DEFINING INDIA’S NEXT-GENERATION FACTORY

An insightful session held at the last edition of the Symposium on Automation & Robotics in Pune.

The 9th Symposium on Automation & Robotics organized by the Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA), will bring together manufacturing leaders, technology providers, policymakers, and solution specialists to explore how automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence are reshaping India’s industrial future. Scheduled to be held from August 13–14, 2026, at the Conference Centre, Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bengaluru, the event will be held under the theme ‘Automation, Intelligence and the Human Edge – Building India’s Next-Generation Factory.’

Designed as a combined conference and technology exhibition, the annual symposium focuses on accelerating the adoption of practical automation solutions by discrete manufacturing companies in India. The event addresses the industry’s evolving needs through keynote presentations, expert panel discussions, technical sessions, live technology showcases, and networking opportunities, with a particular emphasis on helping manufacturers improve productivity, quality, and global competitiveness.

This year’s edition places special emphasis on the practical implementation of automation, particularly for MSMEs, addressing key manufacturing challenges such as machine utilization, material movement, quality consistency, labor shortages, and shopfloor intelligence. The program aims to provide manufacturers with actionable strategies to modernize operations, move beyond legacy systems, and strengthen their position as global suppliers.

Building a Strong Industry Platform

Day One: Optimizing Shopfloor Efficiency and Competitiveness

The opening day of the symposium focuses on driving operational excellence and global market readiness, kicking off with a keynote session on building export competitiveness to help manufacturers align production with strict international expectations. Subsequent tracks delve into the mechanics of the connected factory, exploring practical strategies for downtime reduction through CNC tending, automated value chains, and real-time production visibility. Delegates will also gain critical insights into achieving zero-defect manufacturing and seamless material movement, spotlighting advanced technologies like automated gauging, machine vision, and clean-table assembly. The day rounds out with a visionary panel discussion on unlocking Industry 5.0 productivity through human-machine synergy, concluding with a targeted session on deploying collaborative robots (cobots) and flexible robotic cells to effectively mitigate manufacturing labour shortages.

Day Two: From Implementation to Measurable Returns

The second day shifts the narrative toward execution, scale, and bottom-line impact, starting with an insightful keynote that addresses how to successfully bridge the gap between technology acquisition and shopfloor deployment. Real-world blueprints take center stage during a case study on "Lights-Out Automation," which breaks down the budgeting and performance outcomes of fully automated facilities, followed by a fireside discussion analyzing how both MSMEs and large enterprises scale automation plantwide. The afternoon introduces the digital frontier, demonstrating how Artificial Intelligence and automated analytics can streamline shopfloor decision-making and eliminate the administrative burden of daily alignment meetings. The program concludes with a high-stakes panel discussion on payback cost versus labor, giving decision-makers a clear framework to evaluate automation investments by balancing immediate labour dynamics against long-term productivity and ROI.

Advanced Manufacturing Solutions on the Showcase

Complementing the conference program, the exhibition will feature live demonstrations of next-gen automation tools, vision systems, and AI frameworks, designed to improve efficiency, quality, and operational flexibility.
Visitors will have the opportunity to interact directly with technology providers and explore practical solutions suitable for both MSMEs and large manufacturing enterprises.

Learning, Networking, and Business Opportunities

The symposium offers delegates an opportunity to gain insights from industry experts, understand proven approaches to overcoming operational challenges such as machine downtime and labor management, evaluate emerging technologies, and connect with manufacturers, technology providers, and solution partners from across the country.

Expected to bring together more than 1,250 manufacturing professionals, the event will provide a valuable platform for knowledge exchange, business networking, and exploring the next generation of factory automation.

Source: IMTMA