European EtherCAT Plug Fest 2026 Sees Record Turnout
The 36th European EtherCAT Plug Fest took place on July 15 and 16, 2026, at Sick’s SIA campus in Waldkirch and was fully booked, with 69 developers from 30 companies in attendance.
News
Neura Robotics and RWTH Aachen University Expand Training Network for Physical AI
Neura Robotics is expanding its global network of specialized training centers for Physical AI to include the Neura Gym RWTH Aachen, which is scheduled to open at the Hightech Campus Melaten in late 2026.
Meorga Expands Its 2027 MSR Specialty Trade Shows to Include Locations in Switzerland and Poland
In addition to established events in Germany, Austria, and Spain, locations in Basel and Warsaw are being added for the first time.
Configurable ring lights are now available
Edmund Optics is expanding its lighting portfolio for industrial machine vision to include configurable Lumimax ring lights, which are available worldwide from stock.
Mks Opens European Laser Applications Lab for Pulsed Lasers
Lasers of various power classes are available in separate laboratory rooms, supplemented by Ophir measurement equipment as well as optical benches, optomechanical components, and motion systems from Newport.
Polytec Honors Company Founder Liselotte Lossau
Together with her husband, she founded Polytec GmbH in 1967, thereby laying the foundation for today's internationally active Polytec Group.
New Addition to Emergent Vision Technologies' Team in the DACH Market
Thomas Feichtner is taking on the role of Business Development Manager, with a focus on the DACH region.
FSG Expands Electronics Manufacturing in Zernsdorf with New Printed Circuit Board Production Facility
The new facility offers approximately 5,000 square meters of space, including 1,800 square meters of production space on the ground floor and 750 square meters of office space on the upper floor.
Hummel's Plant Expansion Boosts Metal Processing and Resource Efficiency
The goal is to strengthen production capacity and ensure long-term supply for customers in the metalworking industry and related sectors.
Icecube Neutrino Observatory: Hamamatsu Photonics Boosts Sensitivity with New Photodetectors
The detector array is installed in one cubic kilometer of clear Antarctic ice and detects Cherenkov light produced by neutrino interactions.
Motek, Bondexpo, and Vision Bring Together Automation and Image Processing
The 43rd Motek will once again be held alongside Bondexpo, the trade show for adhesive technology, in 2026, and will also collaborate with Vision, the trade show for machine vision.
Practical Digitalization for Industry 4.0 and IIoT
The Automation Conference 2026 at the WTZ Conference Center in Heilbronn focused on hands-on workshops related to digital transformation in industrial automation.
Zeiss Strengthens Its Semiconductor Business with a New Semiconductor Innovation Center in Korea
The center brings together systems from the Semiconductor Fab Solutions and Semiconductor Mask Solutions divisions and serves high-volume wafer production, wafer-level packaging, and photomask manufacturing.
Global Robotics Associations Call for a Joint Automation Strategy
Four international robotics and automation associations have signed the Barcelona Declaration on Robotics and Automation 2026.
Ams Osram Sells Non-Optical Analog/Mixed-Signal Sensors to Infineon
The company has completed the sale of its non-optical analog/mixed-signal sensor business to Infineon. The purchase price is 570 million euros in cash.
Generative AI Simplifies Access to Production and Machine Data
The Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (ipa) is developing an AI-based solution that allows employees to access production and machine data via chat
Adar One 3D Ultrasonic Sensor Expands Safety Concepts in Robotics
Sonair introduces Adar One, a safety-certified 3D ultrasonic sensor for human-robot interactions.
Adcole Expands Manufacturing: Shaft Measurement Machines from Germany
At the European Engineering Center, which has been providing custom solutions for European engine and vehicle manufacturers for over 50 years, a new production area was set up within six months.
New IFR Leadership Unveiled
The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) has elected Jane Heffner as its new president.
Magsense 2026 Conference Focuses on Magnetic Sensor Systems
The goal is to bring together developers, manufacturers, and users of magnetic sensor systems and to promote the exchange of information on current technologies and applications.
Drone-Based Laser Measurement Technology for Precise Gas Analysis Over Volcanic Fields
Researchers at the Technical University of Munich have developed a measurement system that detects volcanic gases using lasers and drones.
Kisa's Compact Measurement System Wins AMA Innovation Award
Developed by Dr. Oliver Lischtschenko, the system is designed for the precise characterization of laser radiation in research and industry.
Humanoid Robotics: German Industry Calls for Faster Development
According to the automatica Trend Index 2026, 82% of the specialists and executives surveyed view humanoid systems as key to the automation of the future.
Forecast: Significant Growth in Industrial Robotics by 2030; Cobots Are Growing the Fastest
According to a recent analysis by Interact Analysis, global sales of industrial robots are expected to rise from about 550,000 units in 2025 to just over 760,000 units in 2030.
DigiKey Launches the Second Season of “A Sustainable Future”
The focus is on how modern electronics enable clean energy, smart infrastructure, and sustainable design across various industries.
Keysight Acquires VPIphotonics
Developers in the fields of optics and electrical engineering can use it to model photonic components, circuits, and complete transmission links in a unified environment.
Edmund Optics Receives the “2026 Private Company Boards of the Year Award”
The awards recognize the supervisory boards of private companies that demonstrate exemplary corporate governance, strategic foresight, and sustainable value creation.
Mitutoyo Opens New Center of Excellence in Dresden
In a space of approximately 300 square meters, measurement systems with nanometer-level precision are available for practical demonstrations, testing in real-world applications, and personalized consulting.
Igus Expands Its Bicycle Line with an Electric Model
The new e-bike is designed for urban use and features a 60 Nm rear-wheel motor, a carbon-fiber and plastic toothed belt, and a battery with a range of up to 120 kilometers.
Growth of the U.S. Robotics Industry and New National Robotics Strategies
The U.S. market for industrial robots grew by 11 percent in 2025: According to preliminary figures from the International Federation of Robotics, approximately 38,000 units were newly installed.
Marcel Lewke Receives the 2026 Eugen Hartmann Prize
He worked on robot-assisted cold gas spraying for the repair of high-performance components.
27th VDI Automation Congress: Laying the Groundwork for Industrial AI and Automation
The 27th VDI Automation Congress in Baden-Baden focused on digital data sovereignty in future industrial AI applications.
Humanoid Robotics in Industry: Advanced Humanoid Forum 2027
The focus is on real-world use cases, technical validation, and integration into existing production and work processes.
Keysight Expands the Siemens Teamcenter Ecosystem with AI-Based Test Automation
As part of this collaboration, users of Siemens PLM solutions have access to the AI-powered Keysight Eggplant Test platform to automatically validate digital engineering and PLM environments.
Realignment of the Supply Chain Software Business: ifm Strengthens the Gib Brand
The ifm Group is restructuring its supply chain-oriented software business and consolidating the operations of ifm business solutions and Gib S & D into a single, independent unit.
