The 2019 edition of the Fluid Power Technology Conference will be held on May 14 and 15 at the Milwaukee School of Engineering’s Kern Center. Each day of the conference will open with exiting keynote presentations about how fluid power manufacturers can be leaders in robotics and automation technologies.

The Fluid Power Technology Conference brings together fluid power industry professionals and academics for in-depth programming, including pre-conference workshops, industry panels, hands-on technology demonstrations, and networking sessions.

On Tuesday, May 14, Dan Kara, Vice President, Robotics at WTWH Media, will kick off the conference with his talk about “Robotics Solutions for Small-to-Medium Manufacturers.” He is a recognized thought leader in robotics, with extensive business-development and analysis experience.

Many small-to-midsize manufacturers may have missed out on the benefits of automation, but traditional and new vendors are now offering products and services to satisfy their requirements, said Kara.

“The robotics and intelligent systems sector is undergoing tremendous expansion at this time, disrupting and invigorating businesses and industries of all types in the process,” he said. “The fluid power sector is no exception. I look forward to attending the Fluid Power Technology Conference and engaging with those engineering and business professionals to discuss advances in fluid power technologies and applications, as well as how robotics and intelligent systems products and services support fluid power initiatives, and vice versa.”

Kara will also discuss real-world case studies, as well as collaborative robots, components such as grippers, mobile robots, the robotics as a service (RaaS) business model, novel applications, and more.

Day 2 Fluid Power Conference keynote

Donna Ritson, President of DDR Communications, will open next day of the conference with her presentation on “The Evolution of Advanced Automation.” During her keynote, attendees will learn how consumer packaged goods (CPG) businesses can take advantage of advances in automation technology to meet increasing consumer demand over the next five to 10 years.

“It’s not a matter of if CPG companies will adopt automation, but a matter of when,” said Ritson. “CPGs are looking to OEMs and technology suppliers to provide automation machinery and software that are easy to use, are customizable, and can communicate along the production lines.”

She will also review the role of pneumatics in automation, the drivers for embedded intelligence, and the growth of smart machines on the plant floor.

Ritson founded DDR Communications more than 30 years ago and is the author of the PMMI Evolution of Automation report. DDR Communications is based on a direct response methodology that delivers market research, business development, strategic alliance and actionable market intelligence for companies in virtually every business-to-business (B2B) industry.

“We’re excited to have these two dynamic speakers opening this year’s Fluid Power Technology Conference,” said Mary Gannon, editor of Fluid Power World. “Both Dan and Donna promise to give our audience real insights into how fluid power technologies can impact the future of robotics and automation.”

About WTWH Media

WTWH Media LLC is an integrated B2B media company serving the design engineering, electronics, hospitality, life sciences, renewable energy, retail, and robotics markets, with more than 40 Web sites, live and digital events, custom digital services, and seven print publications. Cleveland-based WTWH Media is the parent of The Robot Report and Fluid Power World. Find more information at marketing.wtwhmedia.com.