Bosch Rexroth, a global leader in drive and control technologies, is set to unveil its latest advancements in factory automation at Booth #2810 during Automate 2026. The highly anticipated exhibition, scheduled to take place in Chicago, comes at a pivotal time when manufacturers across diverse sectors are accelerating their adoption of sophisticated automation technologies to enhance efficiency, productivity, and resilience in their production environments. The company’s comprehensive showcase will feature an extensive portfolio encompassing state-of-the-art automation components, intuitive digital engineering tools, engaging interactive exhibits, and compelling live system demonstrations, all designed to illustrate the tangible benefits and transformative potential of integrated automation solutions.
Automate 2026: A Premier Platform for Innovation
Automate stands as North America’s largest and most comprehensive trade show for automation technologies, serving as a critical biennial gathering for industry professionals, innovators, and decision-makers. Organized by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the event brings together the brightest minds and the most innovative products in robotics, artificial intelligence, machine vision, motion control, and related automation fields. Its history dates back decades, consistently evolving to reflect the rapid technological shifts shaping global manufacturing. Held traditionally at McCormick Place in Chicago, Automate provides an unparalleled platform for companies to showcase groundbreaking solutions, foster collaboration, and discuss the future trajectory of industrial automation. For 2026, the expectation is for another record-breaking attendance, with thousands of exhibitors and tens of thousands of visitors converging to explore solutions that address contemporary challenges such as labor shortages, supply chain vulnerabilities, and the imperative for sustainable manufacturing practices. The show floor is anticipated to be a vibrant hub of innovation, featuring everything from collaborative robots and advanced AI vision systems to intelligent material handling and integrated control platforms, all geared towards driving the next wave of industrial revolution.
The Evolving Landscape of Industrial Automation
The global industrial automation market is experiencing robust growth, propelled by several macroeconomic and technological factors. According to recent market analyses, the industrial automation market size, valued at approximately $190 billion in 2023, is projected to exceed $350 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 7%. This expansion is not merely incremental; it signifies a fundamental shift in how goods are produced and operations are managed. Key drivers include the persistent global labor shortage, particularly in skilled manufacturing roles, which necessitates automation to maintain production levels. Furthermore, the relentless pursuit of operational efficiency, cost reduction, and improved product quality continues to push manufacturers towards automated solutions. The rise of Industry 4.0, characterized by the convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT), is enabling smarter, more connected factories. This paradigm shift involves the deployment of cyber-physical systems, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and advanced analytics to create highly flexible, adaptable, and responsive production systems. Companies are increasingly investing in automation to build more resilient supply chains, allowing for faster adaptation to market fluctuations and geopolitical disruptions. The ability to collect and analyze real-time data from automated processes also provides unprecedented insights into performance, facilitating predictive maintenance, optimized resource allocation, and continuous improvement cycles. Bosch Rexroth’s offerings at Automate 2026 are strategically aligned with these overarching industry trends, providing the foundational technologies required for manufacturers to navigate and thrive in this increasingly automated landscape.
Bosch Rexroth’s Holistic Approach to Factory Automation
At Automate 2026, Bosch Rexroth will underscore its commitment to delivering comprehensive, integrated factory automation solutions that empower manufacturers to achieve new levels of operational excellence. The company’s philosophy revolves around providing modular, scalable, and interconnected systems that can be tailored to specific industry needs, from discrete manufacturing to process industries. Their portfolio is designed to address the entire automation value chain, starting from precise motion control components to intelligent software platforms that orchestrate complex processes. This holistic approach is crucial for modern manufacturing, where isolated solutions often lead to inefficiencies and integration challenges. Bosch Rexroth emphasizes open standards and interoperability, recognizing that the factory of the future will be a diverse ecosystem of technologies from various vendors. By offering solutions that seamlessly integrate, they enable customers to build flexible production lines capable of rapid reconfiguration and adaptation to evolving product demands and market dynamics. The emphasis on digital engineering tools also highlights their forward-thinking strategy, enabling virtual commissioning, simulation, and faster time-to-market for new production systems, thereby significantly reducing development costs and risks.
Spotlight on Key Demonstrations: Engineering the Future
The Bosch Rexroth booth at Automate 2026 is designed as an interactive hub, offering visitors a firsthand look at how advanced automation can transform manufacturing operations. The demonstrations are carefully curated to showcase practical applications and the tangible benefits of their technologies.
