Automation and Robotics Track at FNA 2026 Will Help Heat Treaters Move from Reactive to Proactive Op

Labor shortages, rising customer expectations, and the need for greater process consistency are pushing heat treaters to explore new approaches to automation. The Automation and Robotics Track at Furnaces North America 2026 will give attendees practical insight into how artificial intelligence, robotics, and intelligent equipment can improve productivity, quality, and workplace safety.

The biggest question for every heat treater is “how will you grow your business the next 5 – 10 years within a shrinking labor force?”  Evolving automation and robotics offer great solutions for growing your current workforce capacity.

The track will take place Wednesday, October 14, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. It is one of 10 specialized technical tracks designed to help heat treat professionals improve current operations while preparing for the technologies and workforce challenges of the future. 

Moving from Reactive Monitoring to Proactive Insight

The first session will explore the benefits of machine learning and artificial intelligence in a heat treat environment.

Traditional process monitoring typically shows operators what is happening at that moment. While setpoints and process values are important, they may not reveal gradual process drift, long-term patterns, or the reasons behind an emerging problem.

Attendees will learn how combining live process information with historical data and predictive analytics can provide a more complete view of furnace performance. AI and machine-learning tools can continuously analyze the ramping, soaking, and cooling phases of a cycle, identify unusual behavior, and reveal relationships between variables that might otherwise go unnoticed.

The key takeaway is a shift from reacting to problems after they occur to recognizing warning signs earlier. This can support faster decisions, more consistent processes, better troubleshooting, and fewer unexpected quality issues.

Improving Material Handling Through Robotics

The second session will focus on robotic material handling and its growing role in heat treatment operations.

Loading furnaces, transferring baskets, and positioning parts have traditionally required significant manual labor. These tasks can also expose employees to heat, heavy loads, and repetitive movements. Robotic systems, including autonomous mobile robots and automated guided vehicles, can reduce those risks while creating more consistent material flow.

Attendees will see how robotics can connect heat treatment with upstream machining and downstream finishing processes. When properly integrated, these technologies can create a more continuous production line, shorten lead times, and support just-in-time manufacturing.

Heat treaters will also learn that robotics should not simply be viewed as a replacement for employees. Automation can handle repetitive and physically demanding tasks while allowing experienced team members to concentrate on quality, process improvement, maintenance, and other higher-value responsibilities.

Turning Induction Equipment into an Intelligent Sensor

The final session will examine how an induction power supply can do more than deliver energy…it can also function as a real-time diagnostic tool.

By comparing equipment telemetry with the established signature of a known compliant part, an intelligent induction system can identify conditions such as part misalignment, geometry changes, incorrect alloys, and unexpected temperature variations.

Attendees will learn about the “golden sample” approach, in which the system is trained to recognize the electrical signature of a correctly positioned part and properly operating process. Future parts can then be compared with that baseline to identify abnormalities before the heating cycle is complete.

This approach can provide inline process validation without relying entirely on additional thermocouples, pyrometers, or other external sensors. The potential benefits include earlier detection of process problems, reduced scrap, fewer quality escapes, and less unscheduled downtime.

Practical Ideas for the Heat Treat Plant of the Future

Together, the three sessions will demonstrate that automation is about more than installing a robot or collecting additional data. It is about developing a more connected, predictable, and efficient operation.

Heat treaters attending the track will leave with a clearer understanding of how to:

• Use historical data and AI to recognize process drift earlier.
• Apply robotics to improve material flow, repeatability, and safety.
• Connect automated systems across multiple production processes.
• Reduce the impact of labor shortages by shifting employees toward higher-value work.
• Use existing equipment data to strengthen real-time quality assurance.
• Reduce scrap, downtime, and lead times through earlier problem detection.

The Automation and Robotics Track will give heat treaters practical examples of how new technologies can strengthen, not replace, the knowledge and experience of their people. For companies searching for new ways to increase productivity, overcome workforce limitations, and prepare for the demands of the 2030s, this track will provide ideas they can begin evaluating as soon as they return to their plants.

Furnaces North America 2026 takes place October 12–14 at the Indiana Convention Center and includes 35 technical sessions. Access to the trade show, and post-conference access to session recordings, is for full-conference attendees.

CLICK HERE for full details, registration, and hotel information.  Don’t miss the future by missing FNA 2026.