Design & Automation - News & Products January/February 2026

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE COMPANIES

Grand opening of headquarters, innovation center

GrayMatter Robotics opened its 100,000ft² headquarters and innovation center in Carson, California. The facility features more than 25 robotic cells actively performing manufacturing operations on current and prospective customer and partner parts. The interactive experience center allows visitors to see how artificial intelligence (AI)-powered robots autonomously sand, grind, polish, buff, spray, blast, and inspect parts across diverse materials and geometries.

GrayMatter Robotics’ proprietary GMR-AI technology leverages physics-informed AI for robots, based on FANUC platforms, that don’t require manual programming. Instead, they incorporate established physics models – understanding forces, materials, geometries, and tool behaviors – for safe, accurate operation even with parts they’ve never encountered. The Carson headquarters will also serve as a proof-of-concept for solving a persistent manufacturing problem: automating surface finishing and treatment in high-mix production environments where products vary constantly.

The company also plans to use the facility as a venue for workforce development initiatives, student tours, technical workshops, and industry conferences to advance physical AI and intelligent manufacturing. https://graymatter-robotics.com

Design software updates

Siemens Digital Industries Software announced the latest updates to its Designcenter Solid Edge software, including new capabilities in AI and improvements in productivity, documentation, and user experience. Intelligent automation uses AI to apply constraints automatically, while the new automatic drawings capability uses AI to generate up to 80% of 2D drawing views (including orthogonal, broken, and isometric views with dimensions) with minimal input.

Additional tools simplify complex assemblies and improve manufacturability, while stronger drafting and model-based definition capabilities improve accuracy and compliance. Designcenter X Solid Edge software complements the desktop capabilities of Designcenter Solid Edge by introducing hybrid SaaS functionality for cloud-first and mobile workflows. Users can sync preferences, access tools across devices, and collaborate more flexibly using named user licensing. Both software suites are now available as part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio. https://www.sw.siemens.com

Autonomous, multi-machine work cell

Medical device contract manufacturer Mach Medical has deployed Flexxbotics solutions for advanced robotic machine tending with autonomous process control. The platform enables Mach Medical to achieve a fully autonomous, multi-machine work cell capable of 24/7 lights-out operation. The cell includes 5-axis vertical milling operations, a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) for in-line inspection, and a custom part wash/blow-off station – all orchestrated by a single robot using Flexxbotics technology.

The Flexxbotics solution gives the Mach Medical robots full command and control over the work cell, connecting directly with all equipment and systems. Closed-loop feedback from CMM inspection results is automatically routed to CNC machines in real time, allowing continuous, autonomous operation with full FDA compliance, including device history file (DHF) traceability for each implant. The automation cell implementation has already resulted in a 61% increase in production capacity, a 44% boost in throughput, and a 20:1 machine-to-labor ratio, delivering high-quality joint replacement implants with precision and consistency. https://flexxbotics.com https://www.machmedicalcmo.com