ZIW 2026: Good People, Great Conversations, and One Very Memorable Gong

Zuken Innovation World Americas 2026 has officially wrapped, and I’m still thinking about what made this year’s event feel so special.

Yes, the sessions were strong. Yes, the conversations were valuable. Yes, Dallas gave us a warm, Texas-sized welcome.

But what stood out most was the feedback from our attendees.

Again and again, we heard that ZIW delivered real value because it brought together practical product education, hands-on demonstrations, customer stories, peer learning, and direct access to Zuken experts. That combination is what makes this event different. It is not just a conference where people sit in sessions and take notes. It is a place where people ask questions, compare experiences, get into the details, and leave with ideas they can take back to their teams.

One attendee described ZIW as “a conference to learn more and collaborate with people from across the country about a software used daily.” Another called it “close-knit” with something for every role.

That is exactly what we aim for when planning every detail of the event, from frequent coffee breaks to comfortable places to sit and connect.

What Customers Valued Most

The strongest feedback centered on a few themes: practical learning, real-world examples, collaboration, and access to the people behind the products.

Attendees appreciated hearing how other companies are using Zuken solutions, what challenges they are solving, and how those ideas could apply to their own work. For newer users, the event offered a broader view of what is possible. For long-time users, it provided deeper product insight, new ideas, and a chance to reconnect with the larger Zuken community.

The Expert Bar also earned strong reviews. One attendee shared that the Expert Bar sessions were extremely helpful for understanding and improving their issues, especially because questions from the main sessions could carry over into more focused conversations.

Ultimately, that kind of connection is the heart of ZIW. It is where the formal agenda meets the hallway conversation, the whiteboard sketch, the quick “can I show you something?” moment, and the practical answer that helps move a project forward.

Hands-On, Head-to-Head, and a Little Friendly Competition

One of the most talked-about moments came during an early session where Geo’s “my brain is on fire” energy set the tone. Attendees got to see the difference between automated work instructions and old-school paper instructions in real time.

The setup was simple: two mini panels, crafted by Mike Montalvo, two assembly approaches, and a little friendly competition.

Attendees raced to assemble the panels using either automated work instructions or traditional paper documentation. In the end, Lisa Hargreaves of Siemens Mobility took the win using the automated work instructions. Noah Bell of Podium Automation proved a fierce competitor with the paper-based approach.

Even better, the audience could follow Lisa’s progress on the new Dashboard tool, displayed on the big screen as the race unfolded.

It was practical, visual, and just competitive enough to keep everyone leaning in. It also made the value of connected manufacturing hard to miss.

A Big Thank You to Our Speakers

Our Zuken presenters and customer speakers brought the program to life with product knowledge, technical insight, practical takeaways, and case studies.

Those customer stories are especially valuable because they show how teams are applying Zuken solutions every day: what they are solving, what they are learning, and what others can take back to their own organizations.

Even better, our speakers made room for questions and discussion. Some of the best learning at ZIW happens when a session turns into a conversation, and this year’s speakers helped make that happen again and again.

Most importantly, thank you for sharing your time, expertise, and experience with the ZIW community.

Thank You to Our Exhibitors

We also want to thank our Technology Showcase exhibitors and partners: Cetec ERP, Komax, KSD Technologies, and Wiring Harness News.

The showcase gave attendees a chance to explore connected manufacturing solutions, ask questions, and see how different technologies fit into the bigger engineering and manufacturing workflow.

Your participation helped make the event more valuable, more interactive, and more complete.

Let’s Talk About the Food

We can’t wrap up ZIW 2026 without mentioning the food.

Apparently, neither could our attendees.

The food came up again and again in the surveys, and honestly, we get it. From the short rib grilled cheese bites to the affogato, the Dallas hospitality showed up strong.

Good food may not be the official reason people attend ZIW, but it definitely helps keep the conversations going. And this year, there was plenty to talk about.

And Then There Was the Gong

Every event develops its own personality, and this year, the gong subbed in for the chimes and became part of ours.

We used it to signal the start of each session, and it quickly became more than just a way to keep the agenda moving. Customers had fun with it. Staff had fun with it. It added just the right amount of Texas-sized energy to the room.

Was it practical? Maybe.

Was it subtle? Not even a little.

Will we be talking about it for a while? Absolutely.

Until Next Time

To everyone who joined us in Dallas for Zuken Innovation World Americas 2026, thank you.

Thank you for traveling, participating, asking questions, sharing ideas, spending time with exhibitors, making new connections, and helping make ZIW 2026 feel like a true community event.

Your feedback tells us we are on the right track. It also tells us where we can keep improving. Attendees want even more networking, more hands-on engagement, and more real-world examples. We hear you, and we are already thinking about how to build on that momentum for next time.

ZIW is at its best when customers, partners, and Zuken experts are all in the same place, learning from each other and talking honestly about what works, what is changing, and what comes next.

That is what happened in Dallas. And that is worth ringing a gong for.

Missed this year’s event? Keep an eye on the Zuken events page for future opportunities to connect with the Zuken community.