RIA Events Next Week Focus on Safety and Collaborative Robots

(Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA - October 6, 2015) - North Americas robotics trade group, Robotic Industries Association (RIA), is hosting two major events in Pittsburgh next week. The 27th National Robot Safety Conference will be held October 12-14, 2015 followed by the International Collaborative Robots Workshop on October 15. Both events will be held at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The National Robot Safety Conference is the worlds leading event for industrial robot safety and compliance. It provides in-depth coverage of the latest ANSI/RIA R15.06 -2012 Robot Safety Standard and risk assessment issues as well as functional safety, safety circuit design and a look at various applications. New to the conference this year are special sessions around the topic of collaborative robot safety presented by Mark Lewandowski of Proctor & Gamble, Elena Dominguez of Pilz Automation Safety, Marty Linn of General Motors and Kevin Clark of Continental Automotive Systems. Other hot topics at the conference include: How Do Other Automation Standards Impact Robot Safety?; An OSHA View on Robot Safety; and Using Risk Assessment Tools to Prevent Injuries in Robotic Systems.

Collaborative robots, or robots that work side by side with humans, is the hottest topic in robotics today. The International Collaborative Robots Workshop explores advancements in the field with a global view on collaborative robot technology, applications, safety implications and human impacts. The workshop will host speakers from leading robotics organizations including Georgia Tech, Carnegie Mellon, Rethink Robotics, Universal Robots, ABB, KUKA, FANUC, Precise Automation, Beckman Coulter, Robotiq, Soft Robotics, Marlatt Automation/FIPA. There will also be discussion around use cases for collaborative robots with a panel including General Motors, Glidewell Dental, and SEPCO Erie.

"Robot safety is of utmost importance to the RIA and we are looking forward to introducing some new and important topics to this years National Robot Safety Conference," said Jeff Burnstein, President of RIA. "Collaborative robots are a game changer for the industry. Our International Collaborative Robots Workshop attendees will learn how this new class of robot can help them become stronger global competitors."

Both events will include a tabletop exhibition featuring products and services from leading robotics companies. Registration is still open for both events. For more information visit Robotics Online or call the A3 headquarters at 734/994-6088.

About Robotic Industries Association (RIA)
Founded in 1974, RIA is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to improving the regional, national and global competitiveness of the North American manufacturing and service sectors through promotion and enhancement of robotics and related automation. RIA represents 350 robot manufacturers, system integrators, component suppliers, end users, consulting firms, research groups, and educational institutions. The association hosts a number of events including the International Collaborative Robots Workshop (October 15, 2015 in Pittsburgh, PA, the National Robot Safety Conference (October 12-14, 2015 in Pittsburgh, PA), the A3 Business Forum (February 3-5, 2016 in Orlando, FL) and the biennial Automate Show & Conference (April 3-6, 2017 in Chicago). RIA also provides quarterly robotics statistics and has a content-rich website, Robotics Online. For more details on RIA, visit Robotics Online or call 734/994-6088.

About Association for Advancing Automation (A3)
The Association for Advancing Automation is the global advocate for the benefits of automating. A3 promotes automation technologies and ideas that transform the way business is done. A3 is the umbrella group for Robotic Industries Association (RIA), AIA - Advancing Vision + Imaging, and Motion Control & Motor Association (MCMA). RIA, AIA, and MCMA combined represent some 850 automation manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, research groups and consulting firms from throughout the world that drive automation forward.

For more information, please visit our websites: A3; RIA; AIA; MCMA.