April 2, 2025 See the Latest Manufacturing Tech at Assembly Show South

Nearly 200 exhibitors will display the latest in automation, fastening tools, software, and other technology.

By John Sprovieri, chief editor, Assembly

Watching robots pick and place parts quickly and accurately, it’s easy to think that the machines are just as capable as people, if not more so.

In many ways, of course, they are. Robots are tireless, strong, fast and precise. There are robots big enough to lift a minivan, and there are robots that are accurate enough to assemble watches. Some robots can complete a standard pick-and-place move—1 inch up, 12 inches across, and 1 inch down—in one-third of a second.

On the other hand, robots are not as smart as people—they only move where they are programmed to move. And, robots are not as flexible as people. It would be easy for a person to pick and place, say, a bolt, an egg, a ribbon, and a soup can one after the other. The same task would be difficult for a robot.

That’s because the human hand has five flexible fingers, whereas a robot’s “hand” typically has just two fingers that are rigid and custom-made to handle one specific part.

Now, one robotics company is hoping to change that. Effecto’s new Flexible Smart Gripper can pick and place parts in myriad shapes and sizes. This electric gripper has FDA-compliant silicone fingers. The soft, flexible fingers can rotate in the roll degree of freedom, while keeping rigid in the pitch and the yaw degrees of freedom, enabling the gripper to handle delicate objects. An “Enhanced Intelligence” version provides additional finger positions for grip precision and efficiency, as well as force control. Available with two or four fingers, the gripper can carry a maximum payload of 1.5 kilograms. It is programmed through a simple user interface that can be accessed with any Wi-Fi enabled device.

Effecto is one of nearly 200 suppliers of manufacturing technology that will be exhibiting their latest wares at the Assembly Show South, April 15-17, at the Music City Center in Nashville, TN. Besides robotics, visitors to the Assembly Show South will be able to see the newest in automation, fastening tools, presses, riveters, conveyors, test and inspection systems, workstations and software.

Now in its third year, the Assembly Show South is co-located with the Quality Show, an event for quality control personnel, and Adhesives in Action, an event for formulators and consumers of industrial adhesives.

New Technology on Display

The central reason to attend manufacturing trade shows is to see the latest and greatest technology. The Assembly Show South will have plenty to interest manufacturing engineers and managers.

For example, some 24 software suppliers will exhibiting at the combined event. One of those exhibitors, Seattle-area startup Retrocausal, will be demonstrating its Kaizen Copilot technology, which transforms smartphone-recorded process videos into real-time, AI-driven process improvements. Using advanced computer vision and generative AI, it automatically identifies inefficiencies, optimizes workflows, and enhances productivity with minimal disruption.

A new Floor Layout module is designed to help manufacturers streamline operations by identifying and visualizing wasteful motion patterns, improving cell organization, and enhancing assembly line efficiency. This module accelerates continuous improvement initiatives, empowering teams to refine layouts for peak performance.

Using the software, engineers can conduct automated time and motion studies to pinpoint activities that add value and those that do not. They can do line balancing to optimize workstation efficiency and manpower allocation. An AI-powered failure modes and effects analysis and control plan module can proactively identify failure risks.

Of course, assembly is still, literally and figuratively, a nuts-and-bolts operation, and engineers will find myriad new products for manual, semiautomatic and fully automatic assembly in Nashville. For example, some 20 suppliers of fastening tools will be exhibiting at the combined event.

One of those exhibitors, Estic America, has introduced two pulse tools designed specifically for collaborative robots. Model EH2-H0025-SC has a torque range of 5 to 25 newton-meters, while model EH2-H1045-SC has a torque range of 9 to 45 newton-meters. These compact nutrunners have a low center of gravity and short overall length, making them easy to mount to a cobot. Pulse tools were originally designed to reduce torque reaction experienced by workers during manual assembly. That same quality makes them ideal for cobots, enabling the machines to approach fastening locations from various directions without being limited by posture restrictions. The tools are approved for use with cobots from Universal Robots.

Manufacturers that make small products in large volumes (as opposed to large products in small volumes) should also attend the Assembly Show South. Some of the top systems integrators in the country—companies such as Arthur G. Russell, Edgewater Automation, Haumiller Engineering and Primetest Automation—are exhibiting at the show. These companies have a long history of designing and building custom automated assembly systems for auto parts, syringes, disposable razors and other high-volume goods.

Learn From the Experts

The other main reason to attend a manufacturing trade show is to stay current with the latest trends and technology. To that end, the editors of Assembly and Quality developed a comprehensive education program that begins Tuesday, April 15, with four two-hour workshops, a plant tour, and a networking reception.

One of the workshops will focus on lean manufacturing. In this session, led by lean guru Eric Hayler, engineers will become workers on an assembly line that produces pens. In a series of short production rounds, they will make systematic improvements that dramatically illustrates the power of lean.

Another workshop will focus on how to design products to make them easier and less costly to assemble. In this four-part workshop, engineers will learn how to assess and simplify their designs. They’ll also learn how to determine much their design will cost to make—and what it should and could cost.

A third workshop will focus on calibration and accreditation, which are critical for ensuring that parts are produced according to specifications.

Finally, the fourth workshop will focus on how artificial intelligence is being used in manufacturing today. Like many new technologies, AI has been prone to overhype, misunderstanding, misappropriation and even fear. For manufacturers, however, there is plenty to like about AI. Generative AI is transforming the design process, enabling engineers to create new products in hours or days instead of weeks or months. Machine learning is making automated inspections faster and more precise. This session will provide real-world examples of how manufacturers are using AI on the assembly line now—and where the technology might be headed.

One of the highlights of the conference program is the opportunity for a behind-the-scenes look at a state-of-the-art car factory. On Tuesday, April 15, engineers will be able to tour Nissan’s massive assembly plant in Smyrna, TN, which produces the Nissan Rogue, Murano and Pathfinder and the Infiniti QX60.

The keynote speaker for the combined event is Eric Jefferies, senior manager for process integrity and compliance at Bell Textron and president of the International Aerospace Quality Group. With more than 25 years of experience, Jefferies will discuss how the aerospace and defense industries are enhancing operational efficiency, reducing human error, and increasing product quality. Jefferies will speak on Wednesday, April 16, at 9 a.m.

The conference program will continue on April 16-17, with short talks presented in Learning Theaters in the exhibit hall. These talks will cover a wide range of topics, including ultrasonic welding, torque measurement, lean manufacturing, and metrology.

For more information about the event, click here.

About the Author
John Sprovieri has been a professional journalist for 40 years. He has been reporting on U.S. manufacturing since 1997 and is currently the chief editor of Assembly, a publication for manufacturing engineers who design, equip and manage assembly lines. Throughout his career, he has written for national medical magazines, Chicago-area business and lifestyle magazines, and the Green Bay Press-Gazette. He has interviewed civil rights leaders, pro football players, film stars, members of Congress, and nationally known medical experts.

Read more from the author:

Automated Assembly of Safety Syringes and Catheters at Becton Dickinson | Assembly, Feb. 1, 2001

Generative Design Software Is Transforming the Design Process | Assembly, May 13, 2019

Subscribe to Industry Today