Automate 2026 brings together manufacturers, integrators, and technology leaders to explore the exciting future of automation, robotics, and digital manufacturing. Bossard will demonstrate how smart, connected solutions help manufacturers improve efficiency, quality, flexibility, and production transparency in increasingly complex assembly environments.

Why visit Bossard at Automate 2026?

OEMs today face challenges such as paper-based work instructions, long training times, high-mix production complexity, and inconsistent quality. Bossard’s Smart Factory solutions address these challenges by transforming traditional assembly processes into data-driven, guided, and highly adaptable operations.

“If you can’t control the process, you can’t control the outcome,” says Steve Prostinak, New Business Development Manager for Bossard Americas. “What we’re demonstrating at Automate is how guided assembly and connected tools help standardize the work, reduce errors, and give teams visibility into what’s happening on the line.”

What you’ll experience with Bossard Americas at the show

Among the company’s featured activities will be hands-on demonstrations of its Smart Factory Assembly system, showcasing IoT-enabled tools with integrated digital torque control for connected, traceable assembly. Supporting these demonstrations, Bossard will also highlight fastening components and tooling designed for consistent, automation-ready performance. Attendees can experience the workstation firsthand at Booth #34008 in the North Building, where it integrates seamlessly with robotics, smart cameras, and automated production environments.

Bossard’s booth will feature several interactive technology stations, including:

• Smart Factory Assembly – digital, step-by-step work instructions that improve accuracy, consistency, and training efficiency
• Smart Factory Logistics –aconnected AI-assisted inventory management solution that ensures the right parts arrive at the right time
• Build Your Own SWAG! – A fun, hands-on experience where attendees will get to build their own takeaway item.

Bossard industry experts will also be available to discuss kitting and assembly solutions, engineering services, and IoT and smart tool integration, showing how these capabilities support traceability, quality control, and continuous improvement for better outcomes, more often.

Event details at a glance

• Name: Automate 2026
• Bossard Booth Number: 34008
• Dates: June 22–25, 2026
  • Monday–Wednesday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
  • Thursday: 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
• Location: McCormick Place, North Building
  2301 S. Martin Luther King Dr., Chicago, IL 60616

About Bossard 

Bossard is a leading provider of industrial fastening and assembly solutions, offering over one million products to OEM customers around the globe. From the field to the factory, whether established or emerging, Bossard empowers customers by combining almost 200 years of engineering and assembly know-how, streamlining processes, and enhancing operational excellence. With 3,300-plus employees in 33 countries, Bossard delivers sustainable, proven productivity—for today’s world and tomorrow’s. Visit www.bossard.com.

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Bestar will close its Lac-Mégantic plant which employs 120 Unifor members, while Meubles South Shore will shutter after 86 years operating at Sainte-Croix and Coaticook. Both closures are likely to send a ripple effect through the supply chain as these manufacturers use locally sourced wood.

For South Shore, known for its ready-to-assemble furniture, sales dropped 77% between 2022 and 2025 due to the tariffs as well as a drop in demand caused by a shift in the market toward imported furniture from Asia.

“We’ve done everything we could to keep our business running and preserve jobs,” said Charles Laflamme, CEO of South Shore Furniture, “but it has become impossible for us to continue operating in a market where World Trade Organization rules are not being followed.”

The closure comes despite efforts to invest in modernization and lean out its operations through layoffs. In fact, it was an early adopter of the ecommerce platform, and it embraced automation and robotics.

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The summit takes place on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. EDT (4:00 p.m. to 6:40 p.m. CEST), and is free to attend. The event features three expert panels, live audience Q&As, and AI-powered networking, with each panel designed around an unresolved challenge that is actively slowing metal AM adoption in industrial production today.

“Metal AM has been ‘almost there’ for a decade. What’s changed in the last few years is that the conversation has shifted from ‘can it be done?’ to ‘why is it taking so long?’ ADDITIV Metals exists to accelerate that second conversation,” said Filippos Voulpiotis, Managing Director of 3Dnatives.

