«CeiliX» at Automatica 2025: Hall B4, Stand 408 Automation on the Ceiling

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CeiliX Technology GmbH

Kassow Robots ApS

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In collaboration with Kassow Robots, the company «CeiliX» has developed a prototype of the world's first mobile cobot that can move omnidirectionally on the ceiling.

According to the World Robotics Report 2024, Switzerland, with 302 installed robots per 10,000 employees, falls significantly behind countries like South Korea (1,012) and Singapore (770). Yet, automation is a crucial lever for competitiveness, especially in the Swiss mid-sized sector. This is increasingly important as conditions become more challenging: labor shortages, limited space, rising personnel costs, bureaucratic hurdles, and tough global competition put businesses under pressure. What is missing are solutions that can be implemented effectively under real-world conditions: flexible, space-saving, and economically viable. This is precisely why technologies are needed that integrate into existing structures without requiring a complete overhaul or creating significant barriers to entry.

One of these technologies does not come from Silicon Valley but from Germany: "CeiliX" and Kassow Robots, a subsidiary of Bosch Rexroth, are jointly bringing the first mobile robot to the factory ceiling. This solution, developed as part of a joint innovation program with Bosch Rexroth, opens up a new dimension of automation: a fully automated, flexible ceiling robot that utilizes the ceiling as a full-fledged automation level. It moves freely over the work areas. Not a single square meter of floor space is required. The principle is simple: a ceiling-guided, autonomous vehicle is combined with a powerful 7-axis cobot. It is modular in design, flexibly controllable, and seamlessly integrable.

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Control is managed through the open automation platform «ctrlX Automation» by Bosch Rexroth. It coordinates the vehicle's movement in real-time, including sensors, drive, and collaboration with other components. This creates a stable, precise system that seamlessly integrates into existing processes.

Maximum Impact With Minimal Space

At the same time, the available space is utilized more efficiently. The mobile ceiling cobot can service multiple stations in succession, take on temporary tasks, and flexibly respond to workload fluctuations. This provides smaller companies with limited space the opportunity to implement automation economically without having to invest in extensive structural modifications.

"Until now, cobots have generally been limited to fixed stations, linear rail axes, or ground vehicles. With our approach, we are opening up completely new possibilities for transport, assembly, and handling processes," explains Mathias Entenmann, CEO and co-founder of "CeiliX." "Thanks to our technology, the ceiling becomes the new level for efficient, flexible, and space-saving robotics. We are freeing automation from previous spatial constraints."

The fields of application are diverse. In machining technology, workpieces can be delivered directly to machines. In injection molding, the robot takes care of filling or removing without disrupting workflows. In surface technology, its free mobility ensures shorter processing times. Logistical tasks, such as palletizing at changing positions or supplying assembly stations, can also be made more efficient. Particularly in industries with high hygiene requirements, such as pharmaceutical or food production, ceiling transport offers additional advantages.

The system is currently being tested in pilot environments. The goal is to validate range, precision, and cycle times under real conditions. Initial results show that, especially in complex application areas, the free mobility on the ceiling represents a significant simplification. Bottlenecks are alleviated, processes can be flexibly adjusted, and the range of action for a single robot is significantly expanded.

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