This session can help listeners not only understand the market status of South Korea’s (+APAC) warehouse automation but also bring a thoughtful insight into the market potential from a long-term perspective.

Many machine vision applications, such as OCR/barcode reading on bottles and containers or defect detection inside threaded bores, require inspecting features randomly located both on the outer or inner sides of the part and the top and bottom surfaces.

The most common approach is to use multiple cameras to account for all views.  However, in this presentation, we will see how this can be more easily accomplished with a single camera thanks to special optics designed for 360° inspection that do not require any part rotation and allow you to avoid bulky and complex multi-camera systems.

The session will cover also the latest innovations in the design of all-round inspection lenses. These are key to solving the most complex applications in a variety of fields, such as the beverage and pharmaceutical industries, and will help you maximize the versatility of your vision system.

Historically, technology has created a divide—between those who can use specific programming languages and those who cannot, as well as between businesses with sufficient resources to invest in proprietary applications and those unable to compete. CAD, robotics, and automation expertise are not widely available across manufacturers. During the digital acceleration of 2020, digital capabilities contributed to a performance chasm—digitally forward manufacturers, with their automation teams, experienced a boost, while digital laggards fell behind.

Generative AI can close this gap. Removing barriers to insights and innovation empowers less automated mature organizations to automate faster, operate more efficiently, and enhance the value they deliver.

In this talk, we will deep dive into how Reshape Automation leverages GenAI. It is the perfect enabler to eliminate the barriers of entry to automation. It is your mechanical designer as a service. Your automation guru in a click. Your support technician is available 24/7.

The attendees will get a first glimpse of Autocanvas, a revolutionary AI-driven end-to-end platform to guide manufacturers in their automation journey.

Increasing the success of the deployment of a specific robot can be found in methods to increase the utility of the robot and to increase the adoption rate of the robot across processes within the same facility. Thus, maximizing returns on capital by maximizing the network effect of the asset. In this Automate Session, Omron Automation will introduce how to increase the utility and adoption of OEM’s or SI’s robotics by integrating robotics into an all-in-one automation control platform. By focusing on integration into native ecosystems, teams can accelerate the success of newer robotics technology. Specifically, the session will introduce how this mindset decreases commissioning time through 3D simulation and time-synchronized data playback by developing programs in an integrated development environment, increases machine performance with a centralized control of secure communication on globally open industrial protocols, and ensures the relevancy of non-intrusive data collection methods to quickly increase OEE as well as to build the foundation for future artificial intelligence algorithms.

Custom automation comes at a price. In the pursuit of efficiency, be it labor, cost, or cycle time gains, manufacturers look to robotics to offer unique robotic automation to solve today's hardest problems. While these systems often are the answer, the barrier to entry is high. Unforeseen costs like these add up: 

• Protracted sales process
• Prohibitive cost of value-add engineering
• First build challenges and delays
• Sustaining service and support

6-axis robotic arms bring a human-like actuating technology to a manufacturing space reliant on flexibility during production. However, the robot is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to turnkey robotic design. Other design constraints include machine vision, end-of-arm-tooling, product induction, product removal, safety, layout design, operator interface, and fault recovery. The design and integration of all of these elements demand the support of a system integrator.
Because every manufacturer has a different product, with differing manufacturing parameters, tolerances, and processes, the robotic solution space tends to shift and vary from one implementation to the next. Modularity in the design process reduces the variability between implementations while providing a higher quality to the manufacturer. Core elements to consider in modular design for robotic work cells include the following:

• Scoping:  The enemy of modular design is absolute completion. Modularity will only go as far as to encompass a subset of a particular solution space. By scoping the design to an achievable portion of the application space, the cultivation of continuous development is enabled and encouraged.
• Building Blocks: Modular design is rooted in identifying core technological building blocks early and appropriately. These typically are tied to the intersection of a specific piece of technology and an application space. 
• Interfaces: The special sauce of modularity is the clear definition and execution of component interfaces. An interface can look like a specification, a communication protocol, a physical relation between components, or a human operator. Modular design is completed by deliberately outlining key interfaces before a single line of code is written or a bracket is designed.

