Design award for KUKA

Augsburg / Essen, May 2014 – The success story continues. With the lightweight robot LBR iiwa, the engineers at KUKA and industrial designer Mario Selic have once again created a masterpiece of innovation, technical expertise and pioneering design.

The high-caliber jury of the red dot award: product design 2014 found the KUKA lightweight robot outstanding in its degree of innovation, functionality, quality and ergonomic aspects, not to mention its symbolic and emotive content – and honored it with the coveted title red dot: best of the best.
This is the highest distinction, only awarded to the best products in a category. In 2014, more than 1,800 manufacturers from 53 nations submitted 4,815 product entries for the award ceremony. Only 60 of these won the red dot: best of the best.

The Augsburg robot manufacturer and industrial designer Selic have worked together since 2010 – since then, the globally prestigious red dot award: product design has, amongst others, gone to the KR 5 ARC and repeatedly to the KR QUANTEC series. Now, exceptional technology and appealing design have once again impressed the international and renowned red dot jury.

Form follows function – each design element has a function

“Industrial design encompasses the three areas of marketing, technology and design. Technical understanding is fundamental here. Otherwise, I would be designing products that made engineers shake their heads,” emphasizes Selic, who was involved in development right from the beginning and collaborated closely with the KUKA engineers.

The distinctive design and innovative styling of the LBR iiwa play an essential role. Organic shapes, soft edges, shallow angles, smooth flexibility – the LBR iiwa was designed for direct interaction with humans. By introducing the new LBR iiwa, KUKA is delivering on its promise to the market to present a lightweight robot for industrial applications which is sensitive, compliant, precise and flexible, and is equipped with mechanical systems and drive technology for industrial operation.

With its award-winning inspiration, KUKA has already impressed the jury of the North Rhine-Westphalian Design Center – now it’s time to usher in a new robot generation.