At KUKA Connexions 2024, a new partnership between Viam and KUKA has been unveiled, featuring a novel Viam driver tailored for KUKA robotic arms.
The introduced driver offers advanced control and automation functionalities, including intuitive programming interfaces and real-time data analytics. This development marks a significant advancement in smart automation for manufacturing and industrial sectors.
NEW YORK, April 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Viam, an open source platform for smart machines, has announced a partnership with KUKA, a leading global supplier of intelligent robot-based solutions. This collaboration facilitates the seamless deployment and integration of the Viam software platform with KUKA robotic arms through a flexible public driver, now accessible in the Viam Modular Registry. By merging Viam’s modern capabilities with KUKA’s high-quality equipment, automation experts and systems integrators gain a robust tool to aid customers in gaining a competitive edge.
Viam’s offerings include multi-language programming and hardware interoperability, enabling broader engineering engagement with KUKA arms.
Automation and digital transformation remain focal points for executives and developers in industrial sectors. The transition to Industry 4.0 has ushered in an era of “smart manufacturing,” leveraging IoT, cloud computing, data analytics, and machine learning to enhance operational efficiency and yield returns. McKinsey & Co estimates suggest that smart automation initiatives could drive significant improvements in various metrics including throughput, labor productivity, machine downtime reduction, and forecasting accuracy.
Through this partnership, Viam and KUKA aim to assist manufacturers, innovation teams, and machine operators in enhancing business efficiencies, advancing smart automation, and expanding the accessibility of KUKA robotic arms. Viam’s support for multiple-language programming and hardware interoperability broadens the technical capabilities of KUKA arms while facilitating easier engagement for engineers.
The debut of this collaboration will occur at the KUKA Connexions 2024 conference in Destin, Florida from April 15-18, 2024, KUKA’s primary event for system integrators and partners in North America.
During the event, Viam will introduce the new Viam driver for KUKA robotic arms. This driver offers users sophisticated control and automation features, such as intuitive programming interfaces, real-time data analytics, integrated machine learning pipelines, advanced motion services, and seamless IoT device integration. The driver is now available on the Viam Modular Registry and marks the initial collaboration in a series of joint R&D projects planned for the future.
Viam is a fully modular, interoperable, and open source software solution compatible with all hardware and machine fleets. Its open architecture simplifies human-machine interaction through a cloud-based portal, eliminating costly barriers to automation and complex integrations.
Viam’s compatibility enables machines to universally interact with any hardware, share data, and coordinate actions with other machines’ hardware or software. Additionally, Viam facilitates the integration of modern features such as machine learning and analytics, enabling remote diagnostics, operational efficiencies, and data-driven decision making. It offers an intuitive and flexible modern software solution, now enhanced through seamless integration with KUKA equipment.
Pjeter Lulgjuraj, Sales & Marketing Operations Manager, USA at KUKA, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, “We’re thrilled to partner with Viam and bring our customers even more powerful, adaptable, and efficient ways to extend the power of their KUKA equipment.”
There are no upfront per-device or deployment costs associated with Viam. Customers only pay for the data they consume to run Viam’s cloud services on machines, and all on-machine features are open source and free.
Eliot Horowitz, founder and CEO of Viam, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating, “With KUKA’s robotic arms and Viam’s modern software architecture, customers now have a powerful arsenal for advancing smart automation.”
To learn more about the partnership and Viam solutions, please contact sales@viam.com.
About KUKA
KUKA is a global automation corporation with sales of around 4 billion euro and roughly 15,000 employees. Headquartered in Augsburg, Germany, KUKA offers customers a comprehensive range of intelligent automation solutions, catering to various industries including automotive, electronics, metal & plastic, consumer goods, e-commerce/retail, and healthcare.
About Viam
Viam is a comprehensive open source platform simplifying the building, monitoring, and data management of smart machines. From industrial robots to smart home appliances to IoT devices, Viam transforms the way software powers hardware for any device with sensing, compute, and actuation capabilities. Founded in 2020 by former MongoDB co-founder and CTO Eliot Horowitz, Viam is headquartered in New York City. www.viam.com
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