Collaborative Robots: A Practical Guide for Small Manufacturers
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Industrial RoboticsOpen for Registration

Collaborative Robots: A Practical Guide for Small Manufacturers

Thursday, November 5, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
The Townsend Hotel
Demystifying cobots for job shops and small manufacturers. Real ROI data from Michigan deployments.

About This Event

Collaborative robots are no longer a Fortune 500 tool. Job shops with 10-50 employees are deploying cobots for welding, machine tending, and palletizing at price points that pay back in 12-18 months. This session covers which applications make sense first, how to calculate labor savings honestly, and how to get your floor team on board. Ideal for: plant managers, production supervisors, and owners of small to mid-size manufacturing operations.

Speakers

Sarah Chen

Sarah Chen

Integration Lead, RoboLine Automation

Sarah has deployed 80+ cobot cells in Michigan job shops. Mechanical engineer from Michigan Tech with 15 years in manufacturing automation.

Tom Briggs

Tom Briggs

Owner, Briggs Precision Machining

Tom runs a 35-person machine shop in Sterling Heights. He deployed his first cobot 18 months ago and has since added four more.

Agenda

6:00 PM

Lunch & Welcome

Italian family-style lunch and introductions.

6:30 PM

Cobot Fundamentals for Job Shops

Applications, safety requirements, and realistic cost ranges.

7:00 PM

Live Demo & Case Studies

Cobot welding cell demo. Three Michigan case studies with payback data.

7:20 PM

Panel: Lessons From the Floor

Tom Briggs on cobot adoption surprises. Audience Q&A.

Hosted By

RoboLine Automation

Collaborative robot integrators helping manufacturers automate assembly and welding.

Contact Host

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, attendance is free. The host covers the event and lunch. We require a credit card hold to reserve your spot and prevent no-shows.

A $15 hold is placed on your card. You are only charged if you fail to attend without canceling at least 24 hours in advance.

Family-style Italian: chicken parmesan, penne alla vodka, mixed greens, garlic bread.

Each attendee must register individually to ensure accurate headcount for catering and seating.

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