The concept will focus on design modularity and reuse concerning the following pieces of technology:

• Safety: Safety is the foremost component of any automation solution but can have a level of subjectivity when proper standards are not documented/followed. Using modularity in safety design allows for continuous improvement, verification, and validation while minimizing customer costs.
• Robotics: Industrial robotics offer a strong, modular technical building block for implementation in modern manufacturing. The use cases for robotics mirror the capabilities of repetitive labor-intensive processes with a focus on quality, repeatability, and uptime. Introducing modular design in the hardware and software design of robotic systems reduces end-customer costs while increasing time-to-production.
• Machine Vision: By introducing machine vision to a robotic system, flexibility, and high-mix, low-volume production capabilities are introduced into a robotic system. Modularity in machine vision processes allows for cross-robot compatibility and commonality between the “eyes” of an automation solution.

Open ecosystems connected in the cloud are the future of Industrial IoT and Automation. When it comes to the management of industrial devices, end users no longer need to rely on a single provider to ensure future resilience and ease of system migration.

End users and OEMs can explore new trends in connectivity that allow third-party applications and avoid being locked into proprietary software. New technologies can offer more independence, simplification, and a pathway to a fully integrated future.

New to industrial cameras or encountered limitations in your previous smart camera implementations? Whether you lack technical experience or are simply looking to refresh your knowledge, our course is tailored just for you. Join us on a journey through the fundamentals of industrial cameras, covering essential terminology, indispensable components, and potential pitfalls to be aware of. We'll delve into the critical aspects of industrial cameras, exploring key terms such as shutter, resolution, interfaces, and standard communication protocols, and why they hold significance. Additionally, we'll provide valuable insights on cost-saving strategies through smart solution choices. By the end of this course, attendees can expect to feel confident in their ability to comprehend and engage in discussions about industrial camera technology with integrators, customers, and suppliers.

The arrival of Artificial Intelligence led automation in Enterprise has occurred so fast that most business and IT leaders are caught unawares. When tasked to build an AI strategy for the organization, many leaders today are struggling to answer even basic questions such as what is a GPU, who is NVIDIA, or that Generative AI should be the final step in an AI journey rather than the starting point. Adding to this fog are the continuous marketing messages from a multitude of vendors who often have the eyes and ears of the customers but themselves are not an AI-first firm.

An Enterprise AI Operating Model is the critical need of the hour that offers business and IT leaders a framework to build and run a successful AI-powered Automation program.

This session will cover a robust AI Operating Model that provides a value framework to implement both Macro and Micro initiatives, and eventually bring everything together to unlock unprecedented accuracy, efficiency, profitability, performance, and safety.

Imagine you've recently installed and commissioned a new machine at a customer site. Your team noted that the on-site conditions appeared much harsher than what was specified in the requirements for the machine. And indeed, after a very short time, the first systems start to fail. You point to the fact that your machine was designed as specified, and not for use in such a demanding environment, but your customer is very dissatisfied nevertheless, as they now have to deal with the significant costs of downtime and resolving the problem. Could you have addressed that risk prior to the incident has happened?

In short, machine builders can increase their productivity, machine availability, and machine throughput when choosing solutions for…

• increased development and machine performance, from efficient engineering to high-speed applications and devices
• every environment, from standard to harshest ambient conditions
• almost 100% uptime due to strong reliable functionality - also in redundant designs
• highest diagnostic level of components and applications
• secure operation of machines and protection against cyber-threats

“Some people want to know how the watch is made, most just want to know what time it is.”

In my experience in the automation and manufacturing industry, this statement has held true. Most manufacturers care far more about you being able to tell them what time it is compared to explaining how the clock works – the solution, not a product.  Currently, that is increasingly important as manufacturers look to automate more and more complicated tasks.

Automation has always been a combination of components – generally hardware with PLC or robot programming managing the system and different components. This isn’t the case anymore – now you have all the same pieces of hardware but with the addition of powerful software, including “AI.” Software is usually driving these systems. Now all the traditional automation suppliers have a big question to ask themselves – do they become software companies, too? Or do they focus on their key areas of hardware and find the right partners for the software side?

This isn’t really a new question – a strong robot company might not want to invest in end-of-arm tooling. A strong control company doesn’t want to invest in mechatronics. This is before we get into the conveyors, sensors, safety systems, and beyond.

Now that we’ve entered the age of software and AI, deciding on your core technologies and finding the right partners is more important than ever. Software moves so quickly, and for a traditional automation company to try and match what smaller, more agile teams can do requires large investments and complete re-designs of how business is done. If that’s not an option, then you’ve got to find the right partners.

This comes with its own set of questions that must be considered –

• What are our core technologies and what do we need partners for?
• What companies provide solutions for what we need from a partner standpoint?
• Do we already provide sufficient interfaces for partners to properly incorporate their solutions, or do we need to develop these? What features do these interfaces need?
• Do we need to open more of our IP to allow partners better integration?  Where do we draw the line?
• What is our go-to-market plan with our partners?  
• How do we promote offerings together?

