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(March 17-19; Westin Chicago, Lombard, Ill.) offers an array of speakers addressing key queries injection molders deal with when it comes to automation and automation isn’t going anywhere, particularly in plastics.

In 2019, North American robot unit demand rose 1.6 percent compared to 2018 with 29,988 robotic units ordered, according to the Robotic Industries Association. As is typically the case, automotive OEMs lead the way as the biggest growth driver, with orders there up 50.5 percent. Second biggest driver of order growth—the plastics and rubber industry with growth of 16.6 percent. From 2020 to 2022 almost 2 million new units of industrial robots are expected to be installed in factories around the world, according to the International Federation of Robotics.

If you’re deciding whether—or how—to be part of that growth, join us at to make an informed decision.

Presentation: Choosing the Right Projects to Automate

Speaker: Dino Caparco, Yushin

“There are some best practices when it comes to selecting a project or process to automate that will help the organization achieve successful integration.”

Takeaway: Projects that work, projects that didn’t.

Presentation: Where Cobots Fit in an Injection Molding Operation

Speaker: Joseph Campbell, Universal Robots

“Presentation will introduce cobots as a key solution to today's immediate ´óÏó´«Ã½ challenges, including manufacturing labor shortages, off-shore competition, high mix/low volume requirements, and rigorous quality demands.”

Takeaway: Case studies tackle technical and commercial aspects.

Presentation: 3-, 5- and 6-Axis Robots: Which is Right for Your Application?

Speaker: Joseph Opal, regional sales manager, Sepro America

“When people are no longer needed to perform repetitive tasks, they can be reassigned to really add value to the parts produced. This is least you should expect from a robot and even the simplest 3-axis Cartesian model can do the job. But what could you gain by considering a more sophisticated 5-axis of 6-axis robot?”

Takeaway: Robot and cobot options explained, how and when different tech applied addressed.

Learn more about process improvement, sustainable molding, the new parts competition and more at .