Cleveland Automation Systems® in the News:
Recent Features That Spotlight Our Take on Automation’s Future
Cleveland Automation Systems® in the News:
Recent Features That Spotlight Our Take on Automation’s Future
From reshoring realities to open networks and workforce development, here’s a quick tour of where CAS has been in the news sharing ideas and why it matters to manufacturers right now.
1) The Automation Blog / The Automation Podcast (Episode P238)
Article: Talking Automation with Rylan Pyciak of Cleveland Automation Systems
Interview: Talking Automation with Rylan Pyciak of Cleveland Automation Systems
What it is: A feature + interview with host Shawn Tierney on trends in automation, how to attract the next generation of controls engineers, and practical tech that’s moving plants forward.
Key takeaways:
Simplifying Control Systems Reduces Risk
- Many plants run on a patchwork of different hardware and software platforms, which makes training, maintenance, and hiring more difficult.
- CAS recommends standardizing on fewer, well-supported platforms to reduce obsolescence risks, cut costs, and make it easier for staff to manage day-to-day operations.
Workforce Development Is Critical
- The younger generation often isn’t exposed to manufacturing careers early enough.
- CAS actively works with schools, robotics competitions, and advisory boards to spark curiosity and build pipelines for future engineers and technicians.
- Exposure, education, and community involvement are key to attracting new talent.
Smarter Tech Adoption Should Be Pragmatic
- CAS sees real value in newer technologies like AI-based vision systems, IO-Link sensors, and open-source robotics platforms.
- However, caution is required: plants must ensure the technology is proven, supported long-term, and integrates with existing infrastructure before investing heavily.
Automation Elevates Jobs, It Doesn’t Eliminate Them
- The biggest driver of automation right now is the labor shortage, but not to replace people, but to fill roles that can’t be staffed.
- Automation handles the dirty, dull, and dangerous jobs, while humans move into higher-skill roles like programming, troubleshooting, and system support.
Automation is a tool for competitiveness, not a threat to employment.
2) IMTS+ “The Leaders Driving Innovation in Robotics and Automation”
Article: The Leaders Driving Innovation in Robotics and Automation
What it is: An IMTS+ profile and roundtable highlighting three voices shaping the next phase of robotics—CAS among them.
Key takeaways:
Making Automation Accessible for Smaller Manufacturers
- CAS emphasized vision-guided robotics in mixed-use applications as a game-changer.
- Instead of single-purpose automation (like in large OEMs), these solutions allow smaller companies with part variations to adopt automation affordably, improving ROI and lowering barriers.
Shaping Perceptions of Automation and Work
- CAS echoed the point that automation doesn’t eliminate jobs; it improves job quality.
- He advocated for upgrading production facilities to feel more like tech companies (Apple, Google) to attract younger workers, in addition to STEM outreach and robotics competitions.
Preparing for a Safe, AI-Driven Future
- While excited about AI’s role in robotics, CAS stressed the need for standards, specifications, and safety to keep up with rapid change.
- CAS’s stance balances curiosity about new tech with practical caution about deploying it responsibly.
3) Control Design: “Open Industrial Networks Are Here to Stay”
Article: Open Industrial Networks Are Here To Stay
What it is: A timely overview of open protocols, interoperability, and the practical realities of IT/OT convergence.
Key takeaways:
Start with the Facility Reality
- CAS begins every integration project with a review of the customer’s facility and standards, including software versions, communication protocols, and spare parts availability.
- CAS warns against installing “one-off systems” that require extra costs for unique software or parts. Instead, integration should fit the plant’s existing architecture to minimize long-term headaches.
Push Toward Ethernet-Based I/O and Protocols
- CAS favors remote I/O and Ethernet-based communications for simpler, cleaner, and more reliable integration.
- In practice, 95% of CAS projects use EtherNet/IP, while customers on older systems like RS-232, DeviceNet, and ControlNet are encouraged to upgrade.
Balance Open Standards with Longevity
- While open protocols dominate today, interoperability with legacy equipment still requires careful planning.
- CAS highlights that obsolescence is already a growing issue as clients struggle to source hardware for older systems.
