Ariyan Kabir
CEO, GrayMatter Robotics Inc.
Dr. Ariyan Kabir is the Co-Founder & CEO of GrayMatter Robotics, one of the fastest-growing AI-Robotics companies disrupting the manufacturing industry. He and his team are building solutions to help manufacturers improve shop floor workers’ quality of life, increase production capacity, and reduce costs. Ariyan is an entrepreneur and problem solver with a background in robotics and artificial intelligence. He built smart robotic assistants during his Ph.D. while developing planning and learning algorithms for high-degree-of-freedom systems. Ariyan authored multiple patents and several research articles in prestigious forums. His work has received global recognition, including National Science Foundation and Robotics Business Review awards. His work has been featured at the main stage of WebSummit and by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.
Session(s):
Physics-Informed Artificial Intelligence for Finishing in High-Mix Manufacturing | Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 4:30 PMCarl Doeksen
Global Robotics / Automation Director, 3M
Global Robotics & Automation Director | 3M Carl Doeksen is the Global Robotics & Automation Director at 3M Austin, TX where he leads teams to accelerate full-robotic, and fixed automation, solutions for 3M’s industrial customers around the world. Prior to joining 3M, Carl spent 4 years at Honeywell’s Sensors & Signal Processing Laboratory. Carl has a BS in Finance from the University of Minnesota, an MBA from the University of Minnesota, and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA) as well as a Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt (DMAIC and DFSS). He has held multiple International Leadership positions for 3M (UK, DE, CN) and has spent most of his career in international operations. He’s active in the Robotics Industry, serving on the Board of Directors of the Robotics Industry Association (RIA/A3) as well as the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) Marcom and Suppliers Committees. Carl and his wife Kelly have two young daughters and they currently live in Austin, TX.
Session(s):
Welcome and Opening Remarks | Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 8:30 AMCharles Gales
Manager of Automation Sales, Weldon Solutions
Charlie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and holds four U.S. patents. With over forty years of experience in design, management and sales, he works with manufacturers to improve their processes, safety and efficiency through robotics and automation. Charlie has managed turnkey projects for manufacturers of all sizes. As Manager of Automation Sales at Weldon Solutions, Charlie visits companies across the country in industries ranging from automotive to food and almost everything in between. With a focus on material handling, machine tending and material removal applications, he works with Weldon’s engineering staff to develop practical solutions to manufacturing challenges.
Session(s):
Using Cobot Programming to Simplify Automated Material Removal | Wednesday, July 26, 2023 - 10:00 AMDan Yokes
Advanced Process Engineer, Sub-Zero Group
Dan is an advanced process engineer for the Sub-Zero Group, focused on sheet metal fabrication for high-end kitchen appliances. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin with his mechanical engineering degree in 2003, he joined the Sub-Zero Group as a fabrication quality engineer. He recently celebrated his 20-year anniversary with Sub-Zero and has held different roles within quality and manufacturing engineering over that time. In 2018, he transitioned into his current role within the advanced process group and has been building out a roadmap for welding & finishing automation projects within the company.
Session(s):
Why We Automate – End User Success Stories | Wednesday, July 26, 2023 - 8:30 AMG.A. "Fritz" Carlson III
President & CEO, Acme Manufacturing
Glen A. “Fritz” Carlson III is President & CEO of Acme Manufacturing, a global leading machine tool builder and robotic system integrator for material removal. Specializing in grinding, polishing, buffing, and deburring automation systems as well as centerless grinding. Mr. Carlson has over 39 years of industry experience and in 2016, became the sole fourth-generation owner to lead the 113-year-old company. Mr. Carlson is responsible for overseeing all company operations, including the development and implementation of the company's strategic direction. Mr. Carlson has established numerous relationships and global partnerships that have enhanced Acme's ability to penetrate domestic and overseas markets with innovative and cost-effective automated finishing solutions.
Mr. Carlson is an active member in the Association of Manufacturing Technology (AMT), Association for Advancing Automation (A3), Young Presidents' Organization (Gold) (YPO) and a strategic integrator partner with FANUC America Corporation. Mr. Carlson has been a distinguished speaker at numerous Machine Tool and Automation Conferences on Acme's success in exporting capital equipment.
Mr. Carlson holds an Executive M.B.A. from the Advanced Management Program of Michigan State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing from Michigan State University.
