MD&M West 2025 Showcases Cutting-Edge Robotics & Automation

Bosch Rexroth, Stäubli Robotics, Epson Robots, and ReeR Safety showcased the latest advances in control and robotic automation technologies at the globally renowned MD&M West 2025 trade show (February 4-6, in Anaheim Convention Center, California). In addition to these top-tier exhibitors, a host of industry professionals from engineering and manufacturing fields (with over 1,700 exhibitors) took to the floor and delivered technology highlights and demonstrations of the latest technologies across aerospace, automotive, consumer products, electronics, defense, warehousing, logistics, space tech, and more.

ReeR Safety is a manufacturer of machine safety equipment, including vision vibration safety scanners, mosaic safety controllers, and light curtains with precise measurement to the micron level. Image used courtesy of ReeR Safety

Bosch Rexroth Linear Motion Tech

Among the first of Bosch’s showcase lineup is the IMSCompact integrated measuring system with an incorporated encoder in the runner block, excluding add-ons, supporting ball rail systems from size 15. The small form factor design saves space, reducing installation costs and economizing on space for other machinery. The IMSCompact features no-contact measurements of large lengths up to 17.9 m. The system is also resistant to shock, vibration, dust, oil, grease, moisture ingress, and electromagnetic interference.

Bosch Rexroth showcased Kassow Robots’ 7-axis cobots, which offer 850 to 1800 mm reach and weigh in at 5 to 18 kg. The bots feature a user-friendly design, lightweight faculty, and joint speeds of as much as 225 degrees per second. Suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises, the KR series provides a plug-and-play setup, an intuitive user interface, and flexible waypoint programming.

Users can enhance safety by modifying the elbow position, and the added seventh axis provides the highest level of maneuverability. Video used courtesy of Bosch

Bosch’s cartesian-based, multi-axis, mechatronic system is no-code with graphical programming and is ready to install as part of the Smart Function Kit. The kit comes with linear axes: CKK (Compact Linear Module with a Ball Screw Drive), CKR (Compact Linear Module with a Roller Guide) compact modules, and MKR (Linear Module with a Toothed Belt Drive) linear modules and connection elements. The integrated MS2N servomotor has a motor brake and absolute encoder.

These integrated elements improve safety by stably maintaining positions during power outages or sudden stops to prevent unintentional movement. The absolute encoder provides precise location feedback without the need for homing, minimizing downtime and increasing productivity in high-precision applications. Its integrated architecture facilitates system setup by reducing wire and exterior elements, resulting in a more compact configuration. Furthermore, the combination of adaptive motion control and improved energy usage improves the overall efficiency of the system. Customers also receive a ctrlX DRIVE servo drive that incorporates ctrlX CORE control and an open interface for I4.0 via OPC-UA (OPC Unified Architecture).

ReeR Safety

ReeR Safety’s experts were on hand to answer any event attendee queries at MD&M West 2025 and provided an exclusive peek into the performance of its safety system through Mecademic’s SCARA robot. Mecademic’s compact, 1 kg payload SCARA bot boasts an impressive position repeatability of 0.005 mm, which is smaller in diameter than a red blood cell. Touted as the “world’s most precise industrial SCARA robot,” Mecademic also highlights its space-saving form—stated as 27% smaller than other models on the market—and a lightweight design that is 47% lighter.

ReeR Safety's programmable controllers, such as the Mosaic series, offer comprehensive security surveillance for a wide range of devices, including light curtains, laser scanners, emergency stops, and mechanical switches. Their modular and scalable architecture makes it suitable for a range of applications, while an intuitive graphical user interface aids installation, minimizing clumsy wiring errors and speeding up deployment. ReeR says the controllers achieve greater performance levels and safety integrity levels by reducing the total quantity of electromechanical elements. Furthermore, tamper-proof setups improve security, making them a dependable and effective solution for industrial safety compliance.

Epson

Epson will provide a comprehensive experience for attendees wishing to find out more about its high-precision robotic technologies. The company held demonstrations and talks, including

• A panel talk: “The Smart Manufacturing Imperative: Trends, Technologies, and Triumph” with Epson’s Group Product Manager Scott Marsic and experts from Amazon Web Services.
• A deep dive into the operation, features, and benefits of the T-B Series All-in-One SCARA robots with controller, 110 V or 220 V power.
• Ultra-high-power GX series SCARA robots with a large payload capacity, small footprint, and patented GYROPLUS technology for vibration dampening.

Additionally, the Epson RC+ Industrial Automation Development Software's user-friendly interface eliminates time-consuming programming and decreases development time for automation engineers. Its innovative technologies, such as Vision Guidance and Conveyor Tracking, help improve accuracy, adaptability, and operational efficiencies.

Attendees were also privy to live demonstrations of Epson’s SCARA robots through its industry partners. Jerit Automation highlighted the importance of dextrous robotic motion for complex tasks, space-limited, and precision-demanding tasks with Epson G-Series and C-Series 6-Axis SCARA robots. Olympus Controls showcased the Epson T6 SCARA robots in a speed-critical work cell executing pick-and-place tasks to demonstrate the adaptability of the robots and their suitability for electronics, logistics, and packaging applications. Other participating partners included ATC Automation & Robotics, as well as Automation^nth.

The 4 kg payload GX4 can be configured to achieve the desired reach (either 250, 300, or 350 mm) and a z stroke of 150 mm (or 120 for the clean room model). Video used courtesy of Epson

Stäubli

At booth 5211, Stäubli featured medical and mobile robotics-focused technologies, including the 2023 Reddot winner in the best smart product category, the automated guided vehicle (AGV) platform PF3. The platform features a three-ton payload, a height of 400 mm with lift (350 mm without), five emergency stop buttons, collision avoidance, a human safety scanner (fitted to the front and rear), up to 7,000 recharging cycles, floor inductive charging, and fast charging up to 80 A. Other features include a positioning accuracy of ±5 mm and a 1.7 m turning radius. Accessories include a remote control, EU- and US-pallet station, and table.

A Panoply of Innovations at a Milestone Event

The 40th anniversary of MD&M West provided an arena for innovative and evolutionary control and robotics automation technology for medical, packaging, CNC, automotive, and many more industrial applications. The highlighted technology here focuses on agile, precise, space-saving, low-footprint robotic technologies, both fixed (and multi-axis) and mobile.

Featured image used courtesy of 10Times