- CAS addresses this by identifying proven technologies that can stand the test of time, blending new and old while minimizing future risk.
The Future Is IT/OT Convergence
- CAS predicts a future where real-time production data, monitoring, and statistics drive demand for IT/OT integration.
- CAS sees convergence of operational and information networks as inevitable, with standards like time-sensitive networking paving the way.
- The focus will be on secure, open, and future-ready systems that support both plant-floor control and enterprise-level insight.
4) The Manufacturing Executive: “Obstacles to Quickly Reshoring American Manufacturing”
Podcast: Obstacles to Quickly Reshoring American Manufacturing
What it is: A deep-dive conversation on the real constraints to rapid reshoring and how automation fits.
Key takeaways:
Reshoring Requires Realistic Timelines
- CAS emphasized that while reshoring U.S. manufacturing is desirable, the biggest obstacle is the timeline.
- The U.S. lacks the infrastructure, skilled labor, and raw material production capacity to quickly flip operations back from overseas.
- A phased approach over 5–15 years is more realistic than the abrupt timelines often portrayed in headlines.
The Workforce Gap Is Widening
- There’s a generational gap between retiring skilled workers and younger entrants.
- Community colleges and training programs are helping, but experience is hard to replace quickly.
- Manufacturers aren’t struggling to replace people, they can’t find enough people to fill essential roles, making workforce development urgent.
Technical Education Must Be More Accessible
- Training for industrial automation has a high barrier due to costly hardware and software.
- Fortunately, free online resources, trial software, and new grant-funded programs at schools are helping lower entry barriers.
- CAS encouraged companies to partner with community colleges and vocational programs to expand hands-on training opportunities.
Automation as the Answer to Labor Shortages
- Automation will increasingly fill the dirty, dull, and dangerous jobs that people don’t want.
- Rather than replacing workers, automation elevates careers, shifting people into technician and support roles.
- CAS has seen success in reshoring projects where automation improved throughput and quality, while also enabling clients to add over 100 new U.S. jobs.
The Thread That Ties It All Together
Across these recent features, a clear CAS perspective comes through:
- Standardization simplifies complexity. Whether it’s consolidating control platforms or choosing Ethernet-based I/O over legacy cabling, CAS consistently pushes for solutions that reduce obsolescence risk, cut long-term costs, and make operations easier to support.
- Workforce development is non-negotiable. From advisory boards to robotics competitions, CAS champions early exposure to STEM and updated facilities that feel more like modern tech environments, because attracting and training the next generation is critical to competitiveness.
- Innovation should be pragmatic. CAS embraces technologies like AI-enabled vision systems, vision-guided robotics, and IT/OT convergence, but always with an eye on proven support, safety, and long-term viability (not just chasing the next shiny thing).
- Automation elevates, it doesn’t replace. In every conversation, CAS reinforces that automation fills gaps caused by labor shortages and takes on the dirty, dull, and dangerous work, freeing people to move into higher-skill technician and engineering roles.
Reshoring demands patience and planning. CAS brings a realistic lens to the reshoring conversation: timelines must be measured in years, not months. Automation is a key enabler, but infrastructure, training, and supply chains all have to evolve together.
Looking Ahead: Let’s Continue the Conversation
At Cleveland Automation Systems, we don’t just talk about the future of automation, we build it alongside our clients every day. Whether you’re wrestling with legacy networks, exploring robotics, or planning for reshoring, the challenges you face are the same ones we help manufacturers solve.
If any of these topics hit home for your operation, we’d love to discuss where automation can take you next. Reach out to our team to start a conversation about simplifying your systems, strengthening your workforce, and creating solutions that last.
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About the Author: Rylan Pyciak
Rylan Pyciak, CEO of Cleveland Automation Systems™, is a Systems and Control Engineering graduate from Case Western Reserve University. With expertise in PLCs, robotics, and industrial engineering, Rylan leads CAS in delivering innovative automation solutions. Passionate about mentoring future trades professionals, he combines technical knowledge with a commitment to fostering sustainable growth in manufacturing.