Revolutionizing Material Flow with Advanced Conveyance Systems
Central to any efficient manufacturing operation is the smooth and reliable movement of materials and products. Bosch Rexroth will prominently feature its renowned TS conveyor systems, which have been a cornerstone of industrial material handling for decades. These systems are celebrated for their robustness, modularity, and adaptability across an extensive range of industries, including automotive, electronics, medical devices, and consumer goods. A highlight will be the TS 7plus, a heavy-duty conveyor system engineered to transport substantial payloads of up to 3,000 kg (approximately 6,600 lbs). This capacity makes it ideal for handling large components, sub-assemblies, and even entire vehicle bodies, providing a reliable backbone for high-volume, heavy-duty production lines. Complementing this, the TS 2plus system will also be on display, designed for lighter to medium-weight applications, offering exceptional flexibility and configurability for intricate assembly processes. Both the TS 2plus and TS 7plus systems leverage Bosch Rexroth’s time-tested aluminum framing system, a technology the company has perfected and supplied for over 40 years. This heritage speaks to the systems’ proven reliability, durability, and ease of modification, allowing manufacturers to adapt their production layouts with minimal downtime. The modular design of these conveyors not only simplifies installation but also facilitates future expansions and reconfigurations, ensuring long-term operational flexibility and investment protection.
The Intelligence Hub: ctrlX AUTOMATION Ecosystem
A significant focus of the Bosch Rexroth exhibit will be on its groundbreaking ctrlX AUTOMATION products, an ecosystem designed to redefine industrial control and automation. This innovative platform is characterized by its openness, modularity, and app-based approach, offering a level of flexibility and scalability previously unattainable in industrial control systems. Visitors will witness a unique cabinet-free display of ctrlX DRIVE, showcasing how this compact and powerful drive technology can be integrated directly into machines, eliminating the need for bulky control cabinets. This not only saves valuable floor space but also simplifies wiring, reduces cooling requirements, and enhances overall machine aesthetics and maintainability.
At the heart of this ecosystem lies the ctrlX CORE controller, a high-performance, compact unit capable of handling a vast array of automation tasks, from motion control to HMI and communication. Its robust processing power and versatile connectivity options make it an ideal central nervous system for modern, complex machines. The demonstration will also include the ctrlX FLOW HS, a smart conveyance system that integrates seamlessly with the ctrlX AUTOMATION platform. This system transcends traditional conveyance by incorporating intelligence, allowing for real-time monitoring, adaptive routing, and predictive maintenance capabilities, thereby optimizing material flow and minimizing bottlenecks.
Furthermore, Bosch Rexroth will prominently feature ctrlX OS, its Linux-based operating system that underpins the entire ctrlX AUTOMATION platform. The demonstration will emphasize its app-based approach, illustrating how users can easily integrate advanced technologies by selecting applications from Bosch Rexroth and a growing network of partner companies. This open ecosystem fosters innovation, allowing for rapid deployment of new functionalities and custom solutions. Critically, the demonstration will highlight how ctrlX OS can leverage edge hardware supporting AI acceleration, showcasing its capability to connect seamlessly with robotics and sophisticated AI-based vision systems. This integration enables advanced tasks such as real-time quality inspection, complex object recognition, and adaptive robot control, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in automated manufacturing.
Precision and Performance: Linear Motion Innovations
The exhibit dedicated to linear motion technology will provide a fascinating insight into the precision engineering that underpins many automated processes. An interactive hologram will serve as an innovative display, allowing visitors to explore Bosch Rexroth’s extensive range of linear motion components in a dynamic and engaging manner. This includes detailed views of various types of screws (such as high-precision ball screws and robust lead screws essential for accurate positioning), advanced bearings (including linear guides and profile rail systems known for their stiffness and load-carrying capacity), and integrated linear modules (pre-assembled, ready-to-use units that simplify design and installation).
Beyond the virtual display, the booth will feature practical applications of these components. A Cartesian robot demonstration will illustrate the fundamental principles of multi-axis linear motion, showcasing its ability to perform precise pick-and-place, assembly, and dispensing tasks with high accuracy and repeatability. This type of robot is widely used in electronics manufacturing, packaging, and laboratory automation. Additionally, a Smart Function Kit for Pressing demonstration will be presented. This innovative kit exemplifies how Bosch Rexroth integrates mechanical components with intelligent control, offering a pre-engineered and configurable solution for automated pressing applications. The demonstration will highlight how the kit enables precise force and position control, critical for quality assurance in processes like joining, forming, and testing. Benefits include enhanced process reliability, reduced cycle times, and the ability to collect and analyze pressing data for traceability and continuous process improvement.
