KUKA establishes new software and digital business segment

The automation group KUKA has founded a new business segment. With KUKA Digital, the long-established German-based company known for its orange industrial robots and automation solutions is expanding its software and digital business. The goal: the end-to-end digitalization of a wide range of machines and systems in production, from the first 3D simulation to connectivity and data analysis through to the use of artificial intelligence.

2024? 9? 12?

Software is playing an increasingly important role in mechanical engineering. What used to be mostly solved mechanically is now done by electronics and the associated software. "With KUKA Digital, we are expanding our offering in order to position ourselves broadly for a market with strong growth potential. Our customers need products, solutions and consulting approaches to digitalize faster, more efficiently and more easily," says Quirin Goerz, KUKA Chief Information Officer and CEO of the newly founded digital segment. KUKA is working on expanding the digital world beyond robot and automation solutions and thus driving forward the digitalization of industry across the entire production lifecycle.

Specifically, KUKA's digital segment is focusing on a software and digital portfolio that is not limited to KUKA robots. Regardless of machine type and man-ufacturer, customers should be able to use software solutions for their production machines and thus digitalize their production halls from end to end. This involves interfaces, data standards, cloud integration and consulting services. In line with an ecosystem approach, KUKA also relies on a network of competent partners.

We are moving beyond traditional automation solutions to become a digitalization partner for the manufacturing industry. To achieve this, we are using the experience we have gained in robotics and automation over decades and pursuing the goal of helping our customers to achieve higher productivity, resilience and sustainability.

Quirin Görz, KUKA Chief Information Officer and CEO of the newly founded digital division

How KUKA is building the new digital segment

KUKA can look back on more than 125 years of company history, 50 of which have been in the field of robotics. The new segment builds on this knowledge. With Device Insight and Visual Components, KUKA already has strong, independent brands in the areas of Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics and simulation software within the Group.

Device Insight helps companies to digitalize their production and business processes based on IoT, data analytics and artificial intelligence, making them more transparent and efficient. Visual Components develops 3D simulation software as well as offline programming for manufacturing. Manufacturing companies use the software to plan production layouts, simulate processes in advance or program machines offline beforehand.

Product launch later this year: Cloud platform for industrial software

Planning, implementing and later operating a production facility is a complex process. A wide variety of machines need to be harmonized with one another. With regard to the associated software, this currently still means working with isolated solutions and a high level of manual effort. This is why, in addition to Device Insight and Visual Components, mosaixx will be expanding KUKA Digital's portfolio this year. mosaixx is an open, collaborative cloud platform for Industrial Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and forms the basis for the digital twin with a combination of tools (software), data management, cloud computing and process understanding.

With mosaixx, system integrators and other engineering customers have access to a wide range of software solutions for ECAD and MCAD programs, simulation, offline programming as well as virtual commissioning. mosaixx combines this with KUKA's many years of experience in the project business to create a future-proof and specialized end-to-end solution. This enables engineers to efficiently structure and securely link their workflows within a project in a shared and location-independent working environment with processes, workflows and cloud storage.

The open, collaborative cloud platform mosaixx will be added to the KUKA Digital portfolio this year. © Visual Components/ mosaixx

mosaixx thus lays the foundation for end-to-end digitalization - from planning to subsequent application. mosaixx will be presented to the public for the first time at a digital and software event on November 7 at the KUKA headquarters in Augsburg, Germany.