The AME Tech Summit Series
A multi-year initiative offered by AME aimed at guiding manufacturers and other industries through the complexities of Industry 4.0. Over the next three years, the series will host five themed sessions, each focusing on a critical aspect of smart manufacturing. These sessions are designed to provide manufacturers with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the evolving landscape of smart manufacturing, emphasizing the integration of advanced technologies and the development of a skilled workforce.
AME Canada Smart Manufacturing Tech Summit 2025
The kick-off one-day event bringing together manufacturing professionals, technology leaders, and workforce development experts to explore the practical impacts of Industry 4.0. Through keynotes, fireside chats, hands-on demos, and expert panels, the summit will highlight how emerging technologies like AI, AR/VR, and collaborative robotics are changing how we train, lead, and work on the factory floor—while keeping lean principles and people at the center of transformation.
Keynote
How Industry 4.0 is shaping the future of workforce skills and training.
Presentations
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Identifying and training the workforce for Industry 4.0.
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Recruitment, retention, and workforce strategies for digital transformation.
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The rise of collaborative robots and their impact on workforce productivity.
Panel discussion
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How AI accelerates product design and prototyping for manufacturing professionals.
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Using virtual reality for immersive employee training and skill-building.
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How augmented reality enhances real-time troubleshooting and learning.
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Addressing ergonomics and safety concerns in Industry 4.0 environments.
Fireside chat
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Teaching employees to integrate lean methodologies with new technologies.
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How companies can support employees in adapting to digital change.
Tours
Virtual Tours Showcasing some of Today's Digital Innovations
Keynote
How Industry 4.0 is shaping the future of workforce skills and training.
Stewart Cramer, MSc, P.Eng. (Ontario) is Chief Manufacturing Officer of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada where he manages NGen’s workforce, leadership and SME development programs and supply chain initiatives. Stewart’s professional experience encompasses technology development and transition and organizational leadership. He was previously Chief Executive Officer of precision contract manufacturers Vertex Precision and LAI International, and a senior research engineer at Northrop Grumman Aerospace where he was an Integrated Product Team Leader on the F-35 project. Stewart’s Bachelor’s Degree is in Aerospace Engineering, and his Master’s Degree is in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Structural Mechanics. Stewart is a registered Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario and the holder of two U.S. patents for devices designed to protect commercial aircraft from terrorist threats.
Presenters
Dr. Yi Li is the Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Maple Advanced Robotics Inc. (MARI) and a member of the Industry Committee at the Canadian Robotics Council.
At MARI, he leads efforts to pioneer advanced robotic platforms that seamlessly integrate robotics technology into manufacturing. His work focuses on solving challenges related to freeform surfaces and modern flexible production, driving innovation in automation.
Prior to founding MARI, Dr. Li served as Senior Manager of Robotics and Process Automation at Magna Corporate R&D. With over 20 years of experience in vehicle design, automation systems, and team management, he has played a key role in developing cutting-edge automation solutions for unstructured and uncertain environments.
Dr. Li holds several invention and design patents in robotics, including technologies for complex environments and unmanned delivery vehicles. He has led and contributed to major advanced manufacturing initiatives, including the Autonomous Adaptable Robot System (AARS) and the 3D Vision-Guided Robot Assembly System (VGRA)—both funded by Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen).
His contributions to robotics and automation have earned industry-wide recognition, including the 2024 Automotive News PACEpilot Award (Magna) and the 2025 Hannover Messe Robotics Award (MARI).
Fireside Chat
Valerie Judd-Rohal is a Senior Manager in Deloitte’s Supply Chain & Network Operations practice with over 13 years of experience . She has strong expertise supporting clients by bridging the gap between manufacturing operations and digital transformation. As one of the founding members of Deloitte’s Smart Factory @ Montreal, Valerie has accompanied many clients in leading manufacturing industries in building innovative and strategic roadmaps for their Smart Factory transformations. Valerie also has considerable experience in the fields of business strategy, project management, distribution logistics, as well as AI software implementation.
