Regal Rexnord Corp., a global leader in engineered industrial products and technologies, is poised to make a significant impact at Automate 2026, scheduled to take place from June 22 to 25 in Chicago. The company will showcase its extensive portfolio of robotics and factory automation products, designed to meet the evolving demands of modern manufacturing, at Booth 17030 in the North Hall. This premier event offers a crucial platform for Regal Rexnord to demonstrate how its integrated solutions from renowned brands like Thomson, Kollmorgen, Portescap, Warner Electric, ModSort, Huco, Micron, Boston Gear, Berg, Stearns, Leeson, and Bauer Gear Motor are empowering manufacturers, machine builders, and system integrators to achieve higher levels of efficiency, precision, and flexibility in automated systems.
Automate 2026: A Nexus for Industrial Innovation
Automate stands as North America’s largest and most comprehensive trade show dedicated to automation technologies, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Held biennially, the event draws tens of thousands of attendees from around the globe, including industry leaders, engineers, researchers, and policymakers. It serves as a critical barometer for the state of industrial automation, unveiling cutting-edge innovations that are shaping the future of manufacturing, logistics, and various other sectors. The 2026 edition in Chicago is expected to build upon the momentum of previous successful shows, further cementing its role as a key forum for discussions on Industry 4.0, digital transformation, sustainable manufacturing practices, and the integration of advanced robotics and AI. The city of Chicago, with its central location and robust industrial heritage, provides an ideal backdrop for such a pivotal gathering, facilitating participation from a broad spectrum of North American and international businesses.
The overarching theme for Automate 2026 is anticipated to revolve around intelligent automation, human-robot collaboration, and the development of resilient, adaptable production systems. With global supply chains still navigating complexities and labor markets facing persistent challenges, the adoption of advanced automation solutions has become not merely an option but a strategic imperative for businesses aiming to enhance productivity, improve quality, and maintain competitive advantage. Exhibitors like Regal Rexnord are therefore focusing on solutions that offer quick deployment, seamless integration with existing infrastructure, and the adaptability required to respond swiftly to changing production needs and market dynamics.
Regal Rexnord’s Comprehensive Automation Ecosystem
Regal Rexnord has strategically positioned itself as a holistic provider of motion control, power transmission, and automation products. Through a series of astute acquisitions and continuous organic innovation, the company has assembled a formidable collection of specialized brands, each contributing unique strengths to a unified ecosystem of industrial solutions. This integrated approach allows Regal Rexnord to address diverse aspects of a machine or production line, from the foundational mechanics of linear motion and gearing to the sophisticated control of servo systems and braking.
The product categories on display at Automate 2026 will span critical areas such as robot transfer systems, precision servo motion, advanced braking mechanisms, and sophisticated sensing technologies. These offerings are specifically engineered to facilitate machine designs characterized by flexible layouts, robust and reliable operation, and compact footprints—qualities that are increasingly vital in space-constrained industrial environments and for modular manufacturing setups. By providing a comprehensive suite of components and integrated systems, Regal Rexnord empowers original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), system integrators, and end-users to optimize their automation investments, streamline design processes, and accelerate time-to-market for new products and production lines.
Pioneering Collaborative Robotics with Thomson Movotrak CTU
One of the anticipated highlights at Regal Rexnord’s booth will be a live demonstration featuring the Thomson Movotrak Cobot Transfer Unit (CTU). This innovative collaborative seventh axis is engineered to significantly extend the operational range of collaborative robots (cobots), adding up to 10 meters of horizontal travel. The introduction of a seventh axis is a game-changer for cobot applications, traditionally limited by their static mounting positions. By enabling a single cobot to move efficiently between multiple workstations or to cover a substantially larger process area, the Movotrak CTU dramatically enhances the versatility and return on investment (ROI) of collaborative robotics deployments.
The technical prowess of the Movotrak CTU is rooted in its robust dual linear-unit design, which ensures superior linear motion performance, exceptional moment load capacity, and enhanced stiffness. This design is crucial for maintaining precision and stability across the extended travel range, even when handling moderate payloads. Furthermore, the system incorporates advanced collision detection across its full seventh axis, a critical safety feature that allows for safe operation in human-robot collaborative environments. Its Freedrive programming capability simplifies setup, allowing operators to intuitively teach linear waypoints during cell configuration, drastically reducing commissioning time and complexity. Applications for the Thomson Movotrak CTU are broad and impactful, ranging from flexible assembly lines and multi-station inspection tasks to extended material handling operations, palletizing, and even mobile welding or gluing applications where reach is paramount. As the collaborative robotics market continues its rapid expansion, solutions like the Movotrak CTU are essential for unlocking the full potential of these adaptable automation tools.
