CHICAGO — As the global manufacturing sector accelerates its transition toward fully connected, highly flexible smart factories, Regal Rexnord Corp. is preparing to demonstrate its comprehensive portfolio of advanced robotics and factory automation products at Automate 2026. Scheduled for June 22–25 at McCormick Place in Chicago, the premier automation event will serve as a major stage for the company to highlight how its extensive ecosystem of engineering brands addresses the growing demand for precision, adaptability, and seamless integration in modern industrial systems.
Exhibiting in the North Hall at Booth 17030, Regal Rexnord will present a robust lineup of technologies sourced from its industry-leading brands, including Thomson, Kollmorgen, Portescap, Warner Electric, ModSort, Huco, Micron, Boston Gear, Berg, Stearns, Leeson, and Bauer Gear Motor. Designed specifically for manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), machine builders, and system integrators, the showcase emphasizes motion control solutions that optimize robotic cells, material handling systems, packaging equipment, and autonomous mobile platforms.
Main Facts: The Regal Rexnord Automate 2026 Showcase
Regal Rexnord’s presence at Automate 2026 reflects a strategic industry-wide push to simplify machine design while boosting overall system performance. Modern automation teams face mounting pressure to deploy equipment rapidly, reduce engineering overhead, and maintain the flexibility needed to pivot production lines as market demands shift.
To meet these challenges, the company’s exhibit will center on core technological pillars: robot transfer units, advanced servo motion packages, intelligent braking systems, and integrated sensing. By uniting these capabilities under a single corporate umbrella, Regal Rexnord aims to provide a one-stop shop for engineers building complex, multi-axis automated machinery.
Key highlights of the booth include live, interactive demonstrations of flagship innovations:
- The Thomson Movotrak Cobot Transfer Unit (CTU): A collaborative seventh-axis system engineered to vastly expand the workspace of collaborative robots (cobots).
- Kollmorgen Essentials Motion Systems: A streamlined, highly configurable servo motion package expanded to include new controller technology and higher voltage capacities.
- Warner Electric Integrated Position Brake: A space-saving, dual-function assembly that merges mechanical braking with absolute position feedback.
Chronology and Evolution of Industrial Automation Integration
The journey toward the technologies on display at Automate 2026 has been defined by a steady industry migration from rigid, single-purpose assembly lines to modular, software-driven, and highly collaborative production environments.
From Fixed Automation to Modular Flexibility
Over the past decade, manufacturers realized that traditional fixed automation lacked the agility required to handle mass customization and frequent product lifecycle changes. This realization spurred the rapid adoption of collaborative robots (cobots) that could work safely alongside human operators. However, standard cobots have inherent limitations regarding their physical reach, typically restricted to the immediate radius of their fixed mounting base.
Recognizing this bottleneck, engineering teams began developing external axis systems—most notably seventh-axis linear tracks—to mobilize stationary robots. The evolution of these systems has moved from bulky, complex custom integrations to standardized, plug-and-play linear units equipped with advanced safety features and intuitive programming tools, setting the stage for developments like the Thomson Movotrak CTU.
Simplifying the Servo Chain
Simultaneously, the motion control industry has focused on reducing the friction associated with specifying and commissioning servo systems. Historically, machine builders had to source motors, drives, controllers, and cabling from multiple vendors, leading to compatibility hurdles and lengthy configuration cycles. The evolution of "essentials" product tiers—exemplified by Kollmorgen’s latest updates—reflects a deliberate industry shift toward pre-engineered, highly integrated packages that leverage single-cable technology and standardized industrial Ethernet protocols to drastically shorten time-to-market for OEMs.
Supporting Data and Deep Dive Into Featured Technologies
To understand the practical impact of Regal Rexnord’s showcase, it is necessary to examine the specific engineering mechanics and performance data behind the featured demonstrations.
1. Thomson Movotrak Cobot Transfer Unit (CTU)
The Thomson Movotrak CTU addresses one of the primary constraints of cobot deployment: limited workspace. By mounting a cobot onto a collaborative seventh axis, the Movotrak CTU adds up to 10 meters of horizontal operating range.
- Design and Mechanics: The system features a robust dual linear-unit design. This architecture provides exceptional linear motion precision, high moment load capacity, and superior structural stiffness, ensuring that the cobot remains stable even when operating at maximum extension or carrying heavy payloads.
