Alex Cannella
Senior Editor
Alex Cannella is a writer with more than a decade of experience covering software, automation, gears and other manufacturing and engineering topics, including a five-year stint at Power Transmission Engineering, a magazine focused on industrial motion control and mechanical power transmission components.
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Articles Edited by Alex Cannella
More than ever, one can feel the march of progress at Automate as technology climbs to higher heights. But across almost every exhibitor I talked to and every experience I had at Automate, there was a consistent message: it’s time to make automation more accessible for the average manufacturers and warehouse owners of the world. It’s time for technology to build outwards, instead of upwards. Read More
When we were at Automate, I got a chance to see a lot of different takes on AMR technology. Fully automated warehousing systems isolated in a cage, cutting edge AMRs that operate in shared environments, and even low-tech alternatives for companies that don’t have an official “robot wrangler” on their staff. But every product was met with the same question: What's the operating time? Energy solution provider CaPow thinks they have a way to answer: "Forever." Read More
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. Read More
If you’re an OEM in the market for a cabling solution for an automated product, you may want to look up SAB while you’re at Automate 2026. They’ll not only be showing off some of their wide-ranging portfolio of cabling solutions, but also will have experts on-site to talk shop about custom solutions that meet your specific needs. Read More
Teguar’s main focus at Automate 2026 will be on a trio of new industrial edge PCs. Ranging from the Regis, which is built for heavy-duty data requirements, to the Scout, which stands out for its thin form factor, Teguar will be showing off several solutions that meet a wide range of different edge applications. Each headlining PC will have its own exhibit showing off its strengths, among several other long-running products that will be on display at their booth. Read More
Xela Robotics will be in attendance at Automate 2026, bringing along two centerpiece displays: robotic fingertips and highly sensitive tactile sensors. In a bid to open entirely new swathes of robotics applications, Xela has developed both products to give robots the ability to interact with both incredibly fragile and incredibly thin objects. Read More
The expanded LD Series line of AMRs will be front and center at Omron’s Automate booth this year. The LD-150 and -300 provide new weight limit options for Omron’s fleet and come with additional features such as compatibility with other lines of Omron robots. Read More
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. Read More
Nord recently published an explainer of how their various gear drives, frequency drives and more support every step of the wastewater treatment process. Their Maxxdrive industrial gear units featured heavily across every step of the process as a general workhorse, but other, more specialized products such as their Nordac Pro variable frequency drives also got a moment in the sun as Nord tackled everything from screening to sludge thickening. Read More
Faulhaber has spent the past several months expanding their GPT planetary gearhead line with new application-specific configurations. The GPT family, which runs from 14 to 42 mm, is a general purpose product line that features up to six planetary gears per stage to achieve improved power density. Faulhaber has developed two GPT gearheads with plastic gearing to reduce noise and two with adjusted geometry designed to handle heavy-duty loads, widening the range of applications the line can handle. Read More
Altech has released a new terminal block designed to help manage complications that stem from vibrating machinery such as connection failures and damaged wires. Targeting heavy-duty applications where such machinery is common, the STH5 is a no-nonsense solution built to solve these issues with minimal fuss and assembly. Read More
Hot on the heels of several new partnerships, Comau announced they will be acquiring Invent, a Brazil-based logistics and warehouses company. This is the latest of a number of business moves designed to expand Comau’s global reach and automation portfolio. Read More
Smart glasses manufacturers are working night and day to make their products as invisible to the user as possible. Not just physically, but logistically, as well. With over a decade for the technology to develop, it's come far since Google excitedly introduced it to the world. Lighter, longer-lasting, and with more features than ever, smart glasses have found a hundred small inroads to make the user experience as invisible and natural as possible. Read More
Igus recently showed off what they will be bringing to Automate 2026: a new shopping tool that helps robotics professionals get their components quickly and smoothly and a user-friendly palletizing cobot. Read More
Faulhaber’s most recent release is a remix that’s more than the sum of its parts. The DualGear, a combination of Faulhaber’s existing BX4 brushless motor and GPT planetary gearhead lines, is being marketed towards the conveyor and logistics industries. Specifically, Faulhaber is targeting compact designs that need to do more with less space by pitching a drive capable of executing multiple synchronous movements alone. Read More
AgiBot recently announced what they are heralding as a major step forward for embodied intelligence AI: The first deployment of their new G2 model humanoid robots in a live production environment. Working on Longcheer Technology’s manufacturing line transporting finished tablets through the final testing process, the G2s have already started bringing back some promising data, with an integration time of 36 hours and the ability to process 310 tablets an hour. Read More
Comau announced its third new partnership in a month, this time with Omron Robotics. Both companies described the agreement as the start of larger things potentially to come, but were light on the details of their cooperation. Read More
FANUC’s latest cobot won’t be for everyone, but marks a genuine step towards something new and different for the product line. The CRX-3ia has been designed with portability as its first, second, and third priority. Small, light, and quick to set up, it provides an entirely new world of application possibilities previous CRX cobots would have had trouble achieving. Read More
