FANUC America is placing Physical AI, collaborative robotics, mobile automation and advanced CNC technology at the center of its IMTS 2026 exhibition strategy, highlighting how industrial robots are evolving from programmable machines into more adaptable systems capable of interacting with dynamic production environments.

The company is scheduled to exhibit at IMTS 2026 in Chicago from September 14 to 19, where it will demonstrate robotics, CNC machining, machine tending, assembly, inspection, material handling and digital manufacturing technologies. A major focus is the connection between artificial intelligence and physical automation, an area that is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers looking to improve flexibility while reducing engineering and deployment time.

Physical AI Moves Industrial Robotics Toward More Adaptive Automation

Traditional industrial robots are highly capable but generally depend on carefully defined programs, fixed workspaces and predictable production conditions. Physical AI introduces another layer of intelligence by allowing robotic systems to interpret physical environments and respond to changing conditions.

FANUC describes this approach as enabling robots to see, reason and act in real-world manufacturing environments. Instead of treating artificial intelligence as a separate software function, Physical AI connects perception, decision-making and robotic motion into a broader automation architecture.

For industrial automation engineers, this development is particularly relevant to applications such as machine tending, inspection, assembly and material handling. These processes frequently involve variations in part position, production schedules or operating conditions.

Vision systems can provide information about the physical environment, while AI-based processing can help determine the appropriate response. The robot controller then becomes the execution layer that converts this information into motion and machine operations.

This approach can potentially reduce the amount of manual programming required for certain flexible manufacturing applications.

New R-50iA Compact DC Controller Targets Mobile Robot Applications

One of the notable technologies FANUC is highlighting at IMTS 2026 is the R-50iA Compact DC Controller for CRX collaborative robots mounted on autonomous mobile robots.

The controller is designed to operate directly from 24 V to 48 V DC battery power. This eliminates the requirement for a separate inverter in the targeted mobile configuration, reducing electrical conversion equipment and simplifying the integration of a CRX cobot onto an autonomous mobile platform.

This is an important development for manufacturers building mobile automation cells.

A conventional stationary robot installation can be connected to a fixed industrial power supply and mounted on a permanent machine base. A mobile robotic system has different requirements. Weight, electrical efficiency, cable routing, battery capacity and physical space all become important engineering considerations.

By supporting direct DC battery operation, a compact robot controller can help system integrators create more practical mobile automation platforms.

Potential applications include mobile machine tending, parts transportation, inspection and flexible assembly.

CRX Collaborative Robots Expand Flexible Manufacturing Options

Collaborative robots continue to attract manufacturers that need automation without completely redesigning existing production areas.

The CRX family is designed for applications where robots need to operate in relatively compact spaces and support flexible production tasks. At IMTS 2026, FANUC plans to demonstrate CRX-based applications involving assembly, machine tending, part transport, inspection and washing.

These applications demonstrate an important shift in industrial robotics.

Rather than using robots only for large-volume, repetitive production, manufacturers are increasingly evaluating collaborative robots for smaller batch sizes and production environments where equipment may need to be repositioned or reconfigured.

For factories producing multiple product variants, this flexibility can be particularly valuable.

The R-50iA platform also supports Ethernet connectivity, advanced vision capabilities and Python support, providing additional options for integrating robot systems with external software, sensors and automation infrastructure.

Mobile Automation and Manufacturing Logistics

The combination of collaborative robots and autonomous mobile robots is another important trend.

In a conventional production line, material movement often depends on conveyors, forklifts or fixed transfer equipment. Mobile robotic platforms provide an alternative by allowing materials or tools to move between workstations.

When a CRX robot is mounted on an autonomous mobile platform, the robot can potentially perform work at multiple locations instead of remaining permanently assigned to one machine.

For example, a mobile robot could transport components to a machining center, perform machine tending, move to an inspection station and then transfer completed parts to another area.

This concept supports more flexible factory layouts and may be particularly useful where production requirements change frequently.

However, successful deployment requires coordination between mobile navigation, robot motion, machine control, safety systems and industrial communication networks. The engineering challenge therefore extends beyond the robot itself.

FANUC Connects Robotics With Advanced CNC Technology

FANUC is also using IMTS 2026 to showcase its latest ROBODRILL machining technologies.

The D54CS is designed for drilling and tapping applications, including high-speed machining of S50C steel, while the D74CS focuses on high-speed cutting and includes a 12,000-rpm high-acceleration spindle.

The D116CS expands the machining envelope with an X-axis stroke of 1,100 mm and a Y-axis stroke of 600 mm. FANUC is positioning this platform for high-precision processing of larger components, including electric vehicle-related parts.

The combination of CNC technology and robotics is strategically important because machining automation is rarely limited to the machine tool itself.

Modern production cells may require automatic loading, unloading, inspection, tool management, material transportation and production-data collection.

A CNC machine therefore becomes one component of a larger automated manufacturing system.

Vision Technology Becomes More Important in Flexible Automation

As robots become more adaptable, machine vision becomes increasingly important.

A robot operating in a flexible environment needs reliable information about part position, orientation, quality and surroundings. Vision systems can provide this information before or during robotic operations.

FANUC is demonstrating 3D vision applications at IMTS, including systems designed to identify and inspect components before automatically handling and packaging them.

This is particularly useful for applications where parts are not always presented in exactly the same position.

Instead of relying entirely on mechanical fixtures, a vision-enabled robot can use camera information to determine how an object is positioned and adjust its motion accordingly.

This approach can reduce mechanical complexity and increase flexibility, although lighting, image processing, calibration and system reliability remain critical engineering considerations.

Cybersecurity Becomes Part of Robot Integration

Industrial robots are increasingly connected to plant networks, manufacturing execution systems, engineering computers and cloud or edge applications.

As a result, cybersecurity is becoming an essential part of robot deployment.

FANUC states that the R-50iA platform includes cybersecurity capabilities alongside Ethernet connectivity and advanced integration functions.

For automation engineers, cybersecurity should not be treated as an additional software feature added after commissioning. Network segmentation, access control, secure configuration, software maintenance and communication management should be considered during system design.

This becomes even more important when robots are connected to enterprise systems or remotely monitored through industrial networks.

What Physical AI Could Mean for Industrial Automation

The practical value of Physical AI will ultimately depend on whether it can solve real manufacturing problems more effectively than traditional automation.

AI does not eliminate the need for PLCs, robot controllers, motion systems, safety devices or industrial networks. Instead, it can become an additional intelligence layer above these technologies.

A modern automated cell may therefore include PLC control for deterministic machine sequencing, robot control for motion, vision systems for perception, industrial networks for communication and AI software for higher-level interpretation.

This layered architecture could allow manufacturers to retain the reliability of conventional industrial automation while introducing greater adaptability.

For system integrators, this means the future of automation may not be about replacing existing control technologies. It may be about connecting them more intelligently.

Conclusion

FANUC's IMTS 2026 demonstrations illustrate how industrial robotics is moving toward a more connected and intelligent manufacturing model.

The combination of Physical AI, CRX collaborative robots, the R-50iA Compact DC Controller, autonomous mobile robots, machine vision and advanced ROBODRILL CNC systems demonstrates a broader industry trend toward flexible automation.

For manufacturers facing changing production requirements, labor shortages and increasing demands for productivity, these technologies could provide new ways to automate processes that previously required significant manual intervention.

The key challenge will be turning these technologies into reliable production systems. Successful deployment will continue to depend on sound industrial control architecture, safety engineering, network design, machine integration and practical application knowledge.

As Physical AI develops, industrial automation is likely to become increasingly capable of responding to the physical world rather than simply executing fixed instructions.