In addition to presentations and technical sessions, several dozen companies have announced new technologies at this year’s Automate Show. Some of these have been released in announcements:
Festo Didactic to showcase workforce development at Automate
Columbus McKinnon showcases conveyance systems at Automate 2025
Festo showing multi-axis positioning systems at Automate
Automate 2025 builds on years of momentum
Yesterday at Automate 2025, the Design World staff also chatted with engineers at several booths about connectivity, robotics, and material-handling topics. Innovations reflect the industry’s evolution toward more powerful actuation, modularity for reconfigurability, and integrated safety support.
Connectivity and controls at Festo
In preparation for upcoming Design World features on safety and connectivity, we interviewed engineers at Festo, Kübler, and Beckhoff about their companies’ technologies and wider industry developments.
At the Festo booth — our very first show stop — Torsten Schulz (joined by applications engineer Eric Winter) detailed the current state of fieldbuses, industrial Ethernet (especially Ethernet/IP and EtherCAT), and the increasingly cost-effective nature of IO-Link (as an oft-more sophisticated alternative to analog signals). The multi-protocol chip technology contained in Festo products was emphasized as it allows seamless connectivity with various communications and PLCs.
At the close of the visit, Schulz and Winter also promoted the Festo CEPE edge controller (employed in a Pheonix Contact demo) and based on Fest’s AX OS. The controller supports EtherCAT and other communications and can integrate with myriad electrical, pneumatic, sensing, and control elements.
Slew of new encoder and sensing products at Kübler
With Ed Tullar at Kübler, we discussed advanced encoders used in robotics applications, programmable encoders with up to 99,000 PPR, slip rings with patented brush systems for easy field repairs, safety encoders, and even radar switches.
“We are working on quite a few new products — and in fact, this year, we released 31 new products — quite high for a company our size. So, there’s lots excitement for the programmable products, automation components, vibration sensors, conditioning products, and more that we offer and continually develop,” said Tullar.
Our conversation also touched on labor shortages, ways to engage young students with automation training, and the untapped potential of seasoned industry veterans interested in continued industry involvement with semi-retirement employment arrangements.
While Kübler has made no official announcements, a new product (possibly with advanced networking capabilities) may be coming within the next couple months.
Beckhoff offerings for safety and cabinet-free arrangements
At the show yesterday, we also got the chance to chat with president Kevin Barker about the Beckhoff MX-System and how it functions. The MX-System is the first modular product line to achieve completely control-cabinet-free automation of machines and systems. Ruggedized, UL certified, and connector-based control, drive, and communication components and subsystems directly mount to machine frames with simple physical and programmatical setup. With a 480-V three-phase main-power input, the system avoids the design constraints, complexity, and hazards of traditional control cabinets.
In another conversation at Beckhoff, product manager Chris Woller gave us a much-needed review of EtherCAT’s inner workings and the use of safety with the protocol. In coming months, expect more details from this interview.
The largest electric actuators in the world from Creative Motion Control
This year, Creative Motion Control — manufacturer of roller screws and roller-screw-based actuators — is touting their extra-large (and high-force) electric actuators — some capable of handling up to 125,000 and 250,000 lb … making them the largest electric actuators in the world. The most demanding applications are in defense applications, so details are scarce. However, a working demo showed a ceramic-coated thrust actuator with special sealing to function in harsh environments and washdown areas. It’s a more cost-effective solution than those based on stainless.
Soon the company will also release a complete actuator package including motor, drive, control, and software — unique in the roller-screw actuator market.
New igus online community
Visit igus at the show to hear more about their new online community called axis. Aiming to serve as a collaborative platform for the industrial sector, igus’ axis is for industrial marketers, educators, manufacturing workers, and automation users. The platform facilitates collaboration and enable members to address challenges together. In fact, the igus axis community — at axis-community.com — includes various other features (including videos and short tutorials) to support member engagement.
Miniature robotics from Oriental Motor
Oriental Motor’s five-axis and four-axis miniature robot arms (manufactured in Japan) were on display. Check out the sales engineer Yousef Alzebdeh explain how the robots incorporate Oriental Motor’s components, including rotary actuators and AZ motors, which are stepper-servo hybrids featuring absolute encoders for enhanced accuracy:
The demonstration also highlights how the robot’s controls can accommodate machine vision input on the coordinates of objects on conveyor belts for precise arm positioning — even allowing the system to adapt to changes in object orientation.
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