Session(s):
I Wish It Was That Simple – Robotic Grinding | Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 9:30 AMHenry Kistenmacher
Team Lead CoLab, SCHUNK Intec Inc
09/15 - 07/17: Apprenticeship Mechatronic at SCHUNK GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
07/17 - 09/20: Co-Op program University of Heilbronn and SCHUNK GmbH & Co. KG for a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechatronics and Microsystems Technology (Germany)
09/20 - 12/21 Application Engineer at SCHUNK GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
01/22 - 09/22 Application Engineer at SCHUNK Intec Inc (USA)
10/22 - today Team Lead CoLab at SCHUNK Intec Inc (USA)
Session(s):
Optimizing Automated Material Removal – Safe, Effective, Repeatable | Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 3:30 PMJayshree Seth
Chief Science Advocate & Corporate Scientist, 3M
Jayshree Seth is a Corporate Scientist at 3M and currently holds 77 patents for a variety of innovations. She joined 3M in 1993 after an MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University, New York. Jayshree was appointed 3M’s first ever Chief Science Advocate in 2018 and is using her scientific knowledge, technical expertise and professional experience to advance science, and to communicate the benefits of science and the importance of diversity in STEM fields. She is also a member of Carlton Society which is the 3M Science and Innovation “Hall of Fame.” In 2020, she was awarded Society of Women Engineers (SWE) highest Achievement Award. She is also the first-ever winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the new Female Thought Leaders of the Year – category in 2021. Jayshree was featured in a docuseries titled Not the Science Type that premiered during the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival. She is the author of the books, The Heart of Science – Engineering Footprints, Fingerprints, & Imprints, and The Heart of Science – Engineering Fine Print published by the Society of Women Engineers, and all sales proceeds go to a scholarship for underrepresented minority women in STEM. She is a sought-after speaker, globally, on a multitude of topics such as innovation, leadership and STEM advocacy, and has featured in local, national and international media. Jayshree serves on the Board of the Science Museum of Minnesota, Engineering Advisory Council for Clarkson University, AAAS Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy (COSEPP) and Advisory Group of Aspen Institute Our Future is Science program.
Session(s):
OPENING KEYNOTE: The State of Science and the Need for STEM Advocacy | Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 8:45 AMJerry Perez
Executive Director - Global Accounts, FANUC America Corporation
Jerry Perez is an Executive Director - Global Accounts and Manager of the Business Develop Group at FANUC America Corporation, consulting global corporations in topics such as automation roadmap fulfillment, workforce development, and value stream transformations. Over the past 20 years, Jerry has been a leader in the expansion of robotics in multiple markets from defense and automotive to electronics and medical device manufacturing. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Engineering and resides in Royal Oak, MI with his wife and two kids.
Session(s):
Successful Automation Strategies: Fast, Wide Scale Implementation for Small or Global Organizations | Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 2:00 PMJohn Newman
CFO and Co-owner, Athena Manufacturing, LP
John Newman is a founding partner of Athena Manufacturing, LP, where he currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer. With over 40 years of experience in the field, John has an extensive background in finance, accounting, and business management.
John started his career as an associate at Arthur Young, where he worked from 1981 to 1985. He then became the managing partner of Duncan & Newman, CPA's where he served from 1985 to 1997.
In 1995, John became a co-owner with Bill Johnson in Austin Machine & Engineering, Inc. John served the role of CFO. The company was highly successful and sold to Applied Power, Inc. in 1998.
From 1999 through 2008 John served as the President of Falk Plumbing Supply, Inc., in Arkansas where he led the company through a period of significant growth and expansion.
In 2000, John joined forces again with Bill Johnson to establish Athena Manufacturing, LP. John joined day to day operations at Athena in 2010.
John has been on the Capital Area Workforce Board for over 10 years and is also a member of the Austin Regional Manufacturing Association Board.
Session(s):
Why We Automate – End User Success Stories | Wednesday, July 26, 2023 - 8:30 AMJohn Schmidt
Technical Manager, 3M
John Schmidt is a technical manager in the Corporate Research Process Laboratory of 3M. He joined 3M full-time in 2012 after completing his Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana / Champaign. He currently manages both the Advanced Robotics group and the Measurement & Process Analytics group. Their combined process development work impacts the majority of 3M’s customer facing divisions and diverse products ranging from abrasives to adhesives to many more.
