Highlights From Automation Fair 2023 | Rockwell Automation

By Amanda Joshi, Managing Editor

Rockwell Automation kicked off its annual Automation Fair^® event at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center on Nov. 6-9, 2023. For the first time ever, the reimagined event united with the ROKLive Americas, PowerPlex and Process Solutions User Group (PSUG) events for one ground-breaking week covering the latest technologies for industrial automation and digital transformation.

Also for the first time ever, the show floor expanded to a 500,000-sq.-ft. interactive expo featuring more than 140 booths, virtual production lines and guided tours. Attendees saw the latest innovations and approaches to optimize production, empower people and achieve digital transformation.

With more than 10,000 automation industry professionals in attendance. Visitors participated in conversations, engaged in training sessions, asked insightful questions and expanded their professional networks.

Attendees delved into the latest IT/OT trends, explored the practical applications of innovations in smart manufacturing, and how digital transformation can help meet business objectives. Participants also learned about technologies from Rockwell Automation and members of its global PartnerNetwork™ program that can help address challenges while optimizing production.

Key Takeaways from Keynotes

Keynotes, open to all attendees, represented some of the most impactful moments of thought leadership. The event schedule featured three inspirational keynotes focused on innovations in industrial technology, the future of manufacturing, and inspiring resiliency and sustainability.

Blake Moret, chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation, during Wednesday’s keynote, shared three key outcomes Rockwell Automation is focused on for users of its technologies: resiliency, agility and sustainability.

“Our job is to understand customers’ complex challenges, help them better define what the specific issues are and simplify the business of automation,” he explained.

To do this, Rockwell Automation is expanding its core focus around production optimization to address resilience, human-centric automation, sustainability and digital transformation.

Automation Fair 2023 Keynote Blake Moret — *Blake Moret addresses attendees at the 2023 Automation Fair*^® *event in Boston.*

Moret noted that building resilience has become increasingly important since COVID shutdowns, because it highlighted the need for redundant operations and the ability to address unforeseen supply chain challenges.

He pointed to Plex DemandCaster (acquired by Rockwell Automation in 2021) as an example of how the company is helping customers better understand the effects of demand on their supply chains.

“We've talked about the idea of connected supply chains for years, and customers intuitively know there are huge savings and efficiencies to be gained there,” said Moret. “That’s why we have significantly increased our capability to help deliver the connected supply chain and we will continue to invest in this area.”

Another critical factor to resiliency is cybersecurity, and Rockwell Automation will continue to focus on providing secure offerings. “We just acquired Verve to significantly increase our capabilities with respect to cybersecurity, to build on our services around that, and help make our customers the hardest possible targets,” he said.

To improve sustainability, he explained how the company is addressing scarce resources, from workforce shortages to water and energy conservation.

To achieve resilient, sustainable operations, Moret underscored how digital twins can impact outcomes and how the company’s consulting services through Kalypso can help guide manufacturers in successful implementations.

Changing the Logistical Landscape

On Oct. 2, 2023, Rockwell Automation acquired Clearpath Robotics and its OTTO Motors division. The company debuted at Automation Fair^®, showcasing its autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to an excited crowd of onlookers at the Expo. AMRs are fast becoming part of warehousing/distribution center operations, but Clearpath focuses primarily on manufacturing operations.

During her keynote address, Tessa Myers, senior vice president of Intelligent Devices for Rockwell Automation, introduced Clearpath Robotics’ co-founder Matt Rendall.

“Our goal is to use AMRs to create safer and more productive workplaces,” explained Rendall. “OTTO Motors AMRs are deployed in factories all over the world. Finding enough people has been a challenge. It’s important to invest in new forms of automation to make better use of the scarce talent we have.”

Automation Fair 2023 Keynote Tessa Myers & OTTO — *Tessa Myers introduces Matt Rendell, co-founder of Clearpath Robotics and its OTTO Motors division.*

Rendall cited a manufacturer in Indiana that ran production at only 75% because of staff shortfalls. By implementing AMRs, the factory was able to reallocate employees from material-handling functions to operate an additional production line and increase productivity. “You want humans focusing on things they’re meant to do, and you want robots focusing on work they’re meant to do,” noted Rendall.

“Autonomous technology is not the realm of science fiction. We have lasers and cameras and advanced artificial intelligence (AI), allowing each OTTO to perceive its environment and figure out the best way to get where it needs to go,” he added.

Watch the on-demand video of this keynote.

Impactful Summit Experiences

New for the event’s 2023 format, Rockwell Automation introduced a half-day Summit experience, bringing together like-minded individuals to solve problems, build community and share successes. Attendees could choose from four summits:

Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Net Zero Now Summit.
OEM Leader-to-Leader Summit.
Plex Customer Summit.
Process Solutions User Group (PSUG) Summit.

All Summits offered exclusive access to keynote speakers and subject matter experts (SMEs), roundtable collaborations, and topic breakouts.

