ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich., June 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — FANUC America will expand its commitment to workforce development and technical education at the 2026 SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta from June 1-5 in the Georgia World Congress Center, with a broader presence in Booth #806 that includes industrial robotics competition support, equipment donations, onsite certifications and participation in new robotic welding exhibition.
FANUC will donate a LR Mate 200iD/7LC Clean Room robot with a R30iB Plus controller to a SkillsUSA member school and offer its full Certified Education Training (CERT) program with curriculum, eLearning, ROBOGUIDE simulation and offline programming software that enables students to program and test robots in a virtual environment, and instructor training and certification.
FANUC will also play a lead role in the Robotics and Automation Technology competition, which focuses on real‑world industrial automation skills. This year’s national contest features participation from multiple robot manufacturers, reflecting a continued shift toward industry‑relevant robotics training. FANUC will support the college-age division, while other manufacturers participate across secondary and collaborative challenge areas designed to maintain fairness and accessibility for students.
Introducing a Robotic Welding Exhibition
New in 2026, FANUC will collaborate with SkillsUSA, the American Welding Society, Miller Welding and Hypertherm to introduce a robotic welding exhibition designed to showcase the next evolution of welding education. The demonstration will feature two FANUC CRX‑10iA collaborative robots equipped with welding power supply systems and will offer daily hands‑on exhibitions for students, educators and industry partners.
The exhibition is intended to lay the groundwork for a future robotic welding competition at SkillsUSA, pending state‑level participation and approval.
“Welding remains one of the most in‑demand technical skills across manufacturing,” said Paul Aiello, FANUC America, Executive Director, CERT Education Group. “By introducing robotic welding at SkillsUSA, we’re helping students and educators understand how traditional skills are evolving and how automation fits into modern production environments.”
Integrated Automation on Display
In addition to robotics competition support, FANUC will demonstrate an integrated automation system that combines a CRX-10iA robot with an autonomous mobile platform, illustrating how advanced automation technologies can be programmed and operated through a single interface. The demonstration highlights how modern automation systems are becoming more accessible and adaptable for education and industry alike.
Long‑Term Commitment to Technical Education
FANUC’s expanded involvement at SkillsUSA reflects the company’s broader commitment to building a sustainable talent pipeline for advanced manufacturing. The conference brings together thousands of students, educators, and industry leaders, including many of FANUC’s manufacturing customers, who support SkillsUSA as sponsors and advocates for technical careers.
FANUC also continues to support alignment between national workforce development initiatives and global skills competitions, including WorldSkills, where robotics and systems integration are key focus areas.
About FANUC America Corporation
FANUC America Corporation is a subsidiary of FANUC CORPORATION in Japan, and provides industry-leading CNC systems, robotics and ROBOMACHINEs. FANUC’s innovative technologies and proven expertise help manufacturers in the Americas maximize productivity, reliability and profitability. Headquartered in Rochester Hills, Mich., FANUC America has facilities throughout North and South America. Visit www.fanucamerica.com for more information or explore the CRX line of cobots at CRX.FANUCAmerica.com. Connect with FANUC America on YouTube, X, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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