Automated Design Corp, a family-owned company at Joliet Road and Bluff roads in the Ridgewood Business Park, has been in Romeoville since the 1990s and today, it’s building robots that golf.

The ADC Swing Robot mimics a real-life golfer’s swing and provides the accompanying data. To the average person, just seeing a golfing robot in action is exciting enough, but to those in the know, the ADC robot is groundbreaking.

“Swing robots have been around for a long time, but the data the earlier models generate is not as complete as the equipment manufacturers would like,” said Tom Bitsky, CEO of ADC. “We listened to what our customers wanted, and what we built can be considered revolutionary.”

What makes ADC’s robot so different is that it can mimic the wrist swivels you would find in an actual golfer. Other robots do not offer those points of articulation, Bitsky said.

“When we showed the robot to our customers, they were literally high-fiving and cheering,” Bitsky said. “They were having a ball because they had never seen the quality of data that the ADC system can provide.”

And data is what it’s is all about, he noted. Robots like these are sold to sporting goods companies so they can run tests on their products. They then use the feedback to build the best club, ball or other piece of equipment.

Automated Design Corp. is a custom automation company, with the majority of their work relating to sports.

“There’s very little that we don’t do in golf,” ADC President Lisa Bitsky said. “We also supply equipment for other sports products like baseball and tennis. We even test shoes.”

She said some of ADC’s nonsports work includes machines that put flyers in bags for mail order pharmaceuticals and machines that stir starch in massive vats.

“If anyone has a need for something, if they have a unique situation, they will come to us for a solution,” she said.

Romeoville Mayor John Noak said the village was proud that ADC is building robots locally.

“So often we talk about innovation and technology, and here we have a prime example of such a company,” Noak said.

ADC sells more than 50% of its equipment overseas, working with companies on four continents. The company has been recognized with export awards in 2013, 2018, and 2019.

The next time you see a pro golfer debut a new club, know that a Romeoville company (and a robot) probably played a key role in its development.