2026 Agenda

Taste of Rosemont Opening Night Reception

Kick off The ASSEMBLY Show at the Taste of Rosemont Opening Night Reception! Enjoy food and drinks from local Rosemont restaurants while connecting with fellow attendees and exhibitors throughout the exhibit hall. This lively reception sets the tone for the week ahead, offering a great opportunity to explore the show, spark new conversations, and experience the energy of the manufacturing community.

Special Thanks for These Participating Restaurants

Networking Reception

Wednesday, October 22 from 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

No tricks, just treats and great networking! Once the exhibit hall closes, join us in the lobby for Halloween Bash Networking Reception. Enjoy festive snacks, seasonal drinks, and plenty of conversation with fellow attendees and exhibitors from the assembly, quality, and electronics manufacturing industries. It’s the perfect way to celebrate a great day and keep building new connections before things wind down. Everyone registered is welcome to join — costumes encouraged but not required!
Co-hosted with SMTA International

Morning Mingle & Breakfast

Thursday, October 23 from 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Fuel up for the day with a complimentary continental breakfast and fresh coffee served right on the show floor. Mingle with fellow attendees, continue conversations from earlier in the week, and head into the final day of the exhibit hall ready to explore the latest technologies, products, and solutions on display.

New Product Awards Presentation

The 8th annual New Product of the Year Awards highlights the newest advances in assembly and quality technology. From robots and conveyors to software, tools, and fasteners, our editors will select nominees representing standout innovations across five categories. Nominees will be announced late summer. Attendees are invited to vote for their favorites during exhibit hall hours on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Competitive Edge

In this keynote, Joanna Cooper, General Manager at Daimler Truck North America, shares firsthand insights into cultivating a sustainable and agile culture of innovation. Drawing from real-world experience, she unpacks the challenges faced and lessons learned while leading transformation in a complex, technology-driven manufacturing environment. From harnessing AI to stabilizing assembly operations, Joanna demonstrates how digital tools are not only revolutionizing products—but redefining how decisions are made, how teams are engaged, and how operations are run.

Session information to be announced

Session information to be announced

Session information to be announced.

ASQ Presents: Empowering Organizations Through Insights on Excellence (IoE) Benchmarking and Research

Discover how ASQ Organizational Members are leveraging the Insights on Excellence (IoE) benchmarking tool and research to compare performance, identify improvement opportunities, and better understand emerging quality trends. This session introduces the IoE benchmarking framework, maturity model, and participant reports while highlighting key findings from the latest research on leadership, workforce, technology, supplier quality, operational excellence, and Cost of Quality. The session also incorporates insights from ASQ subject matter experts that help connect the IoE findings to real-world manufacturing challenges. No matter where your organization is in its performance excellence journey, you'll leave with an understanding of how IoE can support your continuous improvement efforts.

Building Manufacturing Quality Careers That Last

Manufacturing quality roles are evolving rapidly as automation, data, and AI reshape how work gets done. This session explores how ASQ credentials support manufacturing professionals at every career stage by translating real-world experience into recognized, portable proof of competence.

Attendees will learn how ASQ’s certification pathways, digital credentials, and emerging micro-credential opportunities help quality professionals stay relevant, grow with industry change, and build careers that keep pace with modern manufacturing.

The session will also highlight how new ASQ AI-enabled learning tools are making continuous skill development more accessible, personalized, and practical for busy manufacturing environments.

Modern Manufacturing Quality Toolbox

A modern manufacturing Quality Toolbox should include the traditional quality tools as well as advanced quality methodologies like APQP, PPAP, FMEA, MSA, and SPC to reduce defects and enhance product quality. It should also integrate Quality 4.0 technologies like AI, IoT, and Digital Twins for real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, intelligent decision-making, and continuous process optimization. This session will overview the quality tools and technologies that are now available to the manufacturing operations and can help improve the quality of their products and processes.

From Innovation to Inspection Ready: Practical Frameworks for Deploying AI and Automated Systems in Regulated Manufacturing

A focus on practical strategies for implementing AI-enabled, digital, and automated systems in regulated manufacturing, emphasizing risk-based validation, regulatory compliance, data integrity, and inspection readiness through real-world industry experience.

Building a Competitive Advantage Through Quality Workforce Development

In today's competitive marketplace, quality is no longer just a compliance requirement, it's a strategic differentiator. This session explores how organizations can leverage ASQ's corporate training solutions to build the skills, knowledge, and culture needed to improve performance, drive operational excellence, and accelerate business results. Attendees will learn how targeted quality training strengthens employee capabilities, supports continuous improvement initiatives, and helps organizations create sustainable competitive advantages.

Quantum-Powered AI in Manufacturing: Driving the Future of Industrial Innovation

AI-powered Quantum Computing is rapidly emerging as a game-changing technology with the potential to transform the manufacturing industry. This session explores how AI, Adaptive-Cognitive AI, and AGI Co-Pilots powered by quantum technologies will drive the next wave of innovation in manufacturing systems, becoming a major trend in global industrial development in the years to come. Attendees will learn how AI powered by quantum computing can address some of the most complex challenges manufacturers face today including optimizing production planning, improving product quality, predicting maintenance needs, and allocating resources more efficiently. These advancements directly support the core goals of lean manufacturing: eliminating waste, shortening lead times, lowering costs, and delivering high-quality products faster.