Manufacturability, Production and Distribution Track

Robotics OEMs and robotic systems providers are increasingly partnering with organizations that offer design, engineering and manufacturing services to support the development and production of their robotic products. And for good reason. Manufacturing services providers play a critical role in the procurement, fabrication and assembly of the robotic solutions, but also have unique insight into the design, engineering and production of robotics. This insight can be applied to many design and engineering elements of the robotic solution. Overall, the services that can be provided range from the short term and tactical, to long term development engagements requiring both deep domain expertise as well as end-to-end solutions expertise. In this session, attendees will learn about the wide variety of service offerings that are available for creating and manufacturing robotics technologies and products, as well as provider selection criteria, business models and service agreement options. Case studies will be used to highlight critical points.

In this engaging session, Fady Saad, Co-Founder & Director of Partnerships for MassRobotics, a robotics innovation accelerator and commercialization hub, will review the global robotics investment landscape, revealing and analyzing key funding trends. Examples from recent robotics investments will be provided to highlight salient points. He will also describe the critical role entrepreneurship and innovation plays, both in small start-ups and large corporations.

The use of additive manufacturing (AM) in the robotics and industrial automation sector is becoming more prevalent every day. AM can be used to complement and address many of the shortcomings of traditional manufacturing methods like machining and injection molding. End-of-arm tooling (EOAT), for example, is just one of the many critical applications that can benefit greatly from AM through lightweighting, part consolidation, customization, cost reduction, and time to market. In this informative session, attendees will learn:

• The different types of additive manufacturing (AM)
• The advantages of AM over traditional manufacturing methods
• Considerations when designing parts for AM
• Top AM applications for industrial automation & robotics
• 10 real-world use cases

The Covid pandemic and resultant supply chain crunch have pushed reshoring and workforce issues to the top of the agenda for many companies, including those developing robotics solutions. In this session, Silicon Valley Robotics (SVR) Managing Director Andra Keay will review the ways SVR is working with IEEE Entrepreneurship and IEEE Robotics and Automation Society to improve awareness of robotics manufacturing experiences, as well as provide access to networks of expert design and manufacturing services providers across the US and beyond. She will also describe her efforts working with California universities and the Association of Manufacturing Technology to identify workforce solutions for increasing robotics automation, upskilling workforces, and manufacturing locally.

The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute has been working with close to 350 organizations throughout the United States to advance the use of robotics and AI in manufacturing. Over the past 5 years, the Institute has funded projects that improve production processes through the use of robotics and AI. In addition, the Institute has undertaken research to identify where AI can have the biggest overall impact in manufacturing. In this session, ARM Institute Program Manager Michael Skocik will share findings from this research and projects, highlighting advancements and revealing opportunities.

The pandemic turned the world upside down, and no industry was immune to changing consumer behaviors, including retail. Companies have increasingly begun introducing autonomous technology into their physical environments, from shelf-scanning robots to drones and autonomous delivery robots, as physical stores get serious about digital transformation.

For retailers that are deploying robots in-store, making sure this technology operates harmoniously alongside humans is critical – after all, no customer wants a robot blocking the aisle when shopping. Simbe Robotics CEO, Brad Bogolea, will explore how to design robots for consumer spaces. Drawing from his industry experience he will discuss which considerations to take and elements to include to ensure that robots operate safely and positively alongside humans. Additionally, he will offer his unique insights from deploying Simbe’s solutions in more than a dozen global retailers to discuss areas where robotics can provide real value in consumer environments.