Articles from Association for Advancing Automation

North American robot orders climbed in the third quarter of 2025, signaling renewed momentum in manufacturing automation. According to the latest data released by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), 8,806 robots valued at $574 million were ordered in Q3, an 11.6% increase in units and 17.2% rise in revenue compared to the same period last year.

With robotics demand at an all-time high, the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) will host the International Robot Safety Conference (IRSC) November 3-5, 2025 at The Westin Houston, Memorial City in Houston, Texas. For more than 35 years, companies worldwide have relied on IRSC to strengthen their knowledge of robot safety and risk assessment.

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) today announced the launch of Automated with Brian Heater, a new weekly podcast that gives listeners a front-row seat to candid conversations with the world’s top robotics and automation leaders. The series debuts today, September 17, with new episodes every Wednesday. The first installment is now accessible on YouTube, and is available on all major streaming services.

The North American robotics industry continued to build momentum in the first half of 2025. New data from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) shows robot orders increased by 4.3% and revenue rose 7.5% compared to the first half of 2024, a promising sign for continued automation investment amid a complex economic landscape.

Robot orders in North America remained essentially flat in the first quarter of 2025, with companies purchasing 9,064 units valued at $580.7 million, according to new data released by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). Compared to Q1 2024, this represents a 0.4% increase in units ordered and a 15% rise in order value, signaling continued demand and increased investment in higher-value automation systems.

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the leading voice in automation and robotics, today announced the launch of a new industry event, FOCUS: Intelligent Vision & Industrial AI Conference. Set to take place September 24-25, 2025, in Seattle, this conference will provide an in-depth look at the latest advancements in machine vision, imaging technologies, AI, and smart automation applications. Attendees will explore cutting-edge innovations in vision systems and imaging while also diving into real-world case studies on AI-driven automation across industries, including manufacturing, aerospace, agriculture, defense, energy, logistics and medical devices.

Automation holds the potential to shape a better world: from advancing industry to building greater environmental resilience and expanding access to healthcare. Whether through AI or robotics, automation is already woven into daily life and can offer promising solutions to some of society's most pressing challenges. By thinking creatively about how to deploy these technologies, automation can empower communities to thrive in safer, healthier, and more sustainable environments.

The North American robotics market demonstrated minor overall growth in 2024, reflecting resilience and adaptability as automation strengthened its role across industries. According to new data from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), North American companies ordered 31,311 robots valued at $1.963 billion, representing slight increases of 0.5% in units and 0.1% in revenue over 2023. These modest gains mark stabilization after years of volatility and record-breaking growth.

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3), North America’s preeminent automation trade association, proudly announces the promotion of Alex Shikany to executive vice president. Previously serving as vice president of Membership & Market Intelligence, Alex brings over a decade of dedicated leadership and innovation to his new role.

Automate, North America’s largest automation tradeshow, opens next week, May 6-9, at Chicago’s McCormick Place. This year’s event will be the largest Automate to-date—the show’s host, the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), anticipates more than 35,000 attendees with more than 800 exhibitors occupying 325,000 square feet of exhibitor space. The tradeshow is free for anyone ages 12 and older interested in robotics and automation.

In a highly anticipated return to the Windy City this spring after a five-year hiatus, Automate—the largest robotics and automation trade show in North America—will set new show records for number of attendees and exhibitors. Hosted by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, North America’s premier automation trade show and conference is set to run May 6-9 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

Automate 2024—the largest robotics and automation trade show in North America—is redefining the tech industry narrative by celebrating and empowering women in automation. The annual trade show and conference, running May 6-9 in Chicago and hosted by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), will open its third day with an inaugural Women’s Empowerment Forum and a much-anticipated keynote address by MIT Professor Daniela Rus.

After record orders in both 2021 and 2022, robot sales in North American declined by 30% in 2023, according to the latest report from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). Companies purchased 31,159 robots in 2023, compared to 44,196 ordered in 2022 and 39,708 in 2021. These 2023 orders were divided almost equally among automotive (15,723 robots sold) and non-automotive companies (15,436 robots sold), a 34% drop in sales to automotive OEMs and automotive suppliers over 2022 and a 25% total decrease in all other industries.

As the use of mobile robots continues to surge in industrial settings, the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) has unveiled the second installment of its flagship safety standard for industrial mobile robots, providing guidance on safe integration practices for these systems.

