McCormick Place · Chicago, IL · June 22–25, 2026 · Booth #4355
Automate 2026 is shaping up to be one of the largest robotics and automation events in North America, and we’ll be right in the middle of it at Booth #4355, running live demos of RoboTape and RoboClip side by side.
We’ve been preparing for this one for months. Between finalizing the V1.4 hardware upgrade, setting up the demo system, and coordinating everything that goes into four days on the floor at McCormick Place, the team has had no shortage of work. But that’s what Automate deserves. It’s not just another trade show.
Automate 2025 in Detroit broke every attendance record the show had seen, with 45,000 visitors, 900+ exhibitors, and a sold-out floor. This year it moves to Chicago, and the numbers are already tracking higher. For context, McCormick Place is the largest convention facility in North America. The scale of this event is hard to overstate.
RoboTape launched at Automate. That show is where the first conversations with production engineers happened, where feedback that shaped the current system came from, and where RoboClip made its debut last year. Coming back in 2026 with a fully upgraded head felt like the right move.
What we’re bringing: the V1.4 head
One of the most common questions we heard at last year’s show was: “What happens when we switch tape widths?” Until now, the answer involved interchangeable tape guides.
That feedback didn’t go unnoticed.
At RoboTape, we stay closely connected to our customers and how the system is used day to day. Those insights directly influence how the platform evolves. V1.4 is a direct response to a recurring challenge on the production floor.
We rebuilt the end-of-arm tooling to be universal and adjustable, eliminating the need for modifications across tape sizes up to 16mm × 16mm. One head. Multiple configurations. No changeover complexity.
This update comes from a dedicated RoboTape team focused entirely on advancing the platform, continuously refining performance, simplifying integration, and removing friction from operation.
V1.4 reflects that approach: practical improvements, shaped by use, built into the system.
| V1.3 — Before | V1.4 — Now |
|---|---|
| ✕ Custom tip body for tapes above ~12mm | ✓ Universal EOAT with no modifications up to 16mm × 16mm |
| ✕ Different wet-out assemblies per application | ✓ Universal and adjustable guides handle most applications |
| ✕ Interchangeable top and bottom tape guides | ✓ Built-in universal and adjustable guides |
| ✕ Different hose clamp parts per configuration | ✓ Universal hose clamps for all configurations |
| ✕ Linkage drive roller mechanism | ✓ Improved over-center drive mechanism |
“Fewer parts. Fewer calls to engineering. Less downtime when a line changes over. That was the goal with V1.4, and we got there.”
Two systems, one booth
RoboClip™ joins us at Booth #4355 again this year. Innovative Automation’s automated clip insertion system made its debut at Automate 2025, and the reception pushed us to keep refining it. Seeing both systems running live in the same booth is the clearest demonstration of how we approach these challenges: standardized, robot-agnostic design built around what manufacturers deal with on the floor.
This year, RoboClip will debut an all-new, fully electric feeder design. Officially known as the Fast Feed Pro, this feeder incorporates anti-jam technology in a compact footprint. The design offers an alternative to bowl feeders, which can face constraints around cost, size, and reliability. These feeders are especially suited for plastic and metal clips of varying types.
Automate draws the people who make purchasing decisions: engineers, operations leads, integrators, and plant managers. Four days at McCormick Place can generate more qualified conversations than much of a quarter of outbound activity. We plan for it accordingly, and this year more than ever.
See you at Booth #4355
If you’re coming to Automate 2026, stop by Booth #4355. Bring your tape specification and we’ll run the demo with it. No configuration conversation required first, just come and see what the universal head actually does.
Not attending but want to connect before or after the show? Reach out through our site and we’ll set up a call.