SCAPPOOSE, Ore. — The Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center Research & Development (OMIC R&D) recently hosted a live demonstration event in partnership with Cobot Team, an Oregon-headquartered, collaborative automation integrator, and Ati Robotics, a global leader in autonomous mobile robotics. The event brought together representatives from manufacturing and the supply chain to witness firsthand how autonomous material handling technology is transforming modern production environments.
At the center of the demonstration was Ati Robotics’ Sherpa XT Lite tugger, a rugged, AI-powered autonomous mobile robot (AMR) designed for the demands of real-world factory environments. Capable of towing loads up to 10,000 pounds, the Sherpa AMR fleet is purpose-built to handle the kind of material movement that has historically required dedicated labor, helping manufacturers reduce bottlenecks, improve throughput, and redeploy their workforce toward higher-value tasks.
Automation Built for the Factory Floor
Unlike consumer-grade robots adapted for industrial use, the Sherpa Tug is engineered specifically for manufacturing environments, equipped with 3D navigation and the durability to operate reliably across complex, dynamic facilities. Ati Robotics has deployed its Sherpa robots across more than 50 manufacturers worldwide, including multiple Fortune 500 companies, logging over 500,000 kilometers of operational runtime at factories, both indoors and outdoors.
The demonstration at OMIC R&D gave attendees a direct look at how these systems navigate a working facility, respond to obstacles, and integrate into existing production flows. It is an experience that is difficult to replicate through product sheets or trade show exhibits.
Ati Robotics, headquartered in the US, supports their clients across the US and Mexico from their operations hub in Detroit, Michigan, while their APAC presence is anchored in India, home to their own R&D facility.
A Natural Fit for OMIC’s Applied Research Mission
Cobot Team, a member of the OMIC R&D collaboration that organized and facilitated the demonstration, has been working to connect autonomous robotics and manufacturing for the regional industry community. The event reflects the kind of applied, hands-on engagement that OMIC R&D’s facility and network are designed to support.
“OMIC R&D is exactly the kind of venue where this conversation needs to happen. We wanted to bring together people who are striving to enhance their workforce potential and efficiency on the floor every day, and give them a chance to see what’s possible. Not in a sales environment, but in a working manufacturing research facility. The response from attendees made it clear that the timing is right. Oregon’s manufacturing community is ready for this technology, and we’re excited to keep building that bridge.”
— Tom Szambelan, CEO, Cobot Team
For OMIC R&D’s research and operations leadership, the event underscored the growing relevance of autonomous systems to the manufacturing workforce challenges that OMIC member companies face daily.
“What struck me most about this demonstration was how immediately relevant it was to what our member companies are dealing with right now. The challenge of moving materials efficiently without pulling skilled workers away from higher-value tasks is something we hear about constantly. Seeing the Sherpa Tug operate in a facility like ours made the solution feel tangible in a way that a brochure or a trade show booth simply can’t. That’s exactly why we host events like this.”
— Urmaze Naterwalla, Director of Research and Operations, OMIC R&D
Executive Director Don Hendrickson highlighted the event as part of OMIC R&D’s ongoing commitment to connecting Oregon’s manufacturing community with technologies that have real, near-term impact.
“One of the most important things OMIC R&D can do for Oregon manufacturers is put the right technology in front of the right people, and this event did exactly that. Cobot Team and Ati Robotics brought something genuinely impressive to our floor, and the industry representatives who attended left with a much clearer picture of what autonomous material handling looks like in practice. We’re grateful to Cobot Team for making this happen here, and we look forward to continuing to serve as a place where innovation meets real manufacturing need.”
— Don Hendrickson, Executive Director, OMIC R&D
As manufacturers across industries face growing pressure to increase output with constrained labor resources, autonomous material handling represents one of the most accessible and immediate applications of robotics technology available today. OMIC R&D intends to continue facilitating this kind of applied demonstration and engagement as part of its mission to accelerate manufacturing innovation in Oregon.
About Cobot Team
Cobot Team is an Oregon-headquartered, automation provider specializing in collaborative and autonomous robot solutions for manufacturing and industrial applications. Cobot Team has been a member of OMIC R&D since 2019, introducing collaborative automation opportunities, and facilitating robotic training sessions for the summer college intern program.
About Ati Robotics
Ati Robotics, formerly Ati Motors, is a global leader in AI-powered autonomous mobile robotics, offering a range of purpose-built AMR solutions for manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics environments. The company’s flagship Sherpa Tug platform is deployed across more than 50 manufacturers worldwide. Ati Robotics is expanding its North American headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. You can learn more at atirobotics.ai