Dallas manufacturer Aircraft Tooling uses a collaborative robot from Universal Robots to handle plasma and metal powder spray processes, freeing up employees to take on other tasks. With the Waves of Innovation event, Olympus Controls wants to show more manufacturers how robotics and automation deliver benefits such as workforce optimization, and increased productivity.

Robotics and Football: Automation Event Comes to Cowboys Stadium

Nov. 6, 2023

Olympus Controls invites robotics, automation and manufacturing industries to its inaugural event hosted at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex. on Nov. 15.

Rehana Begg

Related To: Olympus Controls

How do robots level the playing field?

One way to find out is to attend a brand new event, Waves of Innovation. Focused on robotics and automation, the event produced by Olympus Controls is coming to AT&T Stadium (home of the Dallas Cowboys), in Arlington, Tex. on Nov. 15, 2023.

Waves of Innovation will feature 20 robotics and automation vendors that will showcase the latest range of automation and robotics solutions, from collaborative robots handling grueling sanding and polishing tasks, to vision-guided robotic arms that use deep learning algorithms, along with applications for automated machine loading and laser marking.

The inaugural event is partly based on investment in talent; the region currently has more job vacancies than applicants, notwithstanding the fact that the Dallas metro area added more than 10,000 manufacturing jobs over the past 10 months.

“By hosting at AT&T Stadium we’re putting visitors into an awe-inspiring venue where they can be energized by good conversations, new ideas and cutting-edge technology without being distracted by the trappings of their traditional workplace,” commented Nick Armenta, regional manager, Olympus Controls, an engineering services company that specializes in the integration of motion control, machine vision and robotic technologies.

Armenta noted that the event is free for attendees and will be the first of a regular, annual event aimed at bringing manufacturing professionals together and to cultivate the next generation of manufacturing in Texas.

Texas currently has 0.8 unemployed persons per job opening, a gap that is especially pronounced in manufacturing, stated the company’s press release. “Historically low labor participation rates in our area means manufacturers are often unable to staff their shifts,” said Armenta.

What attendees can expect:

NTMA. Will be promoting their chapter network and internship opportunities (manufacturing professionals)
UTA. Will be exhibiting their published work on virtual reality robotic workspaces, and potentially some new work on multi-task learning with cobots. (cutting edge robot AI)
TMAC. Will be bringing systems for machine/process monitoring and data visualization dashboards related to machine/process monitoring. (IIoT)
Cobot Depot. Robot tooling guru that develops standard robot tooling and accessories and uses these to deploy turnkey systems. (robots)
Spira. Will be showing an extremely challenging bin-picking system.
Kane Robotics. Will be showing their GRiT ST platform, which works with aerospace companies to do such tasks as sanding, grinding, finishing and polishing.

Waves of Innovation exhibitors include: Apex Dynamics, Asyril, Cobot Depot, Copley Controls, Datalogic, Dorner Conveyors, Epson Robots, Flexxbotics, Kane Robotics, Mecademic, Mitsubishi Electric, National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA), Nidec Corporation, Olympus Controls, Panasonic, Robotiq, Robotunits, Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC), Spira Vision, Universal Robots, University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), Zebra Robotics.

Venue and Registration

Choctaw Club – Silver Room North, AT&T Stadium, 1 AT&T Way Arlington, TX 76011
The event takes place Nov. 15, 2023 and is free to attend: Register here.

About the Author

Rehana Begg | Editor-in-Chief, Machine Design

As Machine Design’s content lead, Rehana Begg is tasked with elevating the voice of the design and multi-disciplinary engineer in the face of digital transformation and engineering innovation. Begg has more than 24 years of editorial experience and has spent the past decade in the trenches of industrial manufacturing, focusing on new technologies, manufacturing innovation and business. Her B2B career has taken her from corporate boardrooms to plant floors and underground mining stopes, covering everything from automation & IIoT, robotics, mechanical design and additive manufacturing to plant operations, maintenance, reliability and continuous improvement. Begg holds an MBA, a Master of Journalism degree, and a BA (Hons.) in Political Science. She is committed to lifelong learning and feeds her passion for innovation in publishing, transparent science and clear communication by attending relevant conferences and seminars/workshops.

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