Cognex’s newest product, the In-Sight 6900 vision controller, is being marketed towards users who want more flexibility in their imaging systems. Using Nvidia tech, it also features AI edge processing capabilities up to 157 TOPS. Read More
In what Hiwin called a “genuine performance booster for demanding applications,” the company recently touted their newest line of roller guides, the UR series. They have positioned the new product as a direct upgrade over their past roller guides, with better static load capacity, dynamic load capacity, and service life. Read More
Firmly fixed on the medical industry, Schaeffler has added to their Ewellix line with the EMA-80M, a new, powerful linear actuator capable of pushing at a force of 20,000 Newtons. All that strength is being harnessed so that the EMA-80M can support a medical table solo, whereas most solutions require two. Among numerous other features, Schaeffler’s hope is to simplify the design of these products, and thus help manufacturers’ bottom line. Read More
In a deal designed to bring the two companies’ diverse specialties together, Comau and Reis Robotics have agreed to pool their expertise to further develop automation solutions across manufacturing. Among other details, Comau brings a wide robotics portfolio to the table, while Reis Robotics is lending their proprietary control technology. Read More
Tolomatic’s RSX line of linear actuators, an electronic alternative for hydraulic solutions being marketed towards metalforming, timber processing, and injection molding applications, gained a new entry, the RSX50. More than just a new size with a little more raw power, the RSX50 doubles the line’s previous best for power density. It delivers 50 tons of force in almost the same package as the RSX25. Read More
With a busy month leading up to Modex, Datalogic has shined a spotlight on several new products both recent and upcoming designed for the logistics and packaging industries. Here is a roundup of the half dozen newest products they’re highlighting. Read More
Nord recently highlighted what they’re doing for the mining industry, focusing on high output torque, energy efficiency, and intelligent variable frequency drives. Read More
Maxolution has released the Mobile Robot Platform 1600, a new pallet-carrying robot with a focus on scalability and smooth integration into your existing industrial operation. A majority of the equipment’s advertised features run along these lines, but Maxolution also took the time to talk about its contactless charging system, payload capacity, and safety features. Read More
Thomas Langer, project manager of connectivity at Baumer, explored some of their technology’s lesser-known benefits. This technical report uses practical examples to show how users can make the most of digital interface benefits. Read More
Servo drive manufacturers have coalesced around a new status quo: Safe Torque Off. After a decade of development, the technology has become widely recognized as the standard in workplace safety; cheaper, safer, and more compact than the competition. If you’re working to meet modern standards for workplace safety today, there’s a pretty good chance you’re going to start here. Read More
Nord has introduced a new size 112 model to their line of IE5+ permanent magnet synchronous motors. This product line focuses primarily on energy efficiency, and thus cost savings, but they are expanding the line to handle bigger, more torque-intensive tasks with a larger model. Read More
Remote industrial applications such as oil fields and mining operations rarely enjoy comprehensive infrastructural support. Whether operating outside, temporary, or running lean, these operations need solutions that can work outside the fully optimized and controlled environment of a fully operational factory in the heart of a city. Antaira has a solution. Read More
Kvaser announced the release of the Kvaser Edge, an open, secure Linux‑based edge computing platform that transforms how automotive and industrial teams collect, process, and act on data. Designed for harsh environments and real‑time performance, Kvaser Edge runs analytics directly where data is generated: on the vehicle, test bench, or machine. Read More
While announcing that service solutions provider RS would now carry their line of conveyor products, ABB touted their contactors and soft starters. Both product lines are part of a unified message: reduce energy costs and wear and tear by using gentler products. Read More
Igus’s robotics storefront, RBTX, has started offering self-serve shopping. Previously, RBTX would not allow customers to purchase components without first checking that they were compatible, a safeguard to prevent costly mistakes when purchasing components worth thousands. For those who wish to skip that, Igus has lowered the guardrails to let industry experts quickly order parts the same as they would most anywhere else. Read More
ASRock has moved to support their IoT controller line, the Industrial Robust Edge AIoT Platform, with a new software suite that runs on Redfish. AiSMA, their new system management software, is a straightforward method for existing customers to tackle system security and management, as well as an important signal that they will actively continue to support their products with value-added software. Read More
After developing a new modular camera platform and “flexible technology architecture,” IDS received an award for excellence from tech client Trumpf for going “above and beyond the everyday.” Read More
Peak-System Technik released a new major update for their flagship Controller Area Network (CAN) communication software. The major headline is support for CAN XL, an increasingly popular communication standard for vehicle buses, but also included are a number of quality of life changes — and promises about what won’t. Read More
Nord gave a brief preview of what they'll be bringing to GEAPS Exchange 2026, a prominent trade show for the grain industry in North America. Their Maxxdrive line of high torque gear units will be front and center at their booth. Accompanying them will be several helical bevel gear units, electric motors, and a screw conveyor package, all highly customizable to tackle various environmental conditions. Read More
