10 robotics traits noticed at Automate 2025

DETROIT — On the top of commerce present season, Automate 2025 supplied alternatives to see the state of business and industrial automation. From robotic arms and cellular platforms to grippers, sensors, and software program, in addition to instructional and technical workshops, there was one thing for everybody on the occasion.

Thanks once more to the many individuals who met with The Robotic Report and WTWH Media’s group at Automate 2025. Listed below are 10 traits culled from these conferences, strolling the 2 exhibit halls, and sitting in on periods.

1. Exhibits continue to grow, regardless of financial headwinds

With an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 attendees, 850 exhibitors, and quite a few periods, Automate 2025 skilled a 40% improve in registrants because it was final held in Detroit in 2023, in keeping with Jeff Burnstein, president of the Affiliation for Advancing Automation (A3).

That’s just like the expansion of different commerce exhibits and conferences, together with Manifest, ProMat, and our personal Robotics Summit & Expo. As well as, the quite a few networking occasions round these occasions have additionally grown, because the individuals who use, promote, construct, and design robots look to attach.

The transition of U.S. automakers to electrical and autonomous automobiles has slowed, and there have been no car chassis being swung round by giant robotic arms as in previous years (reportedly as a result of robots couldn’t be bolted into the ground).

Whereas current experiences from A3 and Work together Evaluation discovered slowing gross sales of commercial automation and layoffs over the previous 12 months, they and different business observers such because the Worldwide Federation of Robotics (IFR) famous that development has continued.

The consensus is that the market will enhance later this 12 months or early in 2026, relying on geopolitical and macroeconomic circumstances (extra on that under). Ahead-thinking firms are evaluating and adopting expertise now to maintain their aggressive edge.

Automate has definitely grown because it cut up from being each different 12 months and co-located with ProMat. Subsequent 12 months, it is going to be in Chicago, and in 2027, the present will transfer to Las Vegas.

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2. Expertise change is incremental

Probably the most widespread questions that Automate attendees and exhibitors requested reporters is, “What did you see that’s new?” There have been some new merchandise and incremental enhancements this 12 months, however no brand-new type components or purposes.

One of many largest bulletins at this 12 months’s occasion was Common Robots’ launch of the UR15, its quickest collaborative robotic arm but.

Given A3’s focus and membership, it was no shock to see a number of imaginative and prescient-guided robotic purposes, from welding and ending to meeting. And being in Motor Metropolis, there have been some attention-grabbing demonstrations of recent duties that may now be automated, similar to clipping automotive physique elements, exactly plugging in wiring harnesses, and dealing with of smaller and extra diversified machine elements.

3. Industrial and collaborative robots proceed to converge

Cobots — or extra correctly, force- and power-limited robots — are designed to be lighter, simpler to program, and to cease upon contact with obstacles for security causes. Nonetheless, lots of the purposes they’re used for, similar to machine tending, are nonetheless caged because of obligatory workspace and workflow assessments.

Cobots from Common Robots, ABB, Doosan, FANUC, KUKA, and Techman Robotic have develop into extra succesful over time, with rising precision and payload capacities. As an example, Customary Bots this month launched a 30 kg (66.1 lb.) robotic arm with collaborative options.

Bigger cobots, similar to Doig’s Pallet EZ utilizing D:PLOY with OnRobot, are appropriate for duties similar to palletizing.

CeiliX had one of many extra attention-grabbing shows, with a robotic arm suspended from rails. Its novel characteristic is that it may transfer diagonally due to a singular gripping system.

On the industrial automation aspect, firms similar to Epson Robots, Sensory Robotics, and SICK are enabling industrial automation to sense when an individual enters a sure space and decelerate or cease.

Yamaha demonstrated bin choosing, whereas FANUC had a big robotic simulating auto physique welding. Yaskawa, one of many largest robotics distributors on this planet, was absent from this 12 months’s present.

Talking of huge weapons, Kawasaki had arguably the most important robotic arm on the present, transferring a big monitor, whereas ABB robots moved metal plates.

4. It’s all in regards to the ecosystem at Automate 2025

Teradyne Robotics, the mother or father of Common Robots (UR) and Cellular Industrial Robots (MiR), had one of many largest cubicles at Automate 2025. Not like the extra crowded shows of, say, ABB or FANUC, it selected to unfold out its companion reveals to mirror its open method to its ecosystem. UR cobots had been additionally in not less than 30 different cubicles.

This 12 months, almost each large automation supplier confirmed the breadth of their choices, with Zebra Applied sciences incorporating Photoneo’s notion expertise and ABB totally integrating ASTI‘s cellular robots.

The worldwide robotics ecosystem was additionally well-represented at Automate 2025, together with showcases by the Pittsburgh Robotics Community and Taiwan Excellence, gatherings with Canadian and Danish firms, and enormous delegations from South Korea and Japan, amongst different international locations.

