11th CIRP Conference on Assembly Technologies and Systems (CIRP CATS 2026) Successfully Held at PolyU

The 11th CIRP Conference on Assembly Technologies and Systems (CIRP CATS 2026) was successfully hosted by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) from April 27 to 30, 2026. Jointly organized with the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the event marked the conference’s prestigious return to Hong Kong after 14 years.

Co-chaired by Ir Prof. Pai ZHENG (Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, PolyU) and Prof. Lihui WANG (KTH), the conference was themed “Human-Machine Symbiotic Assembly and Disassembly.” It attracted nearly 200 participants from 67 institutions across 15 countries and regions. The rigorous program featured 128 peer-reviewed papers, five keynote speeches, and 138 oral presentations delivered across 24 technical sessions.

The academic program centered on the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), digitalization, and robotics. Keynote speakers—including distinguished fellows from Academia Europaea and the Canadian Academy of Engineering—addressed the future of human-centric AI and robot learning. Technical sessions explored frontier topics such as digital twins, augmented reality, and foundation models in manufacturing.

Recognition of excellence was a highlight of the event. The Best Paper Award was presented to a joint team from Technische Universität Berlin and Carl Zeiss, while student awards recognized innovative research in generative AI and large language models from PolyU, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and other leading institutions.

Beyond the lecture halls, participants visited PolyU’s cutting-edge facilities, including the Human-Machine Symbiotic Design and Manufacturing Centre (HMS-DMC) , the State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology (SKL-UPMT), and the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory (AIR Lab). The event concluded with a cultural tour of Hong Kong’s landmarks, showcasing the city’s vibrant character.

Supported by sponsors including Siemens and NOKOV, the conference proceedings will be published in Procedia CIRP in August 2026. The global community now looks forward to the 12th CIRP CATS, scheduled for May 2028 in Athens, Greece.