Lights-Out Manufacturing Without the Robot: In-Spindle Automation Takes the Stage at IMTS 2026

Many shops equate automation with buying a robot. But that leap often carries cost, complexity, and risk that a given application doesn't justify — and between manual loading and full robotic cells sits a practical middle ground. That space is the focus of an IMTS 2026 Conference session on in-spindle automation, presented as a simpler, lower-cost alternative to full robotic automation.

The session, from GIE Media's Manufacturing Group, is scheduled for Monday, September 14 at 2:15 P.M. in IMTS10 Room W193-A.

A Failure-First Approach to Automation

Rather than spotlighting success stories, the talk takes a failure-first, engineering-driven approach. It breaks down real implementations that didn't work, analyzes the root causes, and explains what should have been evaluated earlier in the process.

Attendees will come away knowing how to calculate required gripping forces, understand actuation tradeoffs, identify part and machine compatibility issues, and recognize hidden integration costs — the kind that can push total project cost up by 150–200%.

A Framework, Not a Sales Pitch

The session introduces a quantitative decision framework that compares manual, in-spindle, and robotic automation options side-by-side. Clear walk-away criteria are designed to prevent over-automation and protect return on investment (ROI). Attendees also receive tools they can put to work immediately: a part compatibility checklist, engineering calculation sheets, and a five-year total cost model.

The stated goal is honest, vendor-neutral guidance so manufacturers can choose the right level of automation — not necessarily the most automation.

Meet the Presenter

John Olenik, Partner Success Manager at Jergens Inc., leads the session. An Industrial and Systems Engineering graduate from The Ohio State University, Olenik works directly with machine tool builders, integrators, and manufacturers to implement practical automation solutions.

For engineers weighing whether their next productivity step requires a robot — or something simpler — this session offers a structured way to answer the question.