Interactive Learning and Expert Engagement
To further enhance the visitor experience, a large interactive touch table will be positioned at the center of the Bosch Rexroth booth. This digital factory automation display will provide an intuitive platform for visitors to delve deeper into the company’s extensive automation offerings. Users can explore product specifications, view application examples, and understand the interconnectedness of various Bosch Rexroth solutions at their own pace. Throughout the duration of Automate 2026, a team of highly knowledgeable Bosch Rexroth specialists will be readily available at the booth. These experts will engage with visitors, offering personalized insights and discussing tailored factory automation strategies. Their discussions will particularly focus on critical aspects such as achieving optimal operational efficiency, implementing robust safety protocols, and navigating the complexities of Industry 4.0 adoption.
Synergies and Strategic Partnerships: The Kassow Robots Connection
Highlighting its commitment to a broader automation ecosystem, Bosch Rexroth will also draw attention to its subsidiary, Kassow Robots. Visitors interested in collaborative robotics will be encouraged to visit the Kassow Robots booth at #2036. This strategic acquisition underscores Bosch Rexroth’s expanding footprint in the collaborative robot (cobot) market, which is a rapidly growing segment of industrial automation. Cobots are designed to work safely alongside human operators, enabling new levels of flexibility and human-robot collaboration in manufacturing environments. The presence of Kassow Robots at Automate 2026 alongside Bosch Rexroth signifies a synergistic approach to providing comprehensive automation solutions that range from heavy-duty industrial systems to agile, human-friendly collaborative robots. This partnership extends the capabilities offered to customers, allowing them to implement automation across a wider spectrum of tasks and production settings.
Driving Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing
The cumulative impact of Bosch Rexroth’s demonstrations at Automate 2026 extends far beyond individual product features. Their showcased technologies collectively represent a significant stride towards realizing the vision of Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing. By offering solutions that are modular, connected, and intelligent, Bosch Rexroth is enabling the creation of factories where machines communicate seamlessly, data flows freely, and production processes are self-optimizing. This contributes to the development of digital twins, virtual replicas of physical systems that allow for simulation, analysis, and predictive maintenance. The emphasis on AI integration and app-based control platforms positions manufacturers to leverage emerging technologies with greater agility, fostering innovation and enhancing their competitive edge in a global marketplace. Furthermore, these advancements have broader implications for workforce development, necessitating new skills in programming, data analytics, and human-robot interaction. Bosch Rexroth’s solutions are also designed with sustainability in mind, promoting energy efficiency through optimized motion profiles and reducing waste through precise control and improved quality, aligning with global efforts towards greener manufacturing.
An Executive Perspective on the Future of Production
While no direct statements from Bosch Rexroth executives were provided in the original content, one can logically infer their perspective on this significant event. A hypothetical statement from a senior Bosch Rexroth executive, perhaps the Head of Factory Automation North America, might articulate: "We are incredibly enthusiastic about our participation in Automate 2026. This exhibition provides an invaluable opportunity to connect with our customers and partners, and to demonstrate how Bosch Rexroth is at the forefront of shaping the future of manufacturing. Our commitment lies in empowering industries with innovative, flexible, and sustainable automation solutions that address today’s most pressing challenges, from enhancing productivity and efficiency to fostering safer and more adaptable work environments. The ctrlX AUTOMATION platform, our advanced conveyance systems, and our precision linear motion technologies are not just products; they are cornerstones for the smart factories of tomorrow. We believe that through collaboration and continuous innovation, we can help manufacturers globally unlock unprecedented levels of operational excellence and resilience." Such a statement would underscore the company’s strategic vision, its dedication to customer success, and its pivotal role in advancing industrial automation.
Preparing for Automate 2026: A Must-Attend Event
For any manufacturing professional, engineer, or business leader looking to understand and implement the next generation of automation, a visit to Bosch Rexroth at Automate 2026 is imperative. The breadth and depth of their demonstrations, coupled with the opportunity to engage directly with their experts, offer a unique educational and networking experience. Attendees will gain valuable insights into strategies for improving operational efficiency, enhancing product quality, ensuring worker safety, and future-proofing their production facilities. For more comprehensive information about Bosch Rexroth’s presence at the event and to plan their visit, interested parties are encouraged to visit boschrexroth-us.com/automate. The future of manufacturing is being forged today, and Automate 2026, with key exhibitors like Bosch Rexroth, promises to be a crucial milestone in this transformative journey.
