Accenture has joined forces with Schaeffler AG to reshape the future of industrial automation, harnessing the power of physical AI and robotics. This groundbreaking collaboration was showcased at Hannover Messe 2025, where the companies demonstrated how the latest advancements in simulation, artificial intelligence (AI), and data technologies from NVIDIA and Microsoft can optimize various work scenarios. These scenarios include human-centric tasks, human-robot collaboration, and full automation, incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as industrial automation systems, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), Schaeffler’s mobile manipulator cobot EMMA, and general-purpose humanoid robots like Agility Robotics’ Digit and Sanctuary AI’s Phoenix.
Andreas Schick, Chief Operating Officer of Schaeffler AG, stated, “As a leading motion technology company, Schaeffler leverages disruptive innovations such as physical AI, digital twins, and humanoid robots to enhance operational excellence across our global manufacturing network. In collaboration with strong partners like Accenture, we constantly explore how disruptive technologies from NVIDIA and Microsoft can increase our flexibility and efficiency. This is how we want to jointly shape the production of the future.”
Patrick Vollmer, Global Industry Group Lead for Industrials at Accenture, commented, “Physical AI is reinventing industrial automation as it offers efficient ways to train and control entire fleets of AMRs, mobile adaptive manipulators, and general-purpose humanoid robots. Our collaboration with Schaeffler, Microsoft, and NVIDIA shows how clients and strategic partners can co-innovate on turning emerging technologies into solutions to help manufacturers tackle flexibility, productivity, and workforce challenges.”
Proof-of-Concept (PoC) Showcasing AI-powered Simulations
Accenture and Schaeffler have developed a proof-of-concept (PoC) to illustrate the advantages of AI-driven simulations in Schaeffler’s factories and distribution centers across three key areas:
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Optimizing Facility Design
Accenture’s expertise in building digital twins of factories and warehouses using the NVIDIA Omniverse development platform enables Schaeffler to simulate and identify the most efficient facility layouts upfront, thereby reducing commissioning times. The digital twin technology allows for virtual positioning of production lines and kitting stations to enhance dynamic material flow and facilitate seamless collaboration between humans and robots. -
Virtual Commissioning for Automation
Virtual commissioning helps Schaeffler determine the appropriate level of automation for each facility. The PoC explores different automation scenarios, ranging from manual labor to AMRs assisting with transport tasks, as well as more sophisticated adaptive manipulators like EMMA and humanoid robots in highly automated facilities. -
Future of Robotics in Industrial Settings
Recent research from Accenture reveals that 49% of factory managers expect AMRs to be a cornerstone of future manufacturing environments, with 43% predicting humanoid robots will become standard in assembly processes.
Also Read: Hexagon unveils Robotics division for next-gen autonomy
Advancing Physical AI and Humanoid Robots in Manufacturing
The collaboration also marks a significant milestone in the integration of general-purpose humanoid robots into industrial environments. Accenture and Schaeffler are piloting Mega, an NVIDIA Omniverse Blueprint, to test robot fleets, including humanoid robots, within industrial digital twins of factories and warehouses.
The PoC includes demonstrations of Agility Robotics’ Digit robot handling material, including tote management and transportation to kitting and commissioning areas. It also highlights Sanctuary AI’s Phoenix, a highly dexterous humanoid robot capable of learning real-world tasks in simulations, such as assembling spare part kits at Schaeffler’s spare parts centers. Using imitation learning, Phoenix observes simulations in Omniverse, powered by vision AI applications like NVIDIA Metropolis, which tracks the movements of both human workers and humanoid robots, translating these actions back into virtual simulations.
As noted in Accenture’s 2025 Technology Vision, humanoid robots are poised to thrive due to their adaptability in human-centric environments, enabling seamless integration into workflows traditionally designed for people.
Mike Geyer, Head of Digital Twins at NVIDIA, emphasized, “Tomorrow’s factories require complex collaboration between humans, industrial automation systems, and multi-robot fleets. By using Mega and NVIDIA Omniverse to simulate and test various types of robots at scale in industrial digital twins, Accenture and Schaeffler are reinventing their industrial operations with physical AI.”
Real-Time Robotics Optimization on the Shop Floor
Accenture, in collaboration with its joint venture Avanade and Microsoft, is working with Schaeffler to optimize live robotics operations using simulated data from Omniverse. The aim is to improve the physical performance of robots in warehouses and on the production floor, such as preventing congestion and optimizing robot workflows. Data from various simulations is fed into Microsoft Fabric, an AI-powered data platform, which allows site managers and operators to track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as robot availability, utilization, and overall equipment effectiveness. This data helps identify potential operational bottlenecks early, enabling timely interventions.
In a significant advancement, Accenture and Avanade have developed a solution for Schaeffler’s production site in Schweinfurt, Germany, integrating MS Fabric with