Automation Kickoff for Digital Initiative: KUKA Showcases Seamless Digitization of Global Industrial Landscapes

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KUKA has launched a new digital initiative with the debut of its digital division. At the company’s headquarters in Augsburg, Germany, KUKA hosted its inaugural Software and Digital Event, themed “KUKA digital_powering your business,” to showcase its extensive digital portfolio. Known traditionally for industrial robots, KUKA is now focusing increasingly on comprehensive, seamless digitization across global industrial environments. 

KUKA's Development and Technology Center was transformed into a discussion platform for software, digitalization and artificial intelligence. In workshops, panels and keynotes, customers and partners from the global mechanical and plant engineering industry, the automotive industry and representatives of major software companies discussed current economic challenges and solutions for driving seamless digitalization in industry.

 In an Expo area, KUKA provided exclusive insights into its software and digital offerings with products and solutions for the digitalization of the entire lifecycle of a production: from the first layout idea of a factory in a planning software, hosted on the cloud platform 'mosaixx', to the simulation and offline programming of the factory with Visual Components, the simulation and programming of the integrated robots with KUKA. Sim and the AI-based Microsoft KRL Copilot, through to the subsequent networking of the robots with KUKA.iiQoT and the expertise of Device Insight in shopfloor digitalization and data analysis in the sense of a data-driven factory.

 The new KUKA Digital division, with its hardware-independent software and digital offerings from mosaixx, Visual Components and Device Insight, was the focus of the event. The new division's offering is based on KUKA's robotics and plant engineering expertise and promotes seamless digitalization.

 “We have to declare war on tentative isolated solutions in the factory halls. The digitalization of industry will only really work if it is thought through consistently, from the initial idea to the finished plant. This will open up enormous opportunities for industry, especially in challenging times. That is why we are driving our software and digital business forward independently of hardware. We are proud of our hardware, our robots. Now is the time to be proud of our software,” says Quirin Görz, CEO of KUKA's digital division.

Transformation in the Machinery Industry

Industrial robotics and automation solutions are gaining importance globally and are being applied in an increasing number of markets. Simultaneously, software is becoming a key component. Tasks once handled primarily through mechanical means are now increasingly managed by electronics and the accompanying software.

Automation and software are becoming critical in fields traditionally solved by mechanics alone. Bavarian State Minister for Digital Affairs, Dr. Fabian Mehring, commented on the importance of digitalization for economic strength, particularly as KUKA advances its focus on AI. “Digitalization and software made in Bavaria are essential to our future economic power,” he noted.

Launch of mosaixx: KUKA's Cloud Platform for Collaborative Digital Production

Planning, executing, and later operating a production line is a complex process. For the associated software, this often currently means facing challenges like inflexible billing models, cloud-incompatible software products that are bound to local computers, and limited opportunities for collaborative project work. This is where mosaixx comes into play. Tailored to the needs of custom machinery manufacturing, mosaixx forms the foundation for fully digital production with a combination of tools (software), data management, cloud computing, and process understanding. System integrators and engineering clients gain access to a wide range of software solutions, including ECAD and MCAD programs, simulation, offline programming, and virtual commissioning.

 This setup allows engineers to efficiently structure their workflows within a project in a shared, location-independent environment that includes organized processes, workflows, and cloud storage, enabling secure connections and flexible billing. Initially, mosaixx is targeting small and medium-sized enterprises in the DACH region and Europe, with plans to expand to North America in early 2025.