May 2026 Volume 8

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

That may sound obvious, but in real production it is exactly the kind of detail that determines whether a system is merely functional or genuinely safe. Forging has always depended on people managing risk in close quarters. As automation spreads, the challenge is no longer just keeping operators away from danger. It is making sure manual and automatic actions never compete for the same space at the same time. The Real Shape of the Future Forging will never be the easiest manufacturing environment for automation. In some ways, that is exactly why this moment matters. The tools have improved enough that robots, machine vision, smarter controls, and advanced inspection can now take on jobs that once seemed too hot, too variable, or too punishing to automate effectively. But success still depends on choosing the right problems, engineering the solution carefully, and building internal capability one project at a time. The future of forging is unlikely to arrive as a single breakthrough. It will come cell by cell, application by application, as more plants use automation to bring structure, visibility, and repeatability to the hardest parts of the process. The companies that move well will not necessarily be the ones with the boldest automation language. They will be the ones that start with real pain points, solve them well, and let practical results guide what comes next.

That is how forging becomes more data-driven in the real world: not by escaping the realities of heat and force, but by learning how to work through them more intelligently. Special thanks to Mario Trizzano, Adaptec Solutions, Jacob Cipriano, MAS and BiLLy Paris, Ajax/CECO/Erie Press for their insight in developing this article. References 1. International Federation of Robotics, “Record of 4 Million Robots in Factories Worldwide.” (IFR International Federation of Robotics) 2. The Manufacturing Institute, “Manufacturers Need as Many as 3.8 Million New Employees by 2033.” (The Manufacturing Institute) 3. Deloitte Insights, “Supporting US Manufacturing Growth Amid Workforce Challenges.” (Deloitte Brazil) 4. NIST, “Standards for 3D Imaging Systems for Manufacturing Applications.” (NIST) 5. NIST, “Towards the Development of Standards and Performance Metrics for 3D Imaging Systems.” (NIST) 6. McKinsey & Company, “Smartening Up with Artificial Intelligence (AI).” (McKinsey & Company)

We Know Automation Optimizes Production.

Surface ® Combustion delivers heat treatment furnaces with integrated material handling solutions engineered for efficiency, repeatability, and unmatched performance.

800-537-8980 info@surfacecombustion.com

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