With nine years at FANUC America Corporation, Senior Engineer Carolyn Chase has transitioned from a co-op intern to a section lead, overseeing the development of the LR Mate Series of small, articulated industrial robots. Her leadership in global development discussions with FANUC Japan has supported the growth of this product line, which now includes 12 variants, such as food-grade systems.
Chase's journey into the industry began in 2015 during her undergraduate program, where she discovered her passion for the work done by the General Industries Segment at FANUC. Her role involves troubleshooting customer applications and developing new robots tailored for packaging applications. Despite initial challenges, such as a steep learning curve when transitioning to a product manager role, she quickly adapted by leveraging training resources and seeking guidance from colleagues.
Her commitment to the industry is evident in her active participation in mentoring new hires and interns, as well as her involvement in marketing and sales through the development of trade show demonstrations. Chase is also a member of an employee resource group and continues to enhance her skills through training in application engineering and SolidWorks CAD.
Chase is particularly focused on trends in automation within the food packaging sector and the increasing demand for user-friendly equipment. The push for automation aims to reduce human contact and boost production efficiency while ease of use minimizes training time for operators. Her dedication to aligning product development with these market demands underscores her role as a key player in the evolving landscape of material handling robotics.