Session(s):
Developing Leading Robotic Technology for Manufacturing and Customer-Facing Abrasive Solutions | Wednesday, July 26, 2023 - 10:30 AMKimo Johnson
Chief Science Officer, GelSight, Inc
Kimo Johnson is a Co-Founder and the Chief Science Officer at GelSight, Inc., a startup focused on commercializing a high-resolution tactile sensor developed at MIT. Before leaving academia to start GelSight, Dr. Johnson was a Research Scientist at MIT where he published numerous papers in leading conferences and journals on computer vision and graphics. Dr. Johnson holds undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Music Theory, a master’s degree in Electro-Acoustic Music, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Dartmouth College.
Session(s):
Abrasive Identification Using Elastomeric Sensing and AI | Wednesday, July 26, 2023 - 11:00 AMMatthew Dockstader
Product Manager – Material Removal Line, ATI Industrial Automation
Matthew Dockstader is the Product Manager for ATI's Material Removal Product Line where he is helping advance the innovation of automated material removal tools to meet this growing markets needs. He is focused on ensuring end users and integrators voices are heard so that products from ATI are helping solve problems and make automating these finishing processes successful. Matthew joined ATI in 2019 and worked in applications before being promoted to Product Management, giving him hands on working experience with ATI material removal tools. Matthew is a graduate of North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
Session(s):
There is No Silver Bullet: Multiple Tools May Be Needed for One Application | Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 10:30 AMMax Falcone
VP Sales Engineering, PushCorp, Inc.
Maximiliano A. Falcone has 20 plus years of automation experience having spent 10 years with a large automotive system integration firm, over five years with a robot OEM and now over five years with PushCorp, Inc. Having been the lead on projects in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany and China, he has extensive hands on field knowledge of large system installations especially pertaining to metal finishing, robotic welding where holds one patent, assembly, machine vision and robotic guidance where he holds another patent. Max holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Masters of Science in Product Development from the University of Detroit-Mercy where he also resides on the advisory board for the School of Mechanical Engineering. As of August 2017 Max is based out of Wixom Michigan and is responsible for the growth and support of PushCorp’s integration and end user network, specifically ensuring PushCorp’s customers have the knowledge and support they need to be successful with execution of material removal projects.
Session(s):
Keys to Automating Material Removal with a Robot in 2023 and Beyond | Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 11:30 AMMichael Muldoon
Sales and Business Development Director, AV&R
2007 is the beginning of Michael Muldoon’s adventure at AV&R where he has evolved over the years. He is now Sales and Business Development Director. A graduate of the University of Windsor, Michael demonstrates curiosity, creativity and dedication on a daily basis. His strategic spirit, focused on the industry’s evolution, has enabled the company to develop innovative products while remaining focused on market issues, and the current and future needs of customers. His goal? Maximize the potential of all, to conquer the world as a team!
Session(s):
How Can Data Improve Manufacturing Processes Such as Surface Finishing? | Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 2:30 PMPat Murphy
Process Development Tech, Stryker Orthopaedics
With 35 years of diverse roles at Stryker, Pat Murphy's manufacturing journey has covered it all, from manual machining to CNC machining and programming. In 2015, he jumped into the world of robotic processes, taking charge of robotic belting and buffing for an exciting new project.
Session(s):
Why We Automate – End User Success Stories | Wednesday, July 26, 2023 - 8:30 AMRan Xu
Manager, Robotics, Flexiv Robotics Inc.
Ran Xu got his Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Western Ontario. He specializes in building collaborative robots and force control software, and he is the lead at Flexiv Robotics for robotic polishing and grinding applications. Thanks to his contributions, Flexiv Robotics has made significant progress in the development of advanced robotic systems for the consumer electronics and automotive industries.
Session(s):
Benefits Of Using Torque-Controlled Robots For Grinding | Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 4:00 PMTyler Naatz
Senior Application Engineer, 3M
Tyler Naatz is a Robotics Application Engineer within 3M’s Abrasive Systems Division where he is responsible for working with robotics industry members to engineer optimum robotic abrasive processes to support manufacturers as they look to expand automation within their facilities. Tyler is heavily focused in metal fabrication applications. These applications include weld grinding and processing, satin finishing, stainless steel finishing, deburring, and much more. After obtaining his B.S. in Plastics Engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Stout in 2015, he joined Flambeau Inc. where he worked as an Automation Engineer prior to joining 3M in 2018.