Automate 2017 hit a new level of heights

The show is North America’s premier biennial event devoted to leading-edge automation technology and business innovation.

Automate featured more than 400 exhibitors displaying their latest technologies and services, including global suppliers of robotics, motion control, motors, vision systems, metrology, software and system integration services for enterprises large and small. In addition, over 1,000 attendees participated in the over 120 Automate conference sessions, which were held in conjunction with the International Symposium on Robotics – Americas, a greater than 90% increase over 2015.

“Automate has firmly established itself as the leading automation show in North America,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of A3. “This year’s record attendance demonstrates the growing global demand for the entire ecosystem of automation technologies and services.”

Automate features key automation industry business leaders and has become the primary event for breaking automation news. The show opened with a jobs forum titled ‘Working in the Automation Age,’ featuring speakers from A3, Amazon, Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute, RAMTEC Ohio, and FANUC. In conjunction, A3 released a white paper exploring how companies like General Motors and Amazon continue to grow their workforce even as they add automation technologies.

First-ever Chinese participation
Automate 2017 also garnered increased international participation. For the first time, 13 Chinese automation companies exhibited, reflecting China’s dramatic growth in robotics implementation and development. A first-ever joint US-China Robotics Forum brought together leaders from the Robotic Industries Association (RIA) and its counterpart, the China Robot Industry Alliance (CRIA).

Launch pad start-up competition
A3 announced Apellix as the winner of the Automate Launch Pad Startup Competition. Sponsored by GE, the competition provided eight innovative start-up companies with an opportunity to generate awareness of their technology and find new sources of funding.

Apellix offers a Platform-as-a-Service for industrial workers performing critical but dangerous tasks. The patent-pending Apellix Worker Bee robotics system physically interacts with and modifies its environment to move workers out of harm’s way. The $10,000 prize will allow Apellix to bring their product to market sooner.

“Automate was a great show,” said Staubli Robotics Division Manager, Sebastien Schmitt. “Staubli couldn’t hope for a better event to meet new prospects. The customer traffic in our booth the entire show was excellent.”