Key takeaways

• The bottleneck is coordination, not transport, because robots can already move material but still depend on people to trigger deliveries and resolve exceptions.
• Fix the process before automating it, since robots dropped into an inefficient flow just make existing problems happen more consistently.

The automated manufacturing line can be a spellbinding sight. Raw materials are efficiently processed or machined with precision. Well-choreographed robotic arms move with accuracy and speed. Workpieces travel between cells and stations by conveyor, robot, forklift, cart or human hands.

And this is where the trance is often broken. Bottlenecks in production logistics aren't just ugly — they're inefficient. They represent a waste, as well as an opportunity.

According to Ara SurenianAra Surenian, senior product manager, FactoryTalk Orchestration, Rockwell Automation, Rockwell Automation's senior product manager for FactoryTalk Orchestration, that space between cells is a common automation roadblock for engineers, and the problem is usually coordination rather than transport.

"The key is to automate the complete material-movement workflow, not just substitute a robot for a manually driven vehicle," Surenian said in an interview ahead of Rockwell's annual flagship event, Automation Fair. The trade show, which features Rockwell and a wide swath of its partner network displaying and demoing their recent innovations, returns to Boston Nov. 16 to 19.

Production logistics will be just one of many topics on display, but Surenian sees it as a prime chance for manufacturers to recoup losses from inefficiency

GlobalSpec: When manufacturers talk about "autonomous operations," what do they mean in practical terms, and where does production logistics fit?

Surenian: In practical terms, autonomous operations means moving beyond individual automated machines to a connected operation in which production requirements drive coordinated execution, with less need for people to initiate every task and manage every handoff.

The distinction is between automating an activity and coordinating the overall flow. A robot can move a load, but the operation still needs to determine which material is needed, where it should go and how that movement connects to production.

FactoryTalk Orchestration provides the coordination layer between enterprise systems such as ERP, MES and WMS and execution systems such as PLCs and mobile robot fleet managers. Integration gets those systems talking; orchestration uses those connections to coordinate what happens next.

GlobalSpec: Many plants have well-automated machines and cells but still move material between them with forklifts, carts and manual handoffs. Why has that in-between space been so difficult to automate?

Surenian: The difficult part is not simply moving a cart from one point to another. It is coordinating that movement with everything happening around it. Production orders change, equipment availability changes and material priorities change. Historically, the business logic connecting those systems has often depended on people or custom-built interfaces.

Those point-to-point integrations become harder to maintain as more devices, fleets and workflows are added. A plant can therefore have highly automated machines but still rely on someone to request a delivery, confirm a handoff or resolve an exception.

GlobalSpec: Engineers can choose among fixed conveyors, independent cart (linear motor) systems, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). What technical criteria should drive that decision?

Surenian: We recommend starting with the required material flow and operational outcome, not a preferred piece of equipment. From an engineering standpoint, the selection should reflect payload weight and dimensions, throughput, travel distance, positioning accuracy, accumulation and how frequently products or routes change. Floor conditions, available space, safety, load-transfer interfaces, maintainability and lifecycle cost also matter.

Fixed conveyors are generally a good fit for stable, repetitive flows along permanent routes. Independent cart technology deserves consideration when individual carrier control, precise positioning, variable spacing and software-driven changeovers are important. AGVs can suit repeatable transport along defined routes, while AMRs are worth evaluating when destinations and travel paths need greater flexibility. Either option still requires application-specific capacity and safety validation.

GlobalSpec: What production logistics practices work well in theory but create problems once deployed in a real facility?

Surenian: One practice that looks attractive on paper is replacing every manual transport task with a robot without first examining the underlying process. In an older plant, I would start by validating aisle clearances, floor conditions, shared traffic, staging locations and loading and unloading interfaces. A route that works in an empty demonstration may behave very differently during a busy shift. Automating an inefficient flow can simply make the existing problem happen more consistently.

Another pitfall is optimizing transport independently of production. Adding vehicles or reducing buffers will not necessarily help if material requests, equipment readiness and handoffs remain disconnected.

At Twinsburg [a Rockwell Automation facility in Ohio], the initial arrangement combined standalone manufacturing execution and fleet management with manual requests and static staging locations. Connecting those systems enabled rule-driven deliveries, empty-cart returns and dynamic staging.

GlobalSpec: How is the growing availability of machine and material-flow data changing the way engineers design, commission and maintain production logistics systems?

Surenian: During design, I would use measured cycle times, material demand, delivery times and queue behavior to evaluate layouts, buffers and transport capacity under realistic operating conditions. During commissioning, Emulate3D allows engineers to connect virtual models with control logic and test sequencing and equipment interactions before on-site deployment. For maintenance, I would use recurring faults and delays to prioritize investigation, while distinguishing equipment deterioration from workflow or communication issues.

GlobalSpec: How should engineers think about the role of AI and machine learning in production logistics, and where do the biggest opportunities lie?

Surenian: The opportunity for AI is to move beyond executing predefined responses toward recommending better decisions as conditions change. Potential applications include anticipating material shortages, evaluating alternative schedules and balancing transport demand with production capacity.

My view is that the strongest foundation remains simulate, orchestrate and move: understand the flow, connect production requirements to execution and move material accordingly. AI can build on that data-rich foundation.

GlobalSpec: What skills will automation engineers and technicians need over the next few years as material-handling systems become more autonomous and software-driven?

Surenian: I see the skill set broadening, not replacing the fundamentals. Engineers and technicians still need controls, sensors, drives, mechanical systems and safe maintenance skills, but they also need to understand the complete material workflow, from delivery triggers to equipment handoffs and fault recovery.

I would prioritize industrial networking, software interfaces, data literacy and using logs to troubleshoot across production systems, equipment and fleet managers. Low-code tools do not eliminate the need for sound sequencing, exception handling, testing, documentation, cybersecurity and controlled software changes.

My recommendation is to build these capabilities through a bounded material-handling project that brings operations, maintenance, IT and engineering together. Not everyone needs to become a software developer, but everyone should understand enough of the connected workflow to troubleshoot, make safe and controlled changes and know when to involve a specialist.

GlobalSpec: For an engineer attending Automation Fair 2026 primarily for technical value, how would you recommend they plan their time across sessions, hands-on labs and demonstrations?

Surenian: I would organize my time around a real production logistics challenge and use sessions to understand, labs to practice and demonstrations to validate. Start with the Production Logistics track in the session catalog, selecting topics that address your facility's needs rather than trying to cover everything. The objective is to leave with a clearer understanding of the complete workflow, practical experience and a specific next step for your plant.

GlobalSpec: What should engineers interested in production logistics and autonomous operations make a point of seeking out at Automation Fair?

Surenian: Engineers should look for the connection between simulation, orchestration and physical material movement, rather than view each technology in isolation. Engineers should also seek out the Production Logistics Summit to hear manufacturers' experiences and work with experts on a starting approach for their own facilities.

My recommendation is to bring a specific material-flow challenge and ask: What triggers the movement? How is destination readiness confirmed? What happens when production changes or a handoff fails? Those questions turn a demonstration into practical insight about designing a connected operation.