FAT American Manufacturing, Join Brian as he shares how he rolled out over 1,600 Kanbans and SOPs in under 8 months using the digital tool GembaDocs. He’ll also spotlight some of the AI tools transforming day-to-day work.
Brian Meyers is the owner of *Fat American MFG* and the creator of *Lean by Doing*. After over 20 years of running a traditional manufacturing business (read: old-school chaos), Brian slammed the brakes, flipped the script, and went full-lean—fast. Like, really fast. His hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves approach has caught the attention of lean thinkers around the globe, proving you don’t need a Six Sigma black belt or a decade in a Japanese dojo. *You just need to do.*
Minco Inc, A pivotal innovation in this journey was the adoption of Monday.com. By customizing the platform to manage tight delivery timelines, rigorous quality standards, and thousands of open orders, Minco shifted to a fully data-driven decision-making process. This evolution not only reduced reliance on paper and spreadsheets but also democratized operations, empowering employees and redefining the company's workflow. Join J.B. to explore how Minco's integration of lean principles and Monday.com has revolutionized a decades-old business into a cutting-edge machine shop.
J.B. Cheatham is the second generation leader of Minco Inc., a 48-year-old CNC machining and fabrication job shop in Conroe, TX. In 2023, inspired by Paul Akers' 2 Second Lean, J.B. spearheaded a transformative lean initiative at Minco. Despite challenges due to the company's legacy systems, his efforts nearly doubled production and strengthened Minco's position as a leading first-tier supplier to energy-related OEMs in the subsea manufacturing industry.
HPC, Join David who will be talking about the use of AI in his companies and also about the use of "Hight Tech Anthropology" for developing software or technology solutions for his team. This term and concept comes from an amazing company called Menlo Innovations and it´s CEO Richard Sheridan.
David Barrios is the CEO, the exclusive distributor of Truper and its brands in Guatemala serving more than 8 thousand customers, and AKÍ Superferreterías, a fast-growing chain of 36 hardware stores. He leads both companies with a focus on building high-impact teams, strengthening customer trust, and driving sustainable growth.
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
8 a.m. Welcome and opening keynote
8:30 a.m. Presentations
9:50 a.m. Coffee Break
10 a.m. Panel discussion
11:05 a.m. Fireside chat
12:05 p.m. Lunch keynote
12:45 p.m. Virtual tours
1:50 p.m. Wrap up
2:15 p.m. Close
- Key outcomes for leaders & professionals
- Learn how to lead change while supporting teams through digital transitions
- Explore emerging tech use cases—AI, cobots, VR/AR—in training and production
- Get new perspectives on workforce strategy, from hiring to hands-on skill-building
- Hear from peers and practitioners facing similar implementation challenges
- Leave with actionable takeaways for building your workforce of the future
- Operations & manufacturing leaders
- HR, talent & training professionals
- Continuous improvement & lean practitioners
- Engineers & frontline managers
- Technology & innovation leads
- Emerging leaders in manufacturing
We strive to host events that are inclusive and accessible to everyone to fully participate and engage. Please email events@ame.org if you have any questions.
If you are not already a member of AME, we invite you to join at this time. Membership benefits include complimentary and discounted event registrations throughout the entire year. To learn more about membership benefits, please visit here.
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To fully participate in an AME virtual event, a high-speed internet connection, speaker/headphones, microphone, and webcam are needed. While not required, you will have a better online experience if you do not use wireless internet service. A wired/ethernet connection will have a stronger signal than wireless. Live captioning will be available for this event. Make sure you download the Zoom Client for Meetings desktop application for the best experience. Do not use the version available through your web browser, as it has limited features. zoom.us/download.
Cancelation Policy: This event may be canceled by AME for any reason. AME is not responsible for incidental costs incurred by registrants. For paid events, registration fee less a $20 administration fee will be refunded up to one week before the event. Substitutions may be made up to three days prior to the start of the event.
