Efficiency

Technology in manufacturing: the operational trends shaping factory floors in mid-2026

From physical AI to an 80% automation gap, here are the manufacturing technology shifts ops leaders need to act on right now.

Robotics in manufacturing: five shifts defining factory floors in mid-2026

80% of U.S. factories still run without automation. Here's what physical AI, new cobots, and vendor restructuring mean for ops teams right now.

IMA Group positions "Cognitive Manufacturing" as the next operating model for industrial production

IMA Group's Cognitive Manufacturing framework, debuted at Interpack 2026, combines cloud AI, edge AI, and robotics to help production teams cut downtime and imp

Robots, AI, and IIoT are reshaping the factory floor — but the real work is in integration

Robotics, AI quality control, and IIoT-driven predictive maintenance are converging in manufacturing, pushing ops leaders to rethink how they buy, deploy, and g

Industrial vision sector expands across automation, robotics, and AI-driven inspection

The A3's Vision Industry Insights hub tracks 560+ developments across machine vision, robotics, and AI inspection—here's what enterprise ops teams need to know.

93% of manufacturers have MES, but only 23% have fully integrated it, Rockwell Automation finds

A new Rockwell Automation report of 1,560 decision-makers finds a deep MES integration gap hobbling manufacturers' push to enterprise-wide performance.

Robotics, AI accountability, and autonomous forklifts: five automation developments operations leaders need to know

From ABB's new Visual SLAM forklift to a Kore.ai finding that 70% of enterprises can't trace AI failures, this week's automation news carries real operational w

The automation visibility gap: why FactoryOps is becoming the missing layer in manufacturing stacks

Heavily automated plants still lose margin to blind spots. A new operations layer called FactoryOps is closing the gap without replacing existing PLCs or SCADA.

OMRON debuts LD-150 and LD-300 AMRs at Automate 2026, targeting higher-throughput material flow

OMRON Robotics unveiled two next-gen LD Series AMRs at Automate 2026, built for heavier loads and tighter production spaces.

Chinese industrial robots now reach 148 countries as factory task complexity rises

Chinese-manufactured robots are handling complex factory tasks and shipping to 148 countries, raising urgent questions for global procurement and ops teams.

Siemens and IFS partner to close the engineering-to-operations gap with industrial AI

Siemens and IFS announced a strategic partnership to connect design, manufacturing execution, and asset lifecycle data in a closed-loop industrial AI platform.

Turkish SME lists AI-powered IIoT and MES platform on EU innovation network, seeking manufacturing partners

A Turkish industrial software firm has posted its modular smart manufacturing platform on the EU's Enterprise Europe Network, targeting manufacturers across aut

End-of-line automation is the next deployment frontier for manufacturers

Nearly half of manufacturers plan end-of-line automation within 24 months, per IndustryWeek. Here's what operations leaders need to evaluate now.

Metalgear Engineering's assembly line overhaul pushed one manufacturer from 10 to 100 units a day

Custom PLC automation and single-piece flow redesign cut labor costs 40% and multiplied output tenfold for a manufacturer capped by a legacy line.

Industrial automation's AI gap: why 80% of U.S. factories still run without robots

80% of U.S. factories have zero automation, even as Honeywell, ABB, and others push AI-driven tools to close the gap.

Physical AI converges on the warehouse floor: five operational moves shaping industrial robotics in mid-2026

From truck unloading to no-code paint cobots, the latest industrial robotics announcements carry concrete implications for ops and procurement teams.

AI and automation's adoption gap: why most manufacturers haven't crossed the line yet

80% of U.S. factories have zero automation. New hardware, software, and C-suite strategy are converging to close that gap.

Prince SCADA System case study

For years, operators on Prince's shop floor faced a familiar but costly problem: the information they needed to do their jobs was scattered. Programs lived in one place, blueprints in another, operation sheets somewhere else entirely. Getting set up at a station meant hunting across file folders, ic

Physical AI, embodied robotics, and agentic systems headline manufacturing's mid-2026 intelligence push

From physical AI closing the simulation gap to embodied robotics fighting margin pressure, manufacturing's mid-2026 agenda centers on operational intelligence.

