Automate 2026 brought robotics, AI-enabled automation, machine vision, motion control, autonomous mobile robots, sensing, and industrial software to Chicago from June 22–25. The show highlighted a major shift in automation: equipment is becoming more mobile, connected, compact, and capable of working in more complex environments.
Behind many of these technologies are flexible printed circuits.
Flex PCBs help engineers route power, signals, sensor connections, and high-speed data through tight spaces, moving joints, compact housings, and integrated electronic assemblies. They are often used where rigid PCBs or traditional wire harnesses add too much size, weight, or connection complexity.
Robotic arms, collaborative robots, and automated assembly equipment need electronics that can move with the machine. Sensors, cameras, motors, encoders, grippers, and end-of-arm tooling all require reliable electrical connections within limited mechanical space.
• Signal routing through articulated robot joints
• Connections for force, position, and proximity sensors
• Compact circuits inside robotic wrists and grippers
• Camera and LED connections for inspection systems
• Reduced wire bulk inside moving assemblies
For robotic applications with repeated movement, flex circuit design must account for bend radius, copper thickness, layer construction, stiffeners, strain relief, and expected flex cycles.
Machine vision and AI-driven inspection systems were also key technologies at Automate 2026. Cameras, image sensors, lighting, processors, and edge-computing hardware are increasingly being integrated directly into production equipment and robotic tooling.
Apera AI demonstrated how advanced robotic vision can help automation systems identify and handle randomly positioned, overlapping, reflective, or difficult-to-distinguish parts. Its 4D Vision platform combines AI, deep learning, and 3D vision for applications such as bin picking, material handling, automotive manufacturing, and high-mix production environments. These systems depend on closely integrated cameras, processors, lighting, sensors, and high-speed data connections, where flexible circuits can support compact camera and sensor modules in tight mechanical spaces.
Banner Engineering also reflected the growing role of connected, sensor-rich automation through technologies spanning industrial sensing, machine vision, wireless connectivity, IoT, safety systems, lighting, measurement, and barcode reading. As more sensing and connectivity are built into inspection stations, robotic tools, control panels, and machine enclosures, flexible circuits can provide low-profile connections between sensor assemblies, displays, LEDs, control boards, and communication modules while reducing separate wire connections.
Flexible PCBs can connect image sensors, LED illumination, processors, and control boards inside compact vision modules. They can also support high-speed signal routing when designed with the appropriate impedance control, shielding, grounding, and stack-up requirements.
As automated inspection becomes more precise, electronic packaging becomes more important. Smaller camera modules and sensor assemblies need dependable interconnect solutions that fit within tight industrial enclosures.
Autonomous mobile robots, or AMRs, are being used throughout warehouses, manufacturing plants, healthcare facilities, and distribution centers. These systems combine batteries, sensors, cameras, lidar, wireless communications, motion controls, and onboard computing into a mobile platform.
Boston Dynamics illustrated this trend with Stretch, a mobile warehouse robot designed for repetitive case-handling work such as unloading trailers and containers. Systems like Stretch combine a mobile base, robotic arm, smart gripper, vision technology, and onboard controls, creating a need for durable electronics that can withstand constant movement, vibration, changing warehouse conditions, and frequent use. Flexible and rigid-flex circuits can help support compact routing between cameras, sensors, motion controls, battery systems, operator interfaces, and communication hardware while reducing wire bulk inside the platform.
1. Battery-management and charging connections
2. Sensor, camera, and lidar interfaces
3. Compact control and drive assemblies
4. Displays, indicators, and operator interfaces
5. Lightweight routing throughout the robot chassis
Replacing selected wire assemblies with integrated flex circuits can help simplify assembly, reduce connection points, and improve packaging inside space-constrained mobile equipment.
End-of-arm tooling gives automation systems their application-specific function. A robotic system may use grippers, vacuum tools, dispensing equipment, screwdriving systems, cameras, force sensors, or custom handling fixtures.
These assemblies often need to remain lightweight while incorporating electrical connections for sensors, motors, lighting, and controls. Flexible circuits can be integrated directly into the tooling structure, helping create cleaner routing and more compact electronic assemblies.
Rigid-flex PCBs can also be useful where a design requires rigid areas for component mounting combined with flexible sections that route through the mechanical assembly.
Automation equipment may be exposed to repeated motion, vibration, heat, dust, chemicals, moisture, and electromagnetic interference. Flex circuit design should consider the full operating environment early in development.
• Static versus dynamic flex requirements
• Bend radius and expected flex cycles
• Copper thickness and conductor routing
• Stiffeners and rigid-flex construction
• EMI shielding and grounding strategy
• Controlled impedance for high-speed data
• Connector access and strain relief
• Thermal and environmental requirements
Early collaboration between the equipment designer and PCB manufacturer can help prevent issues related to mechanical fit, signal integrity, assembly, and long-term reliability.
Automate 2026 demonstrated that robotics and industrial automation are becoming more intelligent, mobile, and integrated. Whether the application involves robotic motion, machine vision, mobile automation, sensors, or compact control hardware, the electrical interconnect design plays an important role in overall system performance.
Flexible PCBs, rigid-flex circuits, wire harnesses, and integrated electronic assemblies can help automation engineers create equipment that is smaller, lighter, more reliable, and easier to manufacture.