Spartan Robotics will be at Automate 2026 in Chicago, showing the Spartan Cobot Welding System and the release of WeldX 2.0 with Kassow Robots. The show runs June 22-25, 2026 at McCormick Place, and Spartan will be at booth #2036.
For fabrication shops, the useful question is not just whether cobot welding looks good in a booth. It is whether the system can make real welding work easier to set up, easier to adjust, and easier to repeat after the first demo is over. That is the reason WeldX 2.0 is the main focus this year.
In this article
- Where Spartan will be at Automate 2026
- Why WeldX 2.0 matters for cobot welding
- What to watch in the live demo
- Who should stop by the booth
- How to prepare a useful application conversation
Where Spartan will be at Automate 2026
Automate is one of the major North American events for robotics, automation, motion control, machine vision, and industrial software. In 2026, the show is at McCormick Place in Chicago from June 22 through June 25.
Spartan will be at booth #2036 with Kassow Robots. The booth will include the Spartan Cobot Welding System, built around a 7-axis Kassow arm and Fronius welding technology. The additional axis is important because weld access is often where real parts become harder than clean demo coupons.
If you are walking the show with a specific welding application in mind, bring photos, part drawings, fixture ideas, annual volume, weld length, and the main reason the job is difficult today. A short conversation gets much better when the real constraints are on the table.
Why WeldX 2.0 matters for cobot welding
Cobot welding software has a direct effect on how useful a system feels on the shop floor. Operators need to manage weld starts, ends, job changes, torch positions, touch sensing, offsets, weaving, and repeatable path details without turning every change into a controls project.
WeldX 2.0 is designed to make the pendant workflow cleaner for Spartan cobot welding cells. The goal is to put important welding and robot setup tools closer to the operator, including Fronius status feedback, named jobs, tool profiles, pose teaching, weld commands, and advanced weld control tools.
That matters most when the shop is trying to move from a successful first weld to repeatable production. The easier it is to understand and adjust the process, the easier it becomes to evaluate whether a part is a good fit for automation.
What to watch in the live demo
A good demo should show more than motion. Watch how the system handles the practical details: how a job is selected, how a weld command is built, how the robot path is taught, how the torch approaches the joint, and how changes are made when the part or fixture needs adjustment.
With a 7-axis cobot, pay close attention to access around corners, returns, and tight areas. The extra axis can give the arm more ways to approach the weld without forcing the entire fixture or part layout to do all the work.
With WeldX 2.0, pay attention to how software decisions can reduce confusion for the person running the cell. Clear job names, readable setup information, and organized weld commands are not flashy features, but they are the kinds of details that matter during repeated use.
Who should stop by the booth
The best fit is usually a manufacturer or fabricator with repeat welding work, production pressure, labor constraints, or parts that are hard to access with a simpler arm layout. Job shops can also be a fit when automation helps them take on repeat production work that is difficult to staff manually.
Existing Fronius users should make a point to stop by because Spartan builds around Fronius welding technology. If your shop already understands Fronius equipment, the conversation can move more quickly into how the robot, software, fixturing, and process setup would work around your parts.
The booth is also useful for teams that are still early in their automation search. Even if you are not ready to buy, a real application conversation can help separate good first parts from parts that need fixture changes, process development, or a different automation approach.
How to prepare a useful application conversation
Bring the problem, not just the wish list. The most useful details are usually part size, material, weld process, access challenges, fixture condition, production quantity, changeover needs, and what currently slows the job down.
If the part has tight access, multiple orientations, short runs, or inconsistent fit-up, say that early. Those are not reasons to avoid automation automatically, but they do affect whether the part should be tested, fixture changes should be planned, or a different process should be considered.
To talk before or after the show, set up an online meeting with Spartan and walk through the application with photos, drawings, and the production goal.
Works Cited
Association for Advancing Automation. "Automate Show." Automate 2026, 2026, www.automateshow.com.
Kassow Robots. "KR Series." Kassow Robots, 2026, www.kassowrobots.com.
Fronius International. "Welding Technology." Fronius Perfect Welding, 2026, www.fronius.com.