Etienne Lacroix

Small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) represent 98.6% of manufacturing businesses in the United States. Despite their critical role in the economy, SMMs encounter challenges in adopting traditional automation methods due to barriers to entry, rising inflation costs, and labor shortages. In this session, Etienne Lacroix will explore how cloud robotics offers a transformative solution, leveling the playing field for SMMs seeking access to automation technology. The development of robot cells online now facilitates knowledge-sharing across practitioners, eliminates “reinventing the wheel behavior” and mitigates risks before investing in capital expenditure. This shift in risk and cost dynamics, distinguishing cloud robotics from traditional approaches, significantly lowering barriers to automation adoption, particularly for small businesses aiming to compete globally. Etienne will delve into the key benefits of cloud robotics, including the ease of knowledge sharing among users through the online development of robot cells and the concept of digital twins allowing manufacturers to de-risk their project in the virtual world prior to investing. Key Takeaways 1. Understand the risks faced by SMM when adopting industrial automation 2. How platforming and productization of industrial automation eliminate technology risk related to automation 3. How near-accurate digital twins enable process risk reduction without CapEx investment 4. How cloud robotics enables knowledge sharing and re-use between SMMs