SME is excited to bring about the inaugural Advanced Manufacturing Showcase at CES. SME and CTA are collaborating to highlight and promote the advanced manufacturing resources and capabilities in the US, as more global manufacturers seek to onshore and reshore their operations.
SOUTHWEST Session: In today’s fast-evolving manufacturing environment, automation is no longer a one-size-fits-all solution. This session will explore the critical decision between deploying collaborative robots (cobots) and traditional industrial robots, offering clarity around when each choice makes strategic sense. While industrial robots excel in high-volume, high-speed, heavy-load operations—thriving in fenced-off cells for repetitive tasks—cobots are designed for safe, direct interaction with human workers, offering flexibility, ease of redeployment and quicker changeover. Attendees will gain a framework for matching automation type to production need: evaluating criteria such as payload, cycle time, workspace environment, operator exposure, and change-frequency. We’ll also cover key trade-offs including installation cost, safety infrastructure, reprogramming agility and human-robot collaboration. Through real-world use-cases and decision lenses, you’ll walk away with actionable guidance: when to choose a cobot for tasks like machine tending, light assembly or flexible layouts; when an industrial robot remains the superior option for brute strength, continuous throughput and long runs; and how future-oriented operations can combine both in hybrid strategies. Join us if you’re looking to move beyond buzzwords and make informed automation choices that align with both current realities and future factory goals.
SOUTHWEST Session: Join us for a town hall event designed for exhibitors and attendees to help shape the future of federal research and development in advanced manufacturing. SPECIAL REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED: Register Here Participants will share insights to help define the priorities for the 2026 – 2030 National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing, which guides Federal efforts to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing. The plan is revised every four years to provide new federal priorities in advanced manufacturing research and development, aiming to create jobs, boost economic growth across various sectors, and strengthen national security. This town hall session augments an online Request for Information (RFI), enabling participants to voice their views and catalyze deeper input into priority areas. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has posted the complete set of questions in the Federal Register. The National Science and Technology Council’s Subcommittee on Advanced Manufacturing will manage the RFI process, and the NIST Office of Advanced Manufacturing will collect and analyze the information. Learn more here: White House Fact Sheet This exclusive town hall roundtable gives manufacturing leaders the opportunity to: Get a seat at the table with peers and policymakers Make your voice heard in shaping U.S. manufacturing priorities Provide deeper insights beyond the formal Request for Information (RFI) process.
Speaker at SOUTHWEST: Arjun Subramaniam, Director of Robotics and AI, Blue Onyx Systems
Speaker at SOUTHWEST: Michael Molnar, Founding Director, NIST Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office
Speaker at SOUTHWEST: Wayne Crowe, Director of eBusiness Technologies,, Motion Industries
The Manufacturing Technology Series SOUTHWEST made its debut in Dallas, marking an important first step toward supporting one of the fastest-growing manufacturing regions in the country.
SOUTHWEST Session: This demonstration showcases how agentic automation streamlines material replacement and inventory management using UiPath Maestro. The flow begins with an MTR (Material Test Report) being received, processed, and linked to its corresponding purchase order (PO). Upon identifying a defective material, the system transitions to a Maestro-driven workflow where an intelligent agent analyzes the issue, reviews inventory, and finds suitable substitute materials. The agent then recommends replacements based on availability and need. A human operator reviews and refines these recommendations—such as adjusting shipping quantities—and approves an automatically drafted email prepared by the remediation agent for the customer and requisition team. The demo concludes by highlighting how this automation fits into a larger source-to-pay and manufacturing management process, improving speed, accuracy, and end-to-end efficiency.
Speaker at SOUTHWEST: Morgan Conque, Vice President of GTM Strategy, Ashling