Automation Articles for Manufacturers and Engineers
North Hall Sneak Peak for Automate 2026
Here’s what we’re looking forward to at this year’s show.
Automate 2026 comes to Chicago next week, and we’ve been hard at work digging through the lists of over a thousand exhibitors to find interesting products and opportunities to track down at the show. Last week, you got a sneak peak at the South Hall, and today, we’ll be exploring everything that will be happening at McCormick’s North Hall. 
Featured Articles
Automate 2026 Preview: Teguar’s Industrial Edge PCs
Automate 2026 Preview: SAB’s Automation Cable Portfolio and Custom Solutions
Automate 2026 Preview: Xela Robotics’ Force-Sensitive Robotic Fingertips
Automate 2026 Preview: Omron Robotics’ Expanded AMR Line
Newsletter Sign Up
Get weekly news, articles and insights delivered right to your inbox.
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS
Solve motion challenges with confidence
From valve systems to handling and feeding, Emerson solutions help improve uptime, efficiency, and flexibility. Application-focused engineering supports reliable performance across a wide range of industrial automation applications.
Simplifying the Control of Brushless DC Servomotors
Cardinal Kinetic will exhibit at Automate 2026, taking place June 22–25 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. Visitors to Booth #1231 can evaluate how the InoWorx Motion Control Platform simplifies the implementation of motion control for machine builders, integrators, and OEMs.
Grinding: Beyond Stationary Robots
Grinding and surface finishing of fabricated parts is one of the classic 3D (Dull, Dirty, Dangerous) applications that are perfect for robot automation. Unfortunately, automating the grinding of large fabrications means multiple robots and complex part repositioning, which add significant cost and extended cycle times while introducing new sources of variation in the process. At Automate 2026, Güdel will demonstrate how it is overcoming the limitations of traditional fixed-robot cells by adding two additional degrees of freedom to heavy-duty grinding applications.
INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION
South Hall Sneak Peak for Automate 2026
Our editorial team has a full slate of appointments scheduled for four fun-filled days at Chicago’s McCormick Place for Automate 2026, which takes place June 22-25. Here’s just a sampling of what we’re going to see in the South Hall, and what we hope to learn… 
Ditch the Messy Cords with NORD's AS-Interface Technology
NORD's NORDAC LINK and NORDAC FLEX electronic control products feature AS-Interface technology for easy integration into existing systems. NORDAC LINK variable frequency drives provide a convenient drive solution for decentralized installations as the flexible configuration enables precise adjustment of the devices to a wide range of applications.
ROBOTICS
PUDU D7 Semi-humanoid Robot to Assist in Factory and Warehouse Environments
Pudu Robotics, a supplier in service robotics, today announced the launch of its new PUDU D7, its next-generation industrial semi-humanoid robot designed for manufacturing and industrial environments.
Grinding: Beyond Stationary Robots
Grinding and surface finishing of fabricated parts is one of the classic 3D (Dull, Dirty, Dangerous) applications that are perfect for robot automation. Unfortunately, automating the grinding of large fabrications means multiple robots and complex part repositioning, which add significant cost and extended cycle times while introducing new sources of variation in the process. At Automate 2026, Güdel will demonstrate how it is overcoming the limitations of traditional fixed-robot cells by adding two additional degrees of freedom to heavy-duty grinding applications.
MOTION CONTROL
Automate 2026 Preview: Emerson’s Electric and Pneumatic Components
Emerson will be enticing OEMs with a broad range of displays at Automate 2026. Ranging from a ballpoint pen assembler to a hybrid machine using both electric and pneumatic components, Emerson is focused on expressing the full range of what’s possible with their broad catalogue of components. In addition, Emerson will be showing off several connected brands, including Aventics and Afag, that are core to their offerings.
Simplifying the Control of Brushless DC Servomotors
Cardinal Kinetic will exhibit at Automate 2026, taking place June 22–25 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. Visitors to Booth #1231 can evaluate how the InoWorx Motion Control Platform simplifies the implementation of motion control for machine builders, integrators, and OEMs.
AI
Factory Floor AI Solutions for Visual Inspection
PTZOptics, Detect-It, and Comtronix will demonstrate (At Automate 2026) how manufacturers, including automotive, heavy equipment, and food and beverage producers, can move beyond slow, complex and expensive AI pilots and deploy real-time visual inspection, automation, and on-premise intelligence quickly and cost-effectively directly on the factory floor.
AI Takes Parts from Design to Delivery by Pricing and Sourcing on the Fly
Siemens has entered into a strategic partnership with Xometry, the global, AI-native marketplace connecting buyers and suppliers of custom manufacturing. The partnership will allow Siemens to embed proprietary manufacturability, pricing, sourcing and lifecycle intelligence directly into the design digital thread, natively within Siemens Xcelerator.