What the panels cover
Panel 1: Diverse Metal Roadmaps – When to Push LPBF and When to Pivot to Alternatives (4:10 p.m. to 4:55 p.m. CEST)
As laser powder bed fusion matures into a production standard, a new generation of challenger technologies is reshaping the cost-per-part equation. This session addresses the strategic process selection decisions that engineering teams are facing right now. Speakers include John Hart of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Ben Arnold of Tritone Technologies. The discussion will be moderated by Brent Stucker of Wohlers Associates.

Panel 2: The Certification Trap – Can AI Kill the 2-Year Testing Cycle in Metal AM? (5:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. CEST)
One of the greatest bottlenecks in metal AM in 2026 is not printing speed; it is the time required to prove a part will not fail in the field. This panel examines the move toward digital qualification frameworks and whether AI-driven approaches can accelerate certification cycles into something operationally viable. Gil Lavi of 3D Alliances will moderate the discussion, joined by speakers Sneha Prabha Narra of Carnegie Mellon University, Matthew Sermon of DRPM Submarines, and Sainyam Amarora of Johnson Matthey.

Panel 3: The Hidden Majority – Is Post-Processing Still the Single Greatest Barrier to Metal AM ROI? (5:50 p.m. to 6:35 p.m. CEST)
Despite the promise of push-button fabrication, the path from build plate to finished part remains a labour-intensive journey through support removal, heat treatment, and surface finishing. This panel examines whether post-processing is the last major unsolved problem in metal AM economics. Sherri Monroe of AMGTA will be the moderator, and Ante Lausic of General Motors, Manuel Delgado of ValCUN, and Matthew Bailey of the Aerospace Technology Institute are speakers.

Who Should Attend: ADDITIV Metals 2026 is designed for process engineers, AM program managers, R&D directors, and manufacturing executives who are actively working with or evaluating metal additive manufacturing for production applications. If your organization is weighing LPBF against alternatives, managing qualification timelines, or trying to close the gap on post-processing costs, this program delivers expert-level insight in under three hours.

Networking Built for the Industry: Beyond the panels, attendees gain access to AI-powered peer matching through the Swapcard platform, with the ability to schedule one-on-one meetings before and after sessions. The event is expected to draw over 800 registered attendees from across the global metal AM ecosystem.

Partners and Sponsors: ADDITIV Metals 2026 is proudly supported by Tritone Technologies and ValCUN. Media partners include ASTM International, AMGTA, SPE, 3D Alliances, Wevolver, Metal AM Magazine, Manufacturing in Focus, Tooling and Production, Modern Applications News, IAM3DHUB, Manufacturing.net, Manufacturing Engineering and Technology, and 3DPrint.com.

Registration: ADDITIV Metals 2026 is free to attend. Register now to secure your place.

About 3Dnatives: 3Dnatives is the leading global media platform for additive manufacturing, delivering cutting-edge coverage of 3D printing technologies, applications, and market trends. With over 1.3 million monthly unique visitors, it serves as a critical resource for professionals across the industry. Published in English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian, 3Dnatives partners with major players in the ecosystem to provide high-value content, data-driven insights, and strategic visibility through multimedia, branded content, and virtual events.

About ADDITIV: ADDITIV is a series of global virtual events dedicated to additive manufacturing, offering panel discussions, workshops, and networking with AM experts from leading industrial companies and the most innovative firms in the field.

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40 professionals aged 40 and under will be honoured for their work influencing projects, teams, and processes—from jobsites and fabrication floors to engineering and design—at the only event where the metal construction industry comes together to make decisions, build partnerships, and shape what’s next.

“The program spotlights professionals who are already making an impact across the metal construction industry while also representing its next generation of leadership,” said Judy Geller, Vice President of Trade Shows for PSMJ Resources, Inc., producers of METALCON. “These are individuals driving projects forward, improving how work gets done and helping shape where the industry is headed.”

Nominations are now open and can be submitted via the online nomination form by the July 21, 2026 deadline. Honourees will be selected by a cross-industry panel based on achievement, leadership, innovation, and overall impact.

“As METALCON marks its 35^th anniversary, this program is about elevating the people who are actively shaping the industry’s direction,” continued Geller. “40 Under 40 puts their work—and their impact—front and center where the industry comes together.”

Selected honourees will receive industry-wide recognition, including a featured profile on METALCON.com, promotion through email, social media, and trade publications, and recognition onsite at METALCON 2026, taking place October 7–9, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Honourees will also be invited to a Future Leaders networking reception.

