ProMat 2025: The Final Days of the Show

Our team at Control.com has been excited to share exciting updates from manufacturers in the supply chain world as we explored all kinds of new vision, sensor, motion, and robotic technology with some of the exhibitors at the ProMat show in Chicago this week. Check out some of the highlights:

 

Cognex

Logistics companies need to handle a lot of item throughput, and it has to be very reliable. Even a small number of package handling mistakes can lead to devastating backups and customer dissatisfaction.

Scan tunnel demo from Cognex.

To achieve this reliability at high speeds, companies are continuously improving scanning and code reading technology to handle not only single packages and boxes, but open crates filled with smaller items. This adaptable scanning is no small task, and advances in AI and modular construction have created far better image processing in recent years.

 

PULS

While motion might be an exciting spotlight that steals the show, power and signal delivery is the silent backbone that enables all of control automation.

Power supply with branch protection from PULS.

The FIEPOS electronic power supply and circuit breaker provides networkable control for output branch circuits. The current limit is also configurable, giving you incredible flexibility over the protection of all branch devices and circuits. Overcurrents, on/off toggles, and locking controls are just a few of the features in this power deliver innovation.

 

Beckhoff

When we think about moving containers, boxes, and pallets, we usually think about the linear motion of a conveyor, or perhaps a robot, or a rolling forklift. While moving in a single axis is effective, what about two axes? And what about multiple movers, all working in coordination?

Crate-hauling movers using Beckhoff’s XPlanar system.

Beckhoff demonstrated the XPlanar system with 2-dimensional movers that float above the surface using electromagnetic plates. The ProMat demonstration showcased the high product density and picking efficiency that comes from this harmony of multiple movers an motion axes in a flexible work area.

SICK

While AMRs are very useful for moving products, the devices can be limited in effectiveness if each individual location can’t be accurately tracked. Sometimes this is done with 2D codes and scanners, sometimes with wireless locating algorithms, but SICK showcased a device developed by recent AMR acquisition company Accerion.

Localizing, or position tracking, with the Accerion Triton.

This device, called the ‘Triton,’ is a sensor that uses the texture of the floor to track motion in two directions, maintaining an accurate positional track which is necessary for AMR fleet control.

 

Pepperl+Fuchs

Some companies are experts at AMRs and conveyors, but they depend on hardware created through the expertise of sensor and vision companies to enable the high levels of performance required by industry.

Solutions for AMRs and AS/RS (automated storage and retrieval) from Pepperl+Fuchs.

Pepperl+Fuchs is just such a hardware manufacturer, realizing and emphasizing that not all applications require extreme length of data collection and analytics, but bringing a knowledge of sensing hardware, connectivity, and modular motor controls to help each partner build the right solutions for long-term productivity.

 

KUKA

Robots that lift stuff and robots that transport stuff. Although meant for different tasks, these two types of robots are increasingly working in harmony throughout logistic industry applications.

KMP 3000P AMR and KR QUANTEC robot.

KUKA demonstrated both solutions with the new KMP 3000P AMR platform hauling barrels to be lifted by the heavyweight champion KR QUANTEC covered with the SafeSkin that removes safety barriers by protecting human workers.

 

Nord Drivesystems

The idea of ‘decentralization’ means to offload some of the control processing from the main central PLC to the various field devices, allowing quicker actions to take place and for the central controller to be able to handle more complex tasks.

Nord motor, gearset, and machine-mount decentralized VFD.

Nord showcased a motor and gearbox with the ON/ON+ VFD with ingress protection that can sit right on the motor. Not only can it drive the motor, but it also contains PLC functionality to track and relay running condition values and to execute some of the motor logic to keep the system running smoothly at the device level.

 

FANUC

For decades, robots have excelled at performing repetitive tasks. Consistency and reliability were the best scenarios. However, more recently, robots have become more adapted to changing conditions thanks to vision, allowing them to ‘decide’ how, when, and where to pick and place objects.

This work cell combined excellent demonstrations of robot control, vision, processing, and gripping.

FANUC, using a mix of 2D/3D vision and communication systems, can both collect the data and process the images to provide the robot with complex handling abilities, as shown in the bin consolidation work cell where the robot was able to select, pick, and place each object while also tracking the current quantities in each bin.

 

ProMat 2025

Thanks for joining Control.com for ProMat 2025. We can’t wait for the next shows, and we’ll be sure to keep you informed with all of the latest happenings across the world of industrial control automation.