08:30 — 09:00
— Registration & Breakfast
09:00 — 09:30
"Dead Code Walking" — Opening Keynote
No slides. No script. Just one question you probably can't answer — and 25 minutes of hard data about what's really happening inside the factory code that runs your operations. The talk that reframes the rest of your day.
Dr. Josef Waltl · CEO, Software Defined Automation
09:30 — 10:00
★ THE LAUNCH — Factory Operator + AI Watchguards
See it before anyone else. A control sequence described in plain English — instantly translated into production-ready code for three PLC vendors, deployed to real hardware on stage. Then watch what happens when someone tampers with that code. Two products. Zero slides. One live demo.
Dr. Josef Waltl + Vaughn Varma
10:00 — 10:25
— Coffee Break + Demo Stations
10:25 — 10:55
Scaling Automation Through Modular Hardware and Software Architectures
Igus's RBTX marketplace and low-cost automation portfolio—from ReBeL cobots to gantry robots and linear actuators—have dramatically lowered the hardware cost barrier, enabling small and mid-sized manufacturers to adopt robotics with solutions often under $18,000 and ROI in as few as four months. Yet as these modular hardware deployments scale across production lines and sites, manufacturers face growing challenges around code management, remote access, versioning, and cybersecurity for their operational technology. This session shows how igus and Software Defined Automation address that gap together, combining affordable, modular robotics with Industrial DevOps capabilities such as browser-based engineering, secure remote access, and AI-assisted code documentation—an approach already proven in igus's own production facilities. Attendees will see a practical workflow from robot configuration through remote deployment that eliminates the need for on-site engineering laptops and reduces commissioning time significantly. We close with lessons learned from real implementations and a framework for manufacturers evaluating how the SoftwareDefinedFactory.io model can help them scale automation incrementally and securely.
Jan Hennecke · Product Manager · Igus — Low Cost Automation & RBTX.com
10:55 — 11:20
Cytiva: Compliance That Survives an FDA Audit
If you operate in a regulated environment, this one's for you. A step-by-step walkthrough of how Cytiva built audit trails that satisfied 21 CFR Part 11 — including what their FDA auditors actually asked. Leave with a blueprint you can implement.
Jesus Carrero · Cytiva (Danaher)
11:20 — 11:45
The Outsider's View
An independent industry analyst breaks down the macro forces reshaping factory automation — why software is decoupling from hardware, where the talent crisis is heading, and what separates the companies that are winning from those still waiting.
Sebastian Trolli · Head of Research, Industrial Automation & Software · Frost & Sullivan
11:45 — 12:15
Customer Roundtables
Pick the table that matches your challenge: modernizing legacy PLCs, scaling across 100+ sites, navigating MedTech compliance, or building the next-gen automation team. Small groups, real answers, two rotations.
12:15 — 13:15
— Lunch + Chalk Talk: OT Security Architecture
13:15 — 13:30
What's New in Factory Defense
A rapid-fire briefing on the latest OT security capabilities — CVE scanning, network integration, and AI-powered anomaly detection — setting the stage for what comes next.
Thomas Muehlegger · N.N. (OT Cybersecurity Partner)
13:30 — 14:30
★ THE GAUNTLET — When Things Break, Change, and Attack
Three live scenarios on 10 real PLCs. A controller dies — SDA detects it, an operator swaps the hardware, the backed-up project redeploys in seconds. Then unexpected code changes surface — was it third-shift maintenance or something worse? Finally, a deliberate OT intrusion attempt that AI Watchguards catch in real-time. From Monday-morning reality to security threat, live on stage.
Vaughn Varma · Thomas Muehlegger · audience volunteers
14:30 — 14:50
— Afternoon Break
14:50 — 15:15
Partner Spotlight: SEW-EURODRIVE
See how SEW-EURODRIVE transformed drive commissioning and fleet management by building DriveOperations on the SDA platform — live demo on the same hardware you've been watching all day.
Milan Licina · Business Development Manager · SEW-EURODRIVE
15:15 — 16:30
Choose Your Track
Track A — The Business Case: ROI models, scaling playbooks, and your Monday action plan. For managers and decision-makers. · Track B — Hands-On Workshop: Build a secure DevOps pipeline and earn your SDA Practitioner certification. For engineers ready to get their hands dirty.
16:30 — 16:50
Closing — What Happens Monday
The day's impact in numbers. Your Monday Playbook card with a named SDA contact. And the 30-Day Fast Track that turns today into your factory's transformation starting this week.
Dr. Josef Waltl
16:50 — 18:00
— Reception + Certification Ceremony
18:00 — 20:00
— Beer Tasting at Notch Brewing (Brighton)
