The session will examine the common mistakes and friction points that emerge before, during, and after a pilot. Topics will include choosing the wrong first project, starting without clear success criteria, underestimating process variation, failing to involve operators and maintenance teams early enough, unclear ownership between the manufacturer and integrator, weak data collection, unrealistic ROI assumptions, and overlooked safety or change-management considerations.

Rather than framing automation as a simple technology purchase, the conversation will look at it as a shared operational and deployment challenge. Manufacturers will be able to share their lived experience and receive practical feedback, while developers and integrators can discuss lessons from field deployments and gain direct insight into the customer friction points that can prevent a technically successful pilot from scaling.

The format will be a moderated fireside chat followed by an open, two-way live Q&A. Jared and Anthony will guide the discussion through key themes and help bridge the perspectives of manufacturers, robotics companies, and integrators. Audience members will be encouraged to share questions, project challenges, deployment lessons, internal roadblocks, and examples of where expectations between customers and solution providers did not fully align.

Project Selection & Alignment

• What makes a good first automation project—from both the manufacturer and solution-provider perspective?

• What should a manufacturer define internally before approaching an integrator or robotics company?

• Where do expectations most commonly break down between manufacturers and integrators?

Operational Integration

• Why do some pilots fail or stall even when the technology works?

• How early should operators, maintenance, safety, leadership, and technology partners be involved in the process?

• What critical information do developers and integrators need from customers to design a successful, scalable solution?

• A clearer understanding of how to evaluate an automation opportunity and recognize early warning signs of failure.

• Actionable strategies to align expectations and improve two-way collaboration between manufacturers and integrators before a project begins.

• Practical insights on how to build internal confidence, secure stakeholder support, and successfully transition from a single pilot to full-scale production.