The manufacturing sector is undergoing immense disruption thanks to the convergence of data-driven and cutting-edge technology such as Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), 3D printing, IoT, sensors, and more. "The factory of the future is a highly connected and efficient industrial enterprise, but without interoperability standards that allow all these different systems to talk to one another and coexist, technology becomes a roadblock to innovation," said Hayley Haggarty, group event director, Informa Markets Engineering West.

Haggarty continued: "In addition to AMRs, 3D printing is one of the most sought-after technologies advancing the smart manufacturing sector right now. However, with this growth comes an assortment of challenges, such as safety and quality assurances, that require nimble, new-age solutions. We are proud to announce such a high caliber of speakers confirmed to deliver practical, actionable insights for attendees to then turn into practice.” 

Informa Markets Engineering West, the nation's leading advanced design and manufacturing event, which brings together established manufacturing show brands Automation Technology Expo (ATX) West, Design & Manufacturing (D&M) West, Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) West, Plastec West, and WestPack, today announced world leaders in advancing smart manufacturing and 3D printing technologies will take the stage as a part of the event's Design. Engineer. Build. conference taking place August 10 through 12 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Register here to join the industry's most prominent players and garner insight into the smart manufacturing industry's upcoming trends.

Related:Want the Scoop on 3D Printing? Attend the 3D Printing eXperience Theater

The Design. Engineer. Build. conference features a world-class lineup of speakers from ASTM International, Jabil, MassRobotics, Proctor & Gamble, and Waypoint Robotics, who are among the deep bench of companies represented at the conference confirmed to impart actionable insights on moving from static to dynamic manufacturing operations. The multi-track conference features technical workshops, hands-on education, and keynote sessions spanning the following themes: Optimizing Your Smart Manufacturing Strategy and New Materials, Methods & Technologies in 3D Printing, plus the 3D Printing eXperience found on the Expo Hall floor, accessible to conference pass holders.

“I am eager to join the Interoperability Panel discussion at the upcoming event,” said Bob Bollinger, technical director, Applied Robotics Innovation, Proctor & Gamble. “As AMR adoption in the industry continues to accelerate, integration complexity and costs are becoming more apparent. Interoperability is one of the key levers to help reduce complexity, minimize integration costs, and ultimately enable broader adoption of AMRs in the workplace—topics I look forward to exploring with my peers.”

Related:Additive Manufacturing as Bridge Production and Other Uses

Panelist speaker and Waypoint Robotics CEO & Co-Founder Jason Walker remarked: "We strongly believe in the robotics community coming together like this to help companies of all sizes more readily adopt AMRs for their workers. Waypoint's commitment to ease of use and initiatives like these will make it easier for workers to delegate all kinds of time-consuming tasks to AMRs so these workers can focus on jobs for which people are uniquely qualified. We look forward to supporting continued progress at the upcoming event that will ensure safe and efficient AMR operations across industries."

A selection of sessions includes:

Panel: Interoperability to Increase Robot Adoption

The adoption of robots continues to accelerate as manufacturers struggle to meet growing demand and a shrinking supply of workers. However, a challenge looms – interoperability. A given facility may be home to multiple robotic solutions, each with their approaches to sharing information – to talk to each other. Without the ability to easily share information between individual robots designed for different uses and designed by different vendors, implementing true robotic systems remains an elusive goal.

In 2020, MassRobotics—an independent, non-profit organization serving as the innovation hub for robotics and connected devices—established the Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) Interoperability Working Group to tackle this problem. This session, led by MassRobotics partners, will discuss their work around interoperability standards and answer your questions about this crucial next step in the evolution of robotics and automation.

How to Include Your Workers Early and Often to Maximize Robot ROI 

Companies struggling with increasing demand complexity and a shrinking workforce look to robotics as an advanced and flexible automation solution that can quickly improve efficiency and productivity. The people on your plant floor, on the other hand, may view the robot with anxiety and even fear, dramatically slowing the deployment of the robotics system—reducing your ROI. Your people are smart, capable, and have years of knowledge about your product, your process, and your business. You need them, and you need the robot! So how do you teach your people to stop worrying and love the robot?

Panel: How to Rebuild Your Manufacturing Team with Industry 5.0

The COVID-19 pandemic decimated workforces on factory floors worldwide and worsened a manufacturing talent crunch already hastened by a wave of retirements. While much of the shortfall in human workers can be recovered through investment in Industry 4.0 solutions (automation, robotization, and digitization), humans will still be a part of the future of manufacturing. Industry 5.0 technologies that place humans and human ingenuity and adaptability at the center of advanced manufacturing processes promise to help companies get more out of smaller teams.

Panel: Ask the Experts--Metal Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing with metal has many advantages, but it also has unique challenges. Our panel of additive manufacturing experts will be on hand to answer your questions, explore ideas, and help you make the best decision for your product, your process, and your people. Bring your questions, get answers, and take away practical guidance.

Download the complete Design. Engineer. Build. conference agenda here and begin adding sessions of interest to your agenda in advance of the August 10-12 event held in Anaheim, California.

Attendee Registration