ABB and ESS develop revolutionary painting simulation tools for the automotive industry

Strategic cooperation ABB invests in Engineering Software Steyr

2024-12-11 Source: Press release | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

Related Vendors

ABB Automation GmbH, UB Robotics

tmts2026-ticec-banner-en-2000px (https://www.tmts.tw/en)

Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA)

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

SIMTOS (Seoul International Machine Tool Show)

ABB enters into a strategic cooperation with Engineering Software Steyr GmbH (ESS) for the development of simulation tools for the painting process in the automotive industry.

ABB is developing simulation tools for the painting process in the automotive industry with Engineering Software Steyr GmbH (ESS).(Image: ABB) — ABB is developing simulation tools for the painting process in the automotive industry with Engineering Software Steyr GmbH (ESS).
(Image: ABB)

In the cooperation between ABB and the Austrian ESS, simulation tools are to be developed that will transform the painting process in the automotive industry and reduce costs by up to 30 percent. As part of the collaboration, ABB takes a minority stake in ESS. Financial details of the investment were not disclosed.

"Providing faster and more energy-efficient solutions for the painting process is the last piece of the puzzle in digitizing manufacturing processes in the automotive industry," said Marc Segura, Head of ABB's Robotics Division. "The innovative solutions that we are developing together with ESS will reduce the time required for vehicle development by up to a month and enable cost savings of up to 30 percent, making manufacturers more competitive, efficient, and resilient. With the solution, a manufacturer producing 300,000 vehicles can reduce CO2 emissions by nearly 17,000 tons annually—which is equivalent to 19 trips around the earth with a passenger airplane."

The painting process in the automotive industry typically includes more than 20 steps, ranging from degreasing and cathodic dip coating to sealing, painting, and drying. Each step is subject to various parameters such as material viscosity, adhesion, and drying time, which must be tested and optimized before starting mass production of a new model. Each of these tasks can be time-consuming and costly with conventional methods.

"For companies of all sizes, having access to the right digital tools is important for their innovation activities," said Dr. Martin Schifko, CEO of ESS. "However, the complexity of these tools in the market currently makes it difficult for smaller companies to tap into the potential of digitalization. We want to create a level playing field for everyone by making simulation technologies accessible to all manufacturers. With our solutions, companies can develop innovations faster, reduce environmental impact, and remain competitive in a demanding industry."

The partnership will also enable customers to benefit from the experience of ABB's Robotics Division in the field of automotive painting and its success with intelligent automation solutions. Examples include the PixelPaint technology with an inkjet painting head for detailed reproduction and the digitally supported paint atomizer RB1000i-S, which achieves an application efficiency of up to 99 percent, thus reducing paint and material consumption.

ABB will integrate ESS's technology into ABB RobotStudio, the world's most widely used offline programming and simulation software for robots, available for desktop, cloud, and augmented reality platforms.

Subscribe to the newsletter now

Don't Miss out on Our Best Content

Business E-mail

Please enter a valid mailadress.

By clicking on „Subscribe to Newsletter“ I agree to the processing and use of my data according to the consent form (please expand for details) and accept the Terms of Use. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy. The consent declaration relates, among other things, to the sending of editorial newsletters by email and to data matching for marketing purposes with selected advertising partners (e.g., LinkedIn, Google, Meta)

Date: 08.12.2025

Naturally, we always handle your personal data responsibly. Any personal data we receive from you is processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. For detailed information please see our privacy policy.

Consent to the use of data for promotional purposes

I hereby consent to Vogel Communications Group GmbH & Co. KG, Max-Planck-Str. 7-9, 97082 Würzburg including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG (hereafter: Vogel Communications Group) using my e-mail address to send editorial newsletters. A list of all affiliated companies can be found here

Newsletter content may include all products and services of any companies mentioned above, including for example specialist journals and books, events and fairs as well as event-related products and services, print and digital media offers and services such as additional (editorial) newsletters, raffles, lead campaigns, market research both online and offline, specialist webportals and e-learning offers. In case my personal telephone number has also been collected, it may be used for offers of aforementioned products, for services of the companies mentioned above, and market research purposes.

Additionally, my consent also includes the processing of my email address and telephone number for data matching for marketing purposes with select advertising partners such as LinkedIn, Google, and Meta. For this, Vogel Communications Group may transmit said data in hashed form to the advertising partners who then use said data to determine whether I am also a member of the mentioned advertising partner portals. Vogel Communications Group uses this feature for the purposes of re-targeting (up-selling, cross-selling, and customer loyalty), generating so-called look-alike audiences for acquisition of new customers, and as basis for exclusion for on-going advertising campaigns. Further information can be found in section “data matching for marketing purposes”.

In case I access protected data on Internet portals of Vogel Communications Group including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG, I need to provide further data in order to register for the access to such content. In return for this free access to editorial content, my data may be used in accordance with this consent for the purposes stated here. This does not apply to data matching for marketing purposes.

Right of revocation

I understand that I can revoke my consent at will. My revocation does not change the lawfulness of data processing that was conducted based on my consent leading up to my revocation. One option to declare my revocation is to use the contact form found at https://contact.vogel.de. In case I no longer wish to receive certain newsletters, I have subscribed to, I can also click on the unsubscribe link included at the end of a newsletter. Further information regarding my right of revocation and the implementation of it as well as the consequences of my revocation can be found in the data protection declaration, section editorial newsletter.