At the ESG Summit on Monday, Nov. 6, one impactful presentation examined why merging digital transformation and sustainability initiatives is necessary for manufacturers to stay competitive.

Automation Fair 2023 ESG Summit — *Andrea Ruotolo from Rockwell Automation (right) discussed the emergence of “twin transformers” and their likelihood to outperform competitors.*

“The regulations are coming, such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive,” stressed Tom O’Reilly, vice president of sustainability at Rockwell Automation. “In this directive, any publicly listed company in Europe will have to report around their Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and their targets and have them audited. So suddenly, sustainability reports will be as important as financial reports.”

Recognizing the need to combine sustainability and digital transformation led Rockwell Automation and its Digital Partner Accenture to focus on developing the sustainable digital factory, where sustainability is not looked at as a separate target but is seen as part of the manufacturing process. Other companies directly involved in this effort include PTC, Microsoft, Johnson Controls and Purdue University.

“If you look at this problem and try to solve it inside your four walls, it's going to be very difficult,” cautioned Andy Kohok, managing director at Accenture. “This is not an issue that’s solvable just by Accenture or Rockwell Automation. That’s why we brought our alliance partners together on this.”

Andrea Ruotolo, global head of customer sustainability at Rockwell Automation, pointed out that companies that effectively combine sustainability within their digital transformation are called “twin transformers.” According to Accenture, such companies are 2.5x more likely to be among tomorrow’s top-performing businesses.

For more on the ESG summit, visit http://tinyurl.com/yc3bpf9m.

Unique Off-Site Visits

Also new this year, on Monday, Nov. 6, and Tuesday, Nov. 7, the Automation Fair^® event offered off-site, behind-the-scenes tours of area partner, customer and Rockwell Automation operations, where attendees got up close with applications.

The BioFabUSA human tissue foundry at the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) in New Hampshire was a popular tour destination. Listen to The Journal’s podcast about this tour on your favorite podcast app or on the web.

BioFabUSA integrates cell and tissue cultures with advances in biofabrication, automation, robotics and analytical technologies to create disruptive tools and scalable FDA-compliant manufacturing processes. Dean Kamen, BioFabUSA’s founder, shared insight about the company, automation’s key role, and the potential impact organ regeneration will have in the future. Read our article about this ground-breaking human issue foundry.

Automation Fair 2023 ARMI Tour — *Dean Kaman (in leather jacket) gave a behind-the-scenes tour of the BioFabUSA human tissue foundry and explained to attendees how automation plays a role.*

Attendees also toured manufacturing suites equipped with bioreactors, mixers, filtration and purification equipment at Cytiva, a life science equipment manufacturer. Based in Marlborough, Massachusetts, Cytiva covers the entire bioprocessing spectrum from the lab to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) production and from process development through final fill.

Cytiva and Rockwell Automation showcased their collaborative efforts to create Figurate™ automation powered by PlantPAx^® distributed control system, a digital solution for the biopharmaceutical industry.

At another popular tour, Downeast Cider in Boston showcased its approach to smart manufacturing to deliver consistent, high-quality cider. Visitors congregated in the taproom located in the middle of a real production floor and watched the process of making and packaging cider.

During this visit, Grainger Flint, director of supply chain, shared how the brewer uses the cloud-based Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform™ to improve its inventory tracking, supply chain efficiency, production control, packaging and more.

Other tours available were the Rockwell Automation Independent Cart Technology manufacturing facility, where attendees could access demos and the motion control technology’s applications lab; and PTC’s Corporate Experience Center for industry-specific demos centered around IIoT and augmented reality.

Advanced Training

Popular hands-on labs allowed event attendees to spend time with domain experts and get personalized guidance. Participants experienced hardware and software simulations for more in-depth, specific scenarios and use cases.

Rockwell Automation offered more than 500 hours of training, including Product & Technology Sessions, and attendees could earn more than 20 professional development hour (PDH) credits while attending the fair. Those who attended can download their PDH credits for Advanced Training sessions and certificates of attendance for General Access sessions.

In all, Rockwell Automation, its partners, and its customers delivered more than 325 educational sessions plus learning opportunities at discovery theaters in the Expo, peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing sessions, and panel discussions.

Plan ahead for the 2024 Automation Fair^® event, Nov. 18-21, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California.

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Videos

Watch These Videos from Automation Fair

Join The Journal’s Managing Editor Amanda Joshi as she takes you through the aisles of the 2023 Automation Fair^® event’s Expo to learn more about some of the top technologies and see demonstrations from these 12 companies in the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork™ ecosystem.

Advanced Micro Controls Inc. (AMCI)
Endress+Hauser
EPLAN LLC
Hammond Power Solutions
Hardy Process Solutions
LinMot USA, Inc.
MTE Corp.
n-Vent HOFFMAN
SmartSights
Spectrum Controls Inc.
Stratus Technologies
TCI, LLC

Watch Now