Samsung commits to all-AI factories by 2030, setting a hard deadline for industrial transformation

Samsung plans to convert all manufacturing to AI-driven factories by 2030, deploying digital twins and specialized AI agents across quality, production, and log

AGCO Advances Fuel Efficiency Across Its Fendt®, Massey Ferguson® and Valtra® Brands

Independent testing highlights how AGCO Power™ engines and driveline integration help farmers reduce fuel use while maintaining field performance.

FANUC America Debuts Ultra‑Lightweight CRX‑3iA Collaborative Robot and New Capabilities Across the CRX Lineup

A new ultra‑portable cobot and expanded CRX features give manufacturers more ways to automate small tasks, heavy moves, palletizing, welding and high‑mix operations.

A Guided Overview of tManager from Softing

As industrial environments grow more connected and complex, manufacturers are increasingly looking for streamlined ways to manage data flows, configure devices, and maintain interoperability without adding operational friction. Tools that can be learned incrementally and adopted at a user’s own pace are becoming especially valuable, helping teams focus on outcomes rather than wrestling with software…

Navigating the Future of Warehouse Automation and ASRS With HAI Robotics

As e-commerce continues to reshape the landscape of logistics and fulfillment, businesses are turning to Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) to streamline operations and bolster efficiency. With industry experts like Hunter Senn of Hai Robotics leading the conversation, businesses are seeking clarity on the benefits and implementation of these sophisticated systems. ASRS are not…

How Does it Work? – The STC Process

Installing SmartSky on an aircraft is an exciting opportunity. It is all about ensuring the best experience for the customer, and being among the first to have the system on board provides numerous benefits, and the goal is to make the installation seamless. Collaboration with dealers and operators is crucial during this process, especially when…

Pillars of a High Functioning Manufacturing Warehouse Solution with Brian Reinhart

People want goods faster, cheaper, and easier. What else is new? But wanting it and making it happen are two different things. Manufacturing is always up for the task; thankfully, with today’s automated technology solutions, new ways of achieving those goals are at hand. Brian Reinhart, VP of Sales, Marketing, and Solutions with Hai Robotics,…

How 7-Eleven Boosts Efficiency, Profitability, and ROI

The following was adapted from a presentation by Titan customer Ron Fulenchek, Director of Gasoline Environmental Compliance at 7-Eleven, at the NEIWPCC National Tanks Conference.  Global c-store juggernaut 7-Eleven leverages Titan Cloud’s comprehensive suite of software to boost efficiency and profitability, leaning on the solution to alleviate environmental risk and optimize the workflow surrounding their…

The Shortlist, August 28: Honeywell Bulks Up its IoT Offering and KFC Ditches the ‘C’

The Internet of Things has allowed people to be more efficient in their routines for years, and businesses are increasingly implementing the technology into their own. Industrial conglomerate Honeywell announced it is adding more automation, cybersecurity and visualization tools to its ‘Forge for Buildings’ IoT platform. Honeywell CEO Darius Adamczyk told CNBC the company…

High Speed Train Loadout Made Possible by Kasa Controls & Automation

Kasa Automation Delivers Excellence in Efficiency for Rail Terminal in Kansas’ Biggest Wheat Producing County The grain industry continues to grow in the U.S., requiring more storage and facilities. As farming practices have improved, yields are greater. That means those in the industry are busy building new facilities with the most up-to-date technology. This is…

IntelliFinishing Leaves Traditional Finishing in the Dust

Have you discovered that most traditional paint finishing systems aren’t meeting the unique needs of your company? IntelliFinishing has flexible solutions that are anything but conventional, and we offer features that the traditional systems can’t compete with. Unchained Technology Unlike the chain-driven components of power & free and monorail finishing systems, our spinning tube, friction-driven…