Simplifying Servo Motion with Kollmorgen Essentials
Regal Rexnord will also spotlight the Kollmorgen Essentials Motion Systems, a testament to the company’s commitment to simplifying complex motion control challenges for machine builders. This comprehensive motion control package is meticulously designed to streamline the specification, configuration, and setup processes for servo motion systems, historically a time-consuming and expertise-intensive endeavor. Each Kollmorgen Essentials system integrates a high-performance servo motor, a compatible servo drive, and innovative single-cable power and data technology, significantly reducing cabling requirements and simplifying installation.
The system offers robust support for common industrial Ethernet control systems, including EtherCAT, PROFINET, and Ethernet/IP, ensuring seamless integration into a wide array of industrial automation architectures. This interoperability is key to minimizing integration headaches and accelerating deployment. The latest expansion of the Essentials line is particularly noteworthy, featuring the powerful PCMM2G Essentials controller and new high-voltage drive capabilities, now extending up to 4 kW. This enhanced power range opens up new possibilities for demanding applications in high-speed packaging, sophisticated warehouse automation, heavy-duty material handling, and precision forming operations, where both power and precise control are critical. Kollmorgen’s philosophy behind the Essentials line is to democratize advanced servo technology, making it more accessible and easier to implement for machine builders of all sizes, thereby accelerating innovation across various industries.
Integrated Braking and Position Sensing with Warner Electric
Another key innovation to be showcased is the Warner Electric Integrated Position Brake. This sophisticated component represents a significant leap forward in compact and intelligent motion control solutions. It combines a reliable spring-applied, electrically released brake with embedded absolute position sensing capabilities within a single, integrated assembly. This ingenious integration eliminates the need for separate components for braking and position feedback, leading to several critical advantages for OEMs and system integrators.
By consolidating these functions, the Integrated Position Brake contributes to significantly shorter drivetrain designs and offers OEMs more versatile options for creating compact electric powertrains. This miniaturization is crucial in modern automation, material handling equipment, and mobile platforms, where space is often at a premium. The embedded absolute position sensing, often leveraging advanced magnetic encoder technology, provides precise and immediate feedback on the rotary position, enhancing control accuracy and system safety. This single-unit solution not only reduces component count and wiring complexity but also improves overall system reliability by minimizing potential points of failure. Applications for this technology are diverse, including robotic joints, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), medical equipment, and various industrial machinery where precise braking, holding, and positional awareness are paramount for performance and safety.
Driving Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing
The array of products presented by Regal Rexnord at Automate 2026 collectively underscores the company’s commitment to advancing the principles of Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing. By offering solutions that prioritize connectivity, modularity, and intelligence, Regal Rexnord is directly contributing to the development of factories that are more adaptive, efficient, and responsive to real-time demands. The ability to deploy flexible layouts, ensure reliable operation, and minimize footprints directly addresses the challenges faced by manufacturers striving to implement agile production systems.
Market analysts consistently project robust growth in the global industrial automation sector, with forecasts often indicating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) exceeding 8% over the next decade, potentially pushing market valuations past several hundred billion dollars. This growth is fueled by factors such as rising labor costs, the increasing complexity of products, the demand for mass customization, and the imperative for greater supply chain resilience. Regal Rexnord’s strategic focus on integrated motion control, power transmission, and automation products positions it strongly within this expanding market. The company’s solutions empower manufacturers to not only automate tasks but to truly optimize entire production processes, leading to significant improvements in productivity, reduction in waste, and enhanced product quality.
Statements and Future Outlook
While specific statements from Regal Rexnord executives were not provided in advance, the company’s participation and the nature of its exhibits at Automate 2026 clearly articulate its strategic direction. Executives are keen to demonstrate how their comprehensive portfolio provides tangible solutions for the complex challenges facing modern industry. A spokesperson for Regal Rexnord would likely emphasize the company’s dedication to empowering manufacturers with innovative, reliable, and easy-to-integrate technologies that drive efficiency and competitiveness. The company’s vision aligns with the broader industry trend towards more intelligent, connected, and collaborative automation systems.
The future outlook for automation and robotics remains exceptionally strong. As technology continues to evolve, incorporating more advanced artificial intelligence, machine learning, and sensor fusion, the capabilities of automated systems will expand exponentially. Regal Rexnord, through its diverse brands and continuous investment in research and development, is well-positioned to remain at the forefront of these advancements. By offering a blend of robust hardware and intelligent control systems, the company is not just providing components but enabling the creation of next-generation manufacturing facilities that are more productive, safer, and ultimately more sustainable.
Attendees at Automate 2026 are highly encouraged to visit Regal Rexnord at Booth 17030 in the North Hall. This will provide an invaluable opportunity to engage with product specialists, witness live demonstrations of cutting-edge technologies, and discuss tailored solutions that can address specific industrial automation needs. Further information regarding Regal Rexnord’s extensive product offerings and its strategic vision for the future of automation can be found by visiting regalrexnord.com.