Registration is open for Automate 2024—the largest robotics and automation trade show in North America—the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) announced today. The Automate Show, May 6-9, 2024, will be a historic one—held at Chicago’s renowned McCormick Place and expected to be 25% larger than the previous record in Detroit in 2023.

A slow U.S. economy and high interest rates have taken a toll on robot orders in North American, resulting in a decline for the second quarter in a row after record purchases in 2021 and 2022. According to the latest report from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), companies ordered 7,697 robots valued at $457 million from April to July 2023, a 37% decline in robot orders and 20% drop in value over the same period in 2022.

North American companies ordered fewer robots in the first quarter of 2023 than for the same period last year. According to the latest report from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), companies ordered 9,168 units valued at $597 million in Q1 2023, a 21% drop in total units and a 10% drop in value over the same quarter in 2022, which was the third-best quarter on record for North America.

Driven by the resurgence in robot orders from automotive companies, the North American robotics market set all-time records in both robots sold and value in 2022. According to a report from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), North American companies ordered 44,196 robots valued at $2.38 billion last year, representing increases of 11% and 18%, respectively, over 2021, the previous record.

Manufacturers, machine builders, system integrators, end users and others looking for the latest advancements in motion control and motors can find them all at the free, virtual A3 TechCon on December 14. Organized by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), A3 TechCon offers educational sessions that focus on key fundamentals of motion control technology and motors, plus what new advances are taking place and where the industry is headed.

Manufacturers interested in unleashing the power of artificial intelligence in their operations can learn about the latest innovations and best applications at the AI & Smart Automation Conference on September 29 in Columbus, Ohio. Organized by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the one-day powerhouse briefing features experts from Siemens, Procter & Gamble, NVIDIA, RAPID Robotics, Landing AI, and more.

Top industry experts from Amazon, FANUC, Honda, Procter & Gamble, Rockwell, SICK, Universal Robots, Zebra, and more will speak at the International Robot Safety Conference (IRSC), presented by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). This year, IRSC will be back in person for the first time since 2019, running September 27-29, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. The conference and trade show will cover key issues in robot safety and provide an in-depth overview of current industry standards related to industrial robotics, including conventional, collaborative, and mobile robot systems.

For the third-straight quarter, robot sales in North America hit a record high, driven by a resurgence in sales to automotive companies and an ongoing need to manage increasing demand to automate logistics for e-commerce. According to the Association for Advancing Automation, of the 12,305 robots sold in Q2 2022, 59% of the orders came from the automotive industry with the remaining orders from non-automotive companies largely in the food & consumer goods industry, which saw a 13% increase in unit orders over the same period, April through June, in 2021.

Automate REWIND launches today, a digital library of content featuring Automate 2022 keynotes, theater talks, Automate LIVE interviews, exhibitor spotlights, and more. Through October 31, anyone can revisit the trends, best practices, and industry insights covering topics from North America’s largest robotics and automation trade show.

The Automate 2022 Show and Conference celebrated the most successful event in its history, setting new records for registrants, exhibit booths and online engagement during its four-day run June 6-9, 2022, in Detroit, Michigan. The show organizer, the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), expects next year to be even bigger with nearly three-quarters of an expanded show floor already booked for Automate’s return to Detroit, May 22-25, 2023.

Today at the Automate 2022 Show and Conference in Detroit, leading experts in artificial intelligence (AI) will discuss how to put AI to use in manufacturing facilities in the keynote panel, “AI & Manufacturing - How Artificial Intelligence is Powering the Next Wave of Manufacturing.” Technologists from Accenture, NVIDIA, General Motors, Landing AI and Intel will offer insights and best practices on how businesses can take advantage of AI to enhance their automation processes and improve efficiencies and productivity overall.

At Automate 2022 Show and Conference in Detroit next week, robotics industry leaders will discuss how robotics and automation are transforming the North American economy in an executive roundtable co-sponsored by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). Speakers for the roundtable, scheduled June 7 from 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon ET, include:

Daymond John, the star of ABC’s “Shark Tank“ and founder and CEO of American hip hop apparel company FUBU, will share tips to success in business and life as the first keynote speaker at Automate 2022 in Detroit this June. His presentation, “Daymond John’s 5 Shark Points: Fundamentals for Success in Business and Life,” will highlight his unique goal setting and achievement strategies to help empower attendees to make positive changes in every aspect of their lives. Automate is North America’s largest automation tradeshow, running June 6-9 at Huntington Place in Detroit. Registration is free.

