Get in gear for warehouse automation at the Robotics Summit & Expo

Supply chains around the globe face challenges including economic uncertainty, labor shortages, and expectations of rapid and affordable order fulfillment. Automation promises to help, but robotics developers and suppliers must to work closely with warehouse operators to address their needs. At the Robotics Summit & Expo next week, GAM Enterprises Inc. will share report findings on current warehouse trends and its experiences in the motion control market.

From fixed automation such as conveyors and sortation systems to the latest autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS), the market is hot, with significant opportunities for both established robotics providers and startups. At the same time, robotics providers have to ensure that their systems are robust and flexible enough to meet growing demand, particularly in e-commerce and third-party logistics (3PL).

The right motion-control technologies are essential for applications including order picking and consolidation, palletizing, put-away, and goods-to-person (G2P) materials handling, noted GAM. As robot arms and lift trucks increase their payload and reach, they require higher torque capacity, greater stability, and the ability to move — and stop — quickly and smoothly.

From best-in-class components to a holistic approach to the warehouse or distribution center as a system, gearboxes can help meet heightened demand for precision, repeatability, and safety. Integrators and end users need to be aware of existing processes, the flow of goods, and interactions among associates and equipment such as forklifts and robots.

This session on “Meeting Warehouse Demands: Robotics, Motion Control, and Gearbox Strategies for Smarter Automation” in the Robotics Summit & Expo Engineering Theater will examine the following considerations for developers:

• Identifying application requirements and process flexibility
• The types of robots that are currently available
• Ensuring that components meet performance expectations
• How to choose a trusted supplier/partner
• Configurability and customization
• Specialized systems versus general-purpose ones, such as the promise of humanoids

Automation expert to address warehouse robotics

Craig Van den Avont is president at GAM Enterprises. In 1998, he was a founder of GAM Gear LLC. Over the years, the company grew from a startup to a market leader.

Van den Avont led the company to implement full manufacturing at its location in Mount Prospect, Ill., and he is proud of GAM’s role in bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. Craig is also the board chairman for the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC).

IMEC is the official Illinois representative of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) network under the U.S. Department of Commerce and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The MEP National Network is a public-private partnership that delivers comprehensive, proven solutions to U.S. manufacturers, fueling growth and advancing U.S. manufacturing.

IMEC is dedicated to providing manufacturers in Illinois with the tools and techniques to create sustainable competitive futures in the global marketplace.

Prior to GAM Enterprises, Van den Avont was the chief engineer at Rexroth-Indramat (now Bosch-Rexroth), a German manufacturer of servo-based motion control systems used in factory automation. He started as a mechanical engineer at the company and was promoted to chief engineer in only four years.

Before Rexroth, Craig was a design engineer at McDonnell Douglas, where he worked on the DC-9/MD-80 aircraft at the Douglas plant in Long Beach, Calif.

Born and raised in the Chicago area, Van den Avont earned his BS in aeronautical-astronautical engineering from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and his MBA from DePaul University. Craig is passionate about U.S. manufacturing and actively works to promote its success on a local, national, and global level. He has participated in a roundtable discussion with the U.S. Department of Commerce Manufacturing Council’s Sub-Committee on Innovation and Research and Development.

Van den Avont has been recognized by the Northwest Educational Council for Student Success (NESS) for GAM’s involvement with the local middle, secondary, and post-secondary schools, helping to promote careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and manufacturing.

About the 2025 Robotics Summit & Expo

The Robotics Summit & Expo will bring together more than 5,000 attendees focused on building robots for various commercial industries. Attendees can gain insights into the latest enabling technologies, engineering best practices, emerging trends, and more.

Keynote speakers will include:

The show will have more than 50 educational sessions in tracks on AI, design and development, enabling technologies, healthcare, and logistics. The Engineering Theater on the show floor will also feature presentations by industry experts.

The expo hall will feature over 200 exhibitors showcasing the latest enabling technologies, products, and services that can help robotics engineers throughout their development journeys.

The Robotics Summit also offers numerous networking opportunities, a Career Fair, a robotics development challenge, the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards Gala, and more.

Registration is now open.

Register now so you don’t miss out!

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