All these topics must be considered and more, including legal structures, R&D partnerships, and beyond. It’s the same for the smaller software and AI companies, too – who are the big players to partner with to find success? How can you convince them to open their interfaces and equipment so you can fully integrate? 

The 21st century is full of automation finding its way into more places, from retail floors to fast-food kitchens. These solutions are all a combination of solid hardware with strong software, often in connection with vision and other sensor inputs. The companies best poised to take advantage of all the investment in these fields will be the ones that leverage their core technologies with partner technologies to create holistic solutions.

Neurocle is excited to present its Auto Deep Learning Vision software in this seminar, offering industrial experts the essential tools to optimize deep learning models for their applications. The seminar will cover:

• Introduction to Auto Deep Learning Vision Software: Gain a comprehensive understanding of Neurocle's advanced Auto Deep Learning Vision software, designed to enhance the capabilities of industrial applications.
• Creating Effective Deep Learning Models for Industrial Use: Explore the process of developing precise and efficient deep learning models tailored specifically for industrial applications, focusing on practical and applicable features.
• Case Studies of Successful Implementations: Delve into real-world examples showcasing the successful integration of deep learning models into various industrial settings, highlighting the tangible benefits and practical applications.
• This seminar is an opportunity to acquire valuable insights into optimizing your industrial processes. Join us for an informative session focused on industry-specific expertise and practical takeaways. We look forward to your participation.

Robot sales in the US continue to rise year over year with more companies in many different industries adding robots to their operations. Smaller machine shops, however, have been reluctant to automate their machine tools, even though they know it can boost productivity by double digits and help them solve their labor challenges. But fears of automation’s cost and drain on precious time and resources have posed major barriers to entry for these businesses.

What if automating machine tools could be done faster, cheaper and easier? New advances in automation and the adoption of cobots, or collaborative robots, are making that a reality. Cobots are easy to set up and teach; allowing production to quickly resume even on the first day the cobot arrives. Plus, cobots can do dull and repetitive jobs better suited to automation, freeing up people to focus on higher-level tasks. In addition, cobots offer the flexibility to scale up production on the fly, especially in low-volume/high-mix environments that require frequent part changeover.

This session will go over all the key factors to consider when evaluating automated machine tending, what it can do for your operations and the various ways to integrate robots and cobots to machine tools. There will also be a discussion on cobots and how their new features are making them more user-friendly to operate and program than ever before.

Step into the dynamic world of Industry 4.0 with Evaldo de Oliveira from FairCom as he unveils the game-changing potential of Edge Computing in manufacturing. Join us as we delve into the realm of Industrial IoT, exploring real-world use cases and actionable examples that redefine efficiency, productivity, and innovation on the factory floor. From predictive maintenance to optimized production lines, discover how Edge Computing revolutionizes manufacturing processes, propelling businesses into the future.

How do you solve an unsolvable problem? These types of questions and answers have plagued automation and vision engineers for decades. How do we inspect a cookie that is already inside of a package? Can we utilize machine vision to see if rice has mold to determine if it is safe to eat? How do we remove particulates from the air or the great cosmos? Solving these problems can lead to safer food, better electronics, and maybe even unveiling the universe like never seen before.

In this session, join Ryan Marti as he reviews some of the most difficult-to-solve problems in the machine vision and automation world and how we can go beyond our normal visual spectrums to solve problems never before solved in the automation world. Get a firsthand look at how these technologies work, and the methodology used. If you want to see some of the latest and cutting-edge technology in machine vision, do not miss this session!

Demanding industrial applications from cold spraying to additive manufacturing are increasingly deploying multiple robots in a coordinated fashion. For cold spray coating, leading industry deployment involves a dual-robot system, where one robot holds the part and the second robot holds the spray gun to impinge metal powders onto the part. For wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), the welding robot, the positioner, and the metrology inspection robots all need to be coordinated to ensure high-quality end products. This talk will discuss issues and the latest advances that arise in such coordinated operation of multiple industrial robots, including: 

• Overall control architecture integrating sensors and robots from different vendors.
• Kinematics calibration of multiple robots.
• Redundancy resolution.
• Tracking accuracy through motion adaptation and learning

Use case results for cold spraying and WAAM using ABB, FANUC, and Motoman robots will be presented.