Engineering The Required Software for Every Project

From Stefanie Michel | Translated by AI 6 min Reading Time

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The Mosaixx platform from Kuka Digital facilitates project-based work for system integrators and special machine construction: It provides the required design or simulation software and ensures a unified data foundation for each project.

Cobots, autonomous transport systems, and industrial robots in one environment: System integrators create creative solutions—and require a wide variety of software for this.(Image: Kuka)
Cobots, autonomous transport systems, and industrial robots in one environment: System integrators create creative solutions—and require a wide variety of software for this.
(Image: Kuka)

At Kuka, most people probably first think of the robots with which the company is particularly prominent in automotive production. But a software platform from Kuka?

In autumn 2024, Kuka established the business unit Kuka Digital to drive the digitization of the industry—beyond robots and entirely manufacturer-independent. This initiative is complemented by the cloud platform Mosaixx for Industrial Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), developed by Kuka's subsidiary Device Insight. It aims to provide system integrators and engineers with access to a wide range of solutions. Partners are essential for this, and the first include the two major software providers Autodesk and Dassault Systèmes.

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Responding to Challenges of System Integrators

At the 3D-Experience World 2025 by Dassault Systèmes in Houston, Quirin Görz, CEO of Kuka Digital, Andreas Frank, Business Unit Lead Mosaixx, and Jeroen Buring, Senior Director Eurocentral at Dassault Systèmes, showcased what is behind the platform and the potential the partners see in such vendor-independent cloud platforms.

The idea behind Mosaixx sounds simple: to make project work easier for traditional system integrators by providing them with a comprehensive set of tools and data management. Thousands of such system integrators are Kuka customers, and thus the robot manufacturer knows how they work and what challenges they face. They are the ones building plants, production lines, or special machines—whether with or without robots. "It's about making the life and work of the system integrator easier. Of course, he has to consider how to integrate the robot. But beyond that, he has a significant engineering effort, collaborates with engineering firms supplying individual components, and coordinates various suppliers for smaller parts that will later be installed in the system. He operates in a complex network that he has to keep together. This is exactly where the Mosaixx platform comes in—it helps manage this network efficiently and simplifies collaboration," explains Görz.

Mosaixx primarily targets small and medium-sized system integrators on two different levels: those who, for example, do not yet have PLM/PDM or exchange their data via email due to a lack of collaboration tools. For such companies, Mosaixx provides a software ecosystem—also accessible via a marketplace. Others benefit from software provisioning, as the platform offers access to CAD software like Solidworks or Autodesk Inventor, factory simulation software like Visual Components or Delmia, as well as calculation tools for quotes. The overarching focus is always on the project: creating a shared file-based work environment for all project participants, where they can also access the required software. No one has to deal with setting up workstations, and no one needs to contact the software companies' sales teams.

Think From the User's Perspective: What Does he Need?

This is precisely what makes it interesting for Dassault Systèmes and Autodesk to participate in Mosaixx. "Many users utilize Solidworks but want to map additional functions within the platform. Some even work internally with two different systems simultaneously, which complicates the situation. While integration with the 3D-Experience platform would be possible, we exclusively provide software from Dassault Systèmes. Through Mosaixx, however, users gain access to both 'worlds'," says Buring.

However, while Dassault Systèmes primarily targets large clients such as renowned automotive manufacturers, Kuka focuses its platform on the long tail with smaller customers and has project business in mind. "Small and medium-sized system integrators appreciate the complete bouquet because it allows them to orchestrate the project: manage data, work on different topics, involve external collaborators. Here, I have transparency and know which files are the latest," says Andreas Frank from experience. Of course, there are also individual users who simply value having access to different software systems. Especially in project business, it is essential to work with the software specified by the client.

Drive Project Business Forward Instead of Negotiating over Software

For the first Mosaixx customer—also a Solidworks user—the focus was on utilizing a cloud platform, as Buring reports: "This customer is still using Solidworks on-premises but wants to switch to the cloud in order to avoid the effort of upgrades in the future. Since their own end customers partly work with Solidworks and partly with Autodesk software, they ultimately decided to access it via the Mosaixx platform." A seemingly simple reason for Mosaixx, but one that brings additional advantages. "This user would not even have the capacity to negotiate with three different sales partners—for Autodesk, Solidworks, and Visual Components. A company with 30 or 40 employees would be almost entirely occupied with finding and coordinating suitable partners. With Mosaixx, however, they become part of an integrated system landscape from Kuka, where they can selectively pick only what they actually need—and only for the timeframe in which they need it."

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This makes life easier for system integrators and saves a lot of time. Buring calculates: If one of them undertakes six projects a year, in the worst case, they would have to set up a new software environment six times, meaning they would again have to negotiate with sales partners. During the time spent on this, they cannot write new proposals or advance existing projects. "The return on investment for them lies in winning more projects and spending less time on these negotiations," Buring is certain. And that clearly translates into a competitive advantage.

An Open Partner Network: Base for the Digitalization Strategy?

Dassault Systèmes announced its collaboration with Mosaixx at its launch and has since deepened the partnership. Mosaixx users can now purchase and utilize solutions from the 3D-Experience platform through the ecosystem. "Through the cooperation with Dassault Systèmes, we are expanding our portfolio to include virtual twin technology. Engineers gain the ability to perform simulations and analyses with real-time data, while system integrators benefit from improved collaboration and flexible applications," says Görz.

Autodesk is also interested in providing engineers with a tailored solution and leveraging the advantages of the cloud for an efficient form of collaboration: "Mosaixx fits perfectly with our open platform strategy, and we look forward to a long-term partnership," says Stephen Hooper, Vice President of Design and Manufacturing at Autodesk.

The more software companies provide their solutions on the Mosaixx platform, the faster isolated solutions in manufacturing operations will become a thing of the past. There will certainly not be fewer tools needed by a mechanical engineer in the future. Thus, a digitization strategy is required that channels this without limiting possibilities. Mosaixx could take on such a role. "Customers report that this very aspect significantly simplifies their work: With Mosaixx, they no longer have to worry about which PC is needed to run exactly three specific tools." Everything can be consolidated here – including the data. In this area, all participants see great potential for optimization, which is why not only Kuka but also Autodesk and Dassault Systèmes rely on cloud-based platforms. According to Görz, AWS suggests that efficiency in engineering could be increased by up to 70 percent through new forms of collaboration and interaction. That is why Mosaixx offers the ability to replace fragmented IT landscapes and inconsistent processes with centralized, holistic software solutions—with the aim of digitally mapping the entire customer journey in the future.

At Automatica 2025 in Munich, the Mosaixx platform was officially launched on the market. Initially, Kuka will start in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and then plans to expand into the EMEA region. The move to North America is planned for 2026.