North American companies started the year by purchasing the most robots ever in a single quarter, with 11,595 robots sold at a value of $646 million. According to the Association for Advancing Automation, these Q1 numbers represent growth of 28% and 43% respectively over the first quarter of 2021 and 7% and 25% respectively over the previous best quarter, Q4 of 2021. Each industry segment experienced double-digit growth over the same quarter of 2021.

Ten cutting-edge startups will compete for a $10,000 prize in “The Cowen Startup Challenge: Automate to Outperform” June 7 at the Automate 2022 Show and Conference, North America’s largest automation and robotics showcase. Sponsored this year by Cowen, a multinational, independent investment bank and financial services company competition spotlights exciting and innovative entrepreneurs and their young companies, the competition will honor young companies and their entrepreneurs driving innovations in robotics, machine vision, artificial intelligence and other automation technologies.

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) today announced Automate LIVE, a virtual version of the Automate 2022 Show and Conference taking place in Detroit this June 6-9. In partnership with—and hosted by—content creators Jake Hall of The Manufacturing Millennial and Chris Luecke of the Manufacturing Happy Hour podcast, Automate LIVE will stream topics pertinent to manufacturers looking for the latest in automation to help alleviate ongoing labor shortages, increase productivity and succeed in today’s competitive environments. These topics include:

Cutting-edge startups—driving innovations in robotics, machine vision, artificial intelligence and other automation technologies—will compete for a $10,000 prize in “The Cowen Startup Challenge: Automate to Outperform,” taking place at Automate 2022 in Detroit in June.

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) today announced six winners of the 2022 Engelberger Robotics Awards, the world's most prestigious robotics honor. At a special dinner in conjunction with the Automate 2022 Show and Conference in Detroit on June 8, Michael P. Jacobs of Applied Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) will be honored for his leadership in automation while Oussama Khatib of Stanford University will be awarded for education and Marc Raibert of Boston Dynamics for technology.

Propelled by a surge in non-automotive sectors, the number of robots sold in North America set a new record in 2021, with 39,708 units sold at a value of $2 billion, a 14% increase over the previous high in 2017.

Registration is now open for Automate 2022, North America’s leading automation trade show and conference. Produced by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the first in-person Automate since 2019 will be held June 6-9, 2022, in Detroit after 23 years in Chicago. The event, which hosts many of the industry’s leading manufacturers and system integrators in robotics, machine vision, motion control, artificial intelligence and smart automation, is on pace to be the largest ever, with vendor space nearing capacity at close to 300,000 square feet of exhibits.

Strong robot sales in the third quarter of 2021 bring the total number of orders so far this year to nearly 29,000 units valued at $1.48 billion, the best numbers ever recorded for the North American robotics market. According to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), these numbers show increases of 37% in units sold (up from 21,072) and 35% in value (up from $1.09 billion) over the same period in 2020 and surpass the previous highest record from 2017 by 5.8% and 0.5%.

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) returned to live events in October, hosting the Autonomous Mobile Robots & Logistics Conference, in Memphis, TN. More than 650 people attended, 50% higher than the number that attended the 2019 pre-pandemic AMR event, demonstrating the surging interest in mobile robotics, distribution, material handling, and e-commerce automation technologies.

Robot orders in the second quarter of 2021 were up 67% over the same period in 2020, showing a return to pre-COVID 19 pandemic demand for automation as manufacturers and other North American companies return to business. According to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), North American companies ordered 9,853 robots valued at $501 million in Q2 2021, up from 5,196 sold in Q2 2020, the peak of the pandemic.

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) is hosting the new Automate Preview Series, a program of six executive webinars starting September 14. The series will outline some of the technologies and applications that will take center stage at Automate in Detroit, June 6-9, 2022.

Just under a year from today, the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) will open Automate, North America’s largest showcase devoted to automation industry trends, leading-edge technology, and innovations that help companies compete in global markets. Held in Detroit for the first time, Automate expects to draw more than 20,000 attendees, 600 exhibitors and hundreds of speakers on robotics, vision and imaging, motion control, artificial intelligence and smart automation technologies.

Robot orders in the first quarter of 2021 were up 20% over the same period in 2020, with substantial increases in purchases coming from companies in metals (up 86%), life sciences/pharmaceutical/biomed (up 72%), food & consumer goods (up 32%), and other non-automotive industries (12%). According to industry stats announced today by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), North American companies purchased 9,098 units valued at $466 million in Q1, with non-automotive companies purchasing 28% more robots over Q1 2020 and automotive OEMs and component suppliers combined seeing a 12% increase year-over-year.