Adapting Existing and New Wagner Solutions to Leverage Self-Learning Robots

This episode of Manufacturing A Stronger Standard was live from FABTECH 2021. Host and President of LestaUSA and DeGeest Corp., Derek DeGeest, talked with JR Rogers, National Sales Manager for Engineered Systems for Wagner, a leading global manufacturer of systems for surface finishing with liquid paints, powder coating, adhesives, and sealant materials. Wagner is also an Authorized Equipment Partner of LestaUSA.

This is the first time that FABTECH has been in person since 2019, and Rogers and DeGeest are happy to be in the same room. The in-person aspect is a big topic, but the next biggest is automation.

“That’s probably the number one question we get asked: ‘how can we get more automation because I can’t get more employees. The employees I have don’t want to do the job, or don’t stay with the job,’” Rogers explained. “One of the things we want to do is to be able to fulfill from the manual gun to partial automation, to full automation.”

This means that Wagner has to have the right tool for the right job. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Rogers noted that most folks are moving toward full automation when possible. An example would be in powder coating, where robots are utilized in the booth. Instead of having a manual operator, a robot can be trained very quickly to take over that role.

“Sometimes it’s just a robot, but a lot of times it’s complementing the automatic guns that are there and taking away the manual portion of it,” Rogers said.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Baker Tilly
Baker Tilly Bridges Cultures and Markets to Power U.S.–China Business Growth
November 14, 2025

Baker Tilly’s U.S.–based China practice supports Chinese enterprises operating in the United States as well as U.S. companies with Chinese-heritage leadership. Team members such as Beverly Bian, Terry Dickens, and Lucy Ni work with clients ranging from early-stage ventures to major multinational organizations navigating cross-border growth. The practice distinguishes itself through its bilingual capabilities…

Read More
construction
Empowering Excellence: How Rick Ward Elevates Southwest Construction Services
November 13, 2025

In an industry where timelines tighten and jobsite complexities grow by the day, quality assurance has become one of construction’s most defining—and differentiating—disciplines. At its core, QA isn’t just about correcting mistakes; it’s about building systems and people capable of preventing them in the first place. This is especially true in specialized sectors…

Read More
training
Empowering Teams Through a Modern Training Culture
November 13, 2025

Training may be the backbone of any skilled trade, but in waterproofing—where mistakes can compromise entire structures—it becomes a defining competitive advantage. At Southwest Construction Services, the evolution of training reflects a larger industry shift: seasoned crews now rely less on formal classroom sessions and more on hyper-focused, on-site guidance tailored to the…

Read More
quality assurance
Ensuring Excellence: How Quality Assurance Shapes Every Successful Project
November 13, 2025

In an era of rising climate volatility and tighter construction tolerances, waterproofing has quietly become one of the most consequential guardians of a building’s long-term health. Too often, the industry treats it as an afterthought—something buried behind walls, beneath slabs, or under layers of finish—but the truth is that its success or failure can…

Read More