The technology venue in Munich focused on the four megatrends of Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence, Man and Machine, and Sustainable Production. "It's overwhelming to stand here and finally welcome you all back in person," said KUKA CEO Peter Mohnen in his address to the KUKA team on day 1 of the show. "Looking around, KUKA has come up with quite a few things in recent years: from our expanded portfolio with the LBR iisy, the KR FORTEC or our KR SCARA, to iiQKA or KUKA.Sim - just to name a few." We have set off product fireworks - with solutions that are as powerful as they are easy to use.
Home game with Timo Boll
On the second day of the trade fair, long-time KUKA brand ambassador and table tennis star Timo Boll was on hand. He saw for himself how easy the LBR iisy is to use before competing in a table tennis match against Peter Mohnen and selected KUKA system partners. "At first, it was strange to be among so many people and shake hands again," says Timo Boll. "But it is important for the industry that normality returns. Only the Chinese visitors are noticeably missing." Boll is alluding to the pandemic-related travel restrictions in China. The number of exhibitors has also dropped significantly, from a record high of 890 in 2018 to 574 now.
Automation for everyone
One of the aims of automatica is to bring together industry, research and politics for a forward-looking exchange. And it has succeeded in doing so: The visit by Bavarian Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger to the KUKA booth was all about automation for everyone - including SMEs. The focus was also on the latest trends in our industry, demonstrated in concrete terms by the KUKA Cobot LBR iisy.
Pay-on-production: KUKA Systems and FlexFactory announce cooperation
During the trade fair, KUKA Systems and FlexFactory GmbH by MHP, Munich Re and Porsche announced a strategic cooperation to jointly offer pay-on-production. The aim of the cooperation is to offer customers adaptable production capacities that are booked as a service. Customers can thus focus entirely on product development and customer satisfaction without having to bear investment costs. By the way: The trade show will already take place again next year. The automatica thus changes its original two-year rhythm to the odd years.