5. Part suppliers and integrators nonetheless key to adoption

There have been loads of part applied sciences and integration providers to find out about at Automate, together with movement management choices from Harmonic Drive and Elmo Movement Management.

As well as, Sonair debuted its ADAR sensor, which provides 3D ultrasonic notion to lidar and cameras for robotic security. Orbbec confirmed its Gemini 435Le, which supplies improved stereo imaginative and prescient for robots.

Festo confirmed off new controls, Kübler talked about its new encoder, and Beckhoff provided modular merchandise for cabinet-free automation, amongst different expertise shows.

Corridor E, downstairs from the principle Halls A by D, featured many smaller and newer robotics firms, similar to ESTAT Actuation, whose braking expertise guarantees to make robots lighter, safer, and extra energy-efficient.

6. Cellular robots transfer in a tighter market

With extra of a deal with manufacturing than provide chain, it’s not shocking that there have been extra robotic arms, SCARA robots, and delta robots at Automate 2025 than autonomous cellular robotic (AMR) suppliers.

There have been nonetheless noteworthy AMRs to see, together with Cellular Industrial Robots’ bigger platforms, Nidec‘s cleansing system, and ATI’s tuggers. TriOrb has developed an omnidirectional platform utilizing three balls as an alternative of wheels.

A number of AMR bulletins across the present targeted on sensing, similar to or ABB including visible SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) to its Flexley Mover robotic.

SEER Robotics promised straightforward integration and administration of AMRs with its “Construct your personal robotic fleet inside days” theme. In the meantime, ForwardX demonstrated palletizing, very slim aisle (VNA), and rack-moving techniques, in addition to its OmniFleet software program.

7. Cellular manipulators get forward of humanoid robots

Final 12 months, A3 hosted a panel on humanoid robotics, however this 12 months, Agility Robotics‘ Digit was among the many few humanoids on the present ground. Behind excessive plexiglass partitions, Digit confirmed its skill to take totes from a conveyor belt to an AMR, albeit in a smaller exhibit than Agility’s sales space at ProMat.

Within the meantime, the variety of cellular manipulators has grown, with Teradyne’s MC600 and robots within the cubicles of RealMan, KUKA, and extra. The mix of cobot or mild industrial arms with AMRs is obtainable now or within the close to future, in contrast with humanoids, that are seemingly nonetheless years from widespread use.

8. Software program, knowledge, and AI seen as robotics enablers

Software program suppliers and integrators have a troublesome process at commerce exhibits, as a result of their shows usually aren’t as visible as these of full answer distributors. That mentioned, almost each exhibitor at Automate 2025 touted the significance of connecting the evolving robotics software program stack to enterprise techniques, amassing the suitable knowledge, and utilizing that knowledge for simulation and coaching AI fashions.

Mujin defined how its techniques will be educated with its “no-code” method. Inbolt mentioned its imaginative and prescient system, which is meant to allow real-time determination making, whereas Geisel Software program introduced its Symage artificial knowledge picture generator.

Schneider Electrical launched its industrial “copilot,” which integrates with Microsoft Azure.

“PolyScope X integrates with Teradyne’s AI Accelerator package developed with NVIDIA to construct purposes,” famous Jane Heffner, vp of gross sales for the Americas at Teradyne Robotics. “Goal purposes embrace harsh environments in metals and equipment, adaptable and exact operations in electronics, and high-speed bin choosing in logistics.”

Realtime Robotics launched and demonstrated Resolver, a cloud-based system that it mentioned can coordinate a number of robots in a workcell to keep away from collision, assist builders, and speed up cycle instances.

9. Tariffs prime of thoughts for a lot of at Automate 2025

The present U.S. administration continues to be in negotiations with China, Europe, and others about tariffs, so few folks had been prepared to talk on the file about how their companies are being affected. Uncertainty round world commerce has affected client spending, plans for reshoring manufacturing, and availability of supplies for automated gear.

“igus needs to increase U.S. manufacturing, however we’ll must pay tariffs on imported gear,” mentioned Felix Brockmeyer, CEO of igus Inc. “Now we have 15 machines we wish to herald, and no one needs to desert the U.S. market.”

“All people is aware of that the U.S. has to compete with China, and that creates an enormous alternative for automation,” mentioned Robert Little, chief of robotics technique at Novanta.

10. Sustainability, labor augmentation are nonetheless targets

Whether or not present governments might favor or downplay environmental sustainability, rising power effectivity and decreasing materials waste are at all times priorities for producers and robotic suppliers. From igus’ efforts to recycle and reuse its movement plastics to a complete subject path at Automate, each native and world organizations are pursuing sustainability.

Whereas a number of audio system and exhibitors talked about utilizing automation to interchange full-time equivalents (FTEs), many extra talked about utilizing robotics to enhance and upskill more and more scarce expertise in factories and warehouses.

For extra about Automate 2025, tune in to the most recent episode of The Robotic Report Podcast and comply with our ongoing protection. We’ll have extra interviews to share.