Automation Fair

Automation Fair
Name	Automation Fair
Status	Active
Genre	Industrial automation trade show
Venue	Varied (company campuses, convention centers)
Location	United States
First	1999
Organizer	Rockwell Automation

Automation Fair

Automation Fair is an annual industrial exhibition and conference centered on industrial automation, control systems, manufacturing technology, and digital transformation in the United States. The event assembles vendors, integrators, end users, academics, and policymakers to demonstrate programmable logic controllers, motion control, industrial networking, and cybersecurity solutions while addressing standards and workforce development. Attendees include representatives from automotive industry, pharmaceutical industry, aerospace industry, food processing industry, and energy industry seeking interoperability, scalability, and safety in production environments.

Overview

Automation Fair is produced by Rockwell Automation and presents a combination of exhibit halls, technical sessions, hands-on labs, keynote addresses, and partner showcases. The program emphasizes interoperability among products from firms such as Siemens, Schneider Electric, ABB, Honeywell, Yokogawa Electric Corporation, Emerson Electric Company, Mitsubishi Electric, Fanuc, and Bosch Rexroth. Technical content is often aligned with standards promulgated by International Electrotechnical Commission, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, ISA (International Society of Automation), and OPC Foundation. Sponsors and partners have included Microsoft Corporation, IBM, Amazon Web Services, PTC (company), Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork, and regional economic development organizations.

History

The event traces origins to corporate user conferences in the late 20th century, evolving from Rockwell Automation’s customer meetings into a large-scale public trade fair. Early influences include vendor shows like Nuremberg International Toy Fair for exhibition format and industry gatherings such as Hannover Messe and SPS (Smart Production Solutions). Milestones were shaped by technology waves from distributed control systems adoption, the rise of EtherNet/IP, the proliferation of industrial internet of things, and initiatives tied to Industry 4.0 led by German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The fair’s programming adapted after global events including 2008 financial crisis and COVID-19 pandemic to incorporate virtual sessions, hybrid delivery, and enhanced supply chain resilience themes promoted by organizations like World Economic Forum.

Exhibits and Demonstrations

Exhibits showcase products spanning programmable logic controllers from vendors such as Rockwell Automation, Siemens AG, and Mitsubishi Electric; visualization and HMI systems from AVEVA, GE Digital, and Schneider Electric; robotics by Fanuc and ABB; and motion systems from Bosch Rexroth. Demonstrations often feature integrated solutions combining PLC platforms, SCADA systems, MES providers like Siemens Opcenter and AVEVA System Platform, and cloud services from Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. Live labs highlight predictive maintenance with partners such as PTC and SAP SE, cybersecurity stacks referencing NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISA/IEC 62443 standards, and digital twin implementations inspired by work from Siemens Digital Industries Software and Dassault Systèmes.

Conferences and Educational Programs

The conference track hosts keynotes, technical sessions, certification courses, and hands-on workshops delivered by experts from Rockwell Automation, IEEE, ISA, SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers), American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and university partners like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Purdue University, and Georgia Institute of Technology. Topics cover machine learning for manufacturing, edge computing deployments exemplified by NVIDIA initiatives, industrial cybersecurity strategies with input from CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency), and workforce training models linked to apprenticeship programs and community colleges such as Ivy Tech Community College.

Industry Impact and Partnerships

Automation Fair functions as a nexus for partnerships among multinational corporations, integrators, startups, and standards bodies including OPC Foundation, FieldComm Group, ISA, and IEC. Collaborations announced at the fair have involved strategic alliances with Microsoft, Rockwell Automation, Siemens, and cloud providers to accelerate digital transformation roadmaps and smart manufacturing initiatives. The exhibition influences procurement decisions across sectors represented by companies like Ford Motor Company, Boeing, Pfizer, Nestlé, and ExxonMobil by surfacing validated integrations, reference architectures, and cybersecurity hardening practices aligned with NIST guidance and regional regulators.

Attendance and Organization

Typical attendance draws thousands of participants including engineers, plant managers, CIOs, CTOs, system integrators, and students. The event is organized by Rockwell Automation’s events group in coordination with strategic partners, trade associations, and local convention bureaus; venues have included corporate campuses and major convention centers in metropolitan areas served by organizations such as Greater Columbus Convention Center and similar facilities. Registration tiers often provide access to certification exams, continuing education credits recognized by professional societies like IEEE and ASME, and partner networking events featuring venture investors and procurement officers from firms such as General Electric and Honeywell International Inc..

Notable Events and Innovations

Over its history the fair has premiered demonstrations of integrated digital twin platforms, advances in EtherNet/IP interoperability, collaborative robot use cases from Universal Robots-style ecosystems, and early industrial augmented reality applications showcased by PTC and Microsoft HoloLens. Announcements tied to edge analytics, 5G private networks initiatives with vendors like Ericsson and Nokia, and applied AI models for quality control have been highlighted. The fair has also hosted panels addressing regulatory impacts involving agencies such as EPA and workforce transitions discussed alongside Department of Labor representatives and industry consortia.

Category:Technology trade shows