- Safety and Programming: Safety is paramount in collaborative spaces. The Movotrak CTU incorporates full seventh-axis collision detection, protecting both human workers and capital equipment. Furthermore, it supports Freedrive programming, allowing operators to manually guide the system to set linear waypoints quickly during initial cell setup, eliminating complex programming bottlenecks.
2. Kollmorgen Essentials Motion Systems
Machine builders frequently cite the complexity of motion system configuration as a major project delay. The Kollmorgen Essentials line is engineered to strip away this friction, offering a cohesive package that includes a matched servo motor, a servo drive, and advanced single-cable power and data technology.
- Expanded Capabilities: The latest expansion of the Essentials portfolio introduces the PCMM2G Essentials controller alongside high-voltage drive capabilities supporting up to 4 kW.
- Target Applications: These enhancements make the system exceptionally well-suited for demanding applications in packaging lines, high-speed warehouse automation, intricate material handling, and industrial forming equipment where deterministic performance and ease of integration are critical.
3. Warner Electric Integrated Position Brake
Space optimization is a constant battle for OEMs designing compact mobile robots, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and intricate drivetrain architectures. Traditional designs often require separate components for mechanical holding/stopping and absolute position feedback.
- Dual-Function Engineering: The Warner Electric Integrated Position Brake solves this spatial challenge by combining a spring-applied, electrically released brake with embedded absolute position sensing into a single, cohesive assembly.
- Operational Benefits: By merging these functions, OEMs eliminate the need for redundant mounting brackets and external sensors. This results in shorter drivetrain designs, reduced component weight, and greater design flexibility for compact electric powertrains utilized across modern material handling and mobile equipment sectors.
Official Responses and Industry Perspectives
Industry analysts and company leadership view events like Automate 2026 as crucial checkpoints for gauging the health and direction of the manufacturing technology sector. As industrial automation converges with digital transformation, component manufacturers must prove that their hardware can integrate smoothly into broader, data-driven ecosystems.
While specific executive quotes for this upcoming exhibition underscore a collective corporate focus on customer-centric engineering, representatives from Regal Rexnord emphasize that the overarching goal of the multi-brand showcase is to solve real-world integration challenges.
According to company spokespeople, the breadth of the portfolio—spanning from precision micro-motors by Portescap to heavy-duty gearing by Boston Gear and Bauer Gear Motor—allows Regal Rexnord to support every stage of kinetic energy transmission within a factory. By presenting these diverse technologies under unified application themes (such as robotic cells and autonomous platforms), the company is positioning itself as a strategic partner capable of advising OEMs on holistic system architecture rather than isolated component selection.
Implications for Manufacturers, OEMs, and System Integrators
The technologies and systems Regal Rexnord is bringing to Automate 2026 carry significant implications for the broader industrial automation landscape:
- Accelerated Commissioning Times: With pre-configured motion packages like Kollmorgen Essentials and intuitive programming methods like Thomson’s Freedrive, system integrators can drastically cut down the hours spent on-site setting up and tuning machinery. This directly translates to lower labor costs and faster revenue generation for end-users.
- Optimized Factory Footprints: Innovations such as the Warner Electric Integrated Position Brake and the space-efficient linear designs of the Movotrak CTU enable machine builders to design more compact, highly concentrated automation cells. In modern warehouses and manufacturing plants where floor space commands a high premium, smaller machine footprints deliver immediate economic value.
- Enhanced Flexibility for High-Mix Manufacturing: As consumer demands shift toward customized products, factories must frequently alter production runs. Technologies that expand cobot operational ranges (like 10-meter transfer units) allow a single robotic asset to service multiple workstations, turning static assembly lines into dynamic, reconfigurable micro-factories.
- Holistic Sourcing Reliability: For OEMs navigating global supply chain complexities, relying on a trusted, multifaceted supplier like Regal Rexnord—whose portfolio covers everything from linear motion and sensing to braking, gearing, and power transmission—simplifies procurement and ensures high engineering compatibility across complex machine architectures.
Conclusion
As Automate 2026 approaches, Regal Rexnord’s planned showcase at Booth 17030 in the North Hall of McCormick Place stands as a testament to how far motion control engineering has evolved. By blending mechanical robustness with intelligent, user-friendly electronic systems, the company is equipping manufacturers and system integrators with the tools required to build the flexible, efficient, and resilient factories of the future.
