Andi Stelpflug, director of global events and experiences, Rockwell AutomationAutomation Fair 2024 offers a unique experience for engineers, with several new features and expanded opportunities. The Fair has been expanded three days, allowing more time to explore cutting-edge technologies and innovations. New Discovery Theaters will host dynamic discussions on industry trends and technology releases, while the enhanced Summit Series provides focused sessions on challenges within specific communities. With over 275 educational sessions, including What's New and Customer Voices presentations, engineers can stay up to date on the latest developments in automation.

We discussed Automation Fair 2024 with Andi Stelpflug, director of global events and experiences at Rockwell Automation, to learn what attendees can expect.

What can attendees expect from this year’s Automation Fair that’s unique compared to previous years? Are there any new formats or technologies featured in the Expo?

The Expo has been expanded to 3 full days. That means more time to explore the show floor, full of new technologies and innovations, and more time for making connections with subject matter experts, industry leaders and our community to problem solve and share experiences

Also part of the Expo are Discovery Theaters that debuted in Boston last year. These are exciting discussions happening right on the show floor that offer even more session opportunities to dive into trends, highlight successes and unveil newly released technologies.

We’ve also enhanced our Summit Series by adding two new topics. Over and over we hear attendees asking for more ways to find their peers – which can be hard to do when you’re surrounded by thousands of people. With Summits, there’s a space for communities to gather and really dive into their business challenges, industry trends, real stories, struggles and successes. Last year’s returning Summits include the Process Solutions User Group, OEM Leader to Leader, and Plex Customer Summit. Our new additions are the Motion User Group Summit and New Capacity Excellence Summit, sponsored by CISCO.

With over 275 educational sessions, can you highlight a few that would be most valuable for automation engineers aiming to stay current with the latest trends?

There are a number of What’s New sessions that give an update on the latest features and technologies from our different portfolios. This year we have increased the amount of customer voices sessions where attendees can hear from their peers more about the challenges and solutions they have faced. With over 450 hours of training available, there is something for everyone.

What are some key topics in this year’s keynote presentations, and how will they address the challenges and future direction of automation?

Across the three days, you’ll get to hear from both Rockwell leaders and several really exciting outside speakers. Our first one kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on November 18.

• NVIDIA’s Rev Lebaredian, vice president, Omniverse and Simulation Technology, will be sitting down with Rockwell CEO Blake Moret for a fireside chat. I'm really looking forward to their conversation!
• The session “The Human + AI Equation” will be led by the chief executive behind Mike’s Hard Lemonade Anat Baron. She’s a highly sought-after futurist and strategic advisor.
• And MIT Sloan School of Management professor and author David Robertson will speak about, “Innovating Around the Box: How to Innovate in Mature Markets”. His last book was an account of one of the most profound business transformations in recent memory: Lego.

Cybersecurity is a huge concern in industrial settings. Are there sessions or demos dedicated to addressing cybersecurity in automation?

This year’s experience will provide visitors education through micro sessions, hands on demonstrations of our NIST aligned services and an immersive end-to-end demonstration of our Cyber Security Operations Center capabilities. In addition to our services, visitors will see how our hardware is the first line of defense for their applications on the plant floor. Checking out the cyber security track, a list of curated sessions and experience on this topic, is also a great place to start.

How does Automation Fair 2024 integrate sustainability-focused technologies and discussions, and how can engineers bring these insights back to their own workplaces?

One of the highlights on the topic of sustainability is our popular Sustainability Solutions exhibit. This year we’ll be introducing Rockwell’s new Triple A Framework to Sustainability. Visitors will discover that no matter where you are in your sustainability journey, Rockwell can help you assess, advance and accelerate your operations to meet your goals.

You can interact with tailored, integrated sustainability solutions for every industry and need, and explore successful projects delivered across the world. There will be sustainability experts on-site who understand your production challenges and who can recommend the best sustainability and productivity solutions for your specific needs.

Could you tell us more about the off-site tours? How do these tours provide a real-world look at advanced automation in action, and what industries are featured?

Attendees get the opportunity to get up close and personal with Rockwell technology in action exclusive behind the scenes access to Rockwell, partner and customer operations. This year we are visiting a local utility agency, a global producer of bakery items, a kitchen appliance manufacturer and a material handling warehouse design center. These are great opportunities for the attendees to see operations in action, ask questions and dive deeper into real life applications and scenarios.

Many engineers are eager to learn about digital transformation but may not know where to start. What sessions or resources at Automation Fair would you recommend for them?

This is an important question for attendees to start talking about with their distributor or sales representative. Since customers are in different phases, it's important to understand what their goals are and what they’d like to accomplish.

Is it as simple as a smart machine? Are they looking to get OT data into the IT infrastructure? Attending some of the customer sessions can give them an idea of how other customers have made this transition.

Innovation often comes from collaboration. What opportunities will attendees have to network with industry leaders, solution providers and fellow engineers?

The entire Automation Fair has been designed for this. From the show floor to the tech sessions, summits and expo theaters, they will have an opportunity to network. There is opportunity at lunch to meet new people and the connection zone that provides a place for a meeting and or catch up on a few things and also introduce yourself to fellow attendees.

For engineers looking to enhance their technical skills or certifications, what resources does Automation Fair offer in terms of training or professional development?

Attendees have the opportunity to earn up to 28 professional development hour credits. There are four straight days of immersive hands-on labs where you can get 1:1 answers to all your questions. This event is the opportunity for dedicated time with the engineers and developers of the products you use.

For technical professionals, there is no better places to build new skills and get personalized guidance as you learn alongside peers who share your passion.