SOUTHFIELD -- The LTU Collaboratory and Automation Alley have teamed up to bring the ARM Institute to Michigan for a program called “The Impact that Robotics and Automation will have on Small Manufacturers.” The event is being held on Tuesday, July 17 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the campus of Lawrence Technological University in Southfield.

The ARM Institute is the nation’s leading collaborative in robotics and workforce innovation.

Structured as a public-private partnership, ARM accelerates the advancement of robotic technologies and education to increase U.S. global manufacturing competitiveness. Jay Douglas, COO of the ARM Institute, is a featured presenter.

The program will note that automation and robotics technology has come a long way. Once used primarily for high volume applications, robots are now being used collaboratively to aid human workers and automation techniques in low-volume, high-variable product manufacturing operations as a way to help small manufacturers remain globally competitive.

This event will demonstrate how small manufacturers are applying these new generation tools to improve the delivery of durable goods quicker and at better margins. Participants will learn how these advanced robotics manufacturing technologies can present both opportunities for small manufacturer’s growth and sustainability.

Besides Douglas, presenters include Corey Carolla, vice president for corporate development at Red Rabbit Automation/Vickers Engineering, and Giscard Kfoury, director of the robotics engineering program at LTU. The event will also include a tour of LTU’s robotics summer camp for high school students.

Registration is free, but space is limited to 40 people. See the full agenda at www.ltucollaboratory.com/events/tech-tuesdays-robotics-and-automation/.

 The LTU Collaboratory is part of the Southfield Centrepolis SmartZone, with support from the Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s 21st Century Jobs Fund, and operates as a partnership between the City of Southfield and LTU. The Collaboratory plans to open a 6,300-square-foot accelerator space on campus by spring 2019. Learn more at www.ltucollaboratory.com and www.southfieldcentrepolis.com.

About LTU

Lawrence Technological University, www.ltu.edu, is a private university founded in 1932 that offers more than 100 programs through the doctoral level in its Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Business and Information Technology, and Engineering. PayScale lists LTU among the nation’s top 5 percent universities for the salaries of its graduates, and US News & World Report lists it in the top tier of best Midwestern universities. Students benefit from small class sizes and a real-world, hands-on, “theory and practice’ education with an emphasis on leadership. Activities on LTU’s campus include more than 60 student organizations and NAIA varsity sports.

About Automation Alley

Automation Alley is a nonprofit technology and manufacturing business association and Michigan’s Industry 4.0 knowledge center, with a global outlook and a regional focus. It connects industry, academia and government to fuel Michigan’s economy and accelerate innovation. It offers programs and services in business growth, entrepreneurship, talent development, defense and international business, providing resources and knowledge to help our members grow and prosper in the digital age. Learn more at https://automationalley.com.

About ARM

Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) is the nation’s leading collaborative in robotics and workforce innovation. Founded in January 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pa., and partially funded by the Department of Defense, ARM is a Manufacturing USA Institute. Learn more at www.arminstitute.org.