Eligible nominees must be 40 years of age or younger and actively working in or contributing to the metal construction industry. Candidates may be nominated by peers, managers, employees, or other industry professionals, or may self-nominate with an external reference.

The program aims to elevate the professionals who are driving innovation, improving processes, and leading teams across the industry today—those helping define how the industry continues to evolve. Honourees will be announced in September and formally recognized during METALCON 2026. For more information or to complete a nomination form, visit www.metalcon.com.

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Why Anaheim? Steeped in history and renowned for hosting iconic events, Anaheim offers a vibrant mix of business and leisure opportunities. It hosts a specialized space industry ecosystem featuring manufacturers of high-precision components, advanced materials testing, and satellite electronics to support the major Southern California aerospace primes, and is a hub for specialized suppliers, being closely linked to nearby aerospace OEMs such as Rocket Lab, Impulse Space, Boeing, Relativity Space, and Vast.

The Anaheim Convention Center, the largest venue on the West Coast, provides the perfect launchpad for Space Tech Expo USA to grow in size and scope, enabling attendees to forge deeper connections and explore groundbreaking advancements in space technology.

As for what to expect? “We’re looking forward to welcoming over 350 exhibitors, featuring global companies as well as local Anaheim businesses such as Bisco Industries, Cobra Scientific, and Serra Laser, says Gordon McHattie, Event Director at Space Tech Expo. “This will be our largest event yet, showcasing a variety of solutions from electronic components, design services, and mechanical components, to security, optics, test & measurement, interconnect, and software. So join us to engage with the industry and dive straight into finding your next solution!”

Hear from over 70 expert speakers as they discuss the latest challenges and innovations at the Industry Conference and the Technology Conference. New for this year is the Skills Lab, which will be packed with workshops and masterclasses designed to inspire, connect, and empower attendees through hands-on learning opportunities.

And in a new partnership, Space Tech Expo USA is partnering with Aviation Week, a leader in aerospace multimedia information services and tradeshow and conference production, engaging an extensive community of top-tier OEM and system integration professionals. Together, they’re expanding the event’s reach, introducing new features (including the Space Tech Challenge Awards), and continuing to bring unparalleled expertise to the floor.

From satellite technology and launch services, to engineering solutions and subsystems, the event will bring together industry leaders, decision-makers, and innovators to solve current challenges and help shape the future of space exploration.

To be part of the conversation, register to attend at spacetechexpo.com.

About Space Tech Expo USA:
Space Tech Expo USA consists of two days of knowledge sharing and networking alongside a supply chain exhibition. The free-to-attend exhibition and conference will showcase the very latest technology from technical designers, sub-systems suppliers, manufacturers, and components through to systems integrators for civil, military, and commercial space. The event was established in 2012 and is a B2B trade event for aerospace and related industry professionals / government / academia only.

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“This investment underscores our more than 120-year-old commitment to Canada and producing the foods Canadians love right here at home,” said Simon Laroche, President of Kraft Heinz Canada. “This investment is a testament to the hard work and success of our Quebec employees. From Kraft Dinner to Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Kraft Peanut Butter, our Mont Royal facility plays a vital role in bringing these household staples to tables across the country.”

“Our government welcomes this significant investment. When a global leader like Kraft Heinz chooses Canada, they are not only doubling down on their footprint in Canada today—but also cementing their long-term future in our country,” said The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue. “This move recognizes the calibre of our highly skilled workforce and the resilience of our food industry. By bringing production here at home, we are securing our supply chains, supporting high-quality jobs, and ensuring Canada remains a premier destination for industrial growth.”

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“On affected vehicles, degradation of the electrical connections in the internal transmission lead frame can cause an intermittent signal from the transmission range sensor,” a Ford spokesperson told CTV News. “This may lead to an unexpected downshift into a lower gear while the vehicle is in motion.”

The automaker has outlined several solutions to address the issue, which include a software update for the powertrain control module (PCM) that will enable enhanced logic to detect hardware failures and prevent any unintended downshifting. The transmission lead frames can also be replaced on vehicles that indicate diagnostic trouble codes related to the sensor at no cost to the customer.

Drivers can check if their vehicles are included in the recall by entering their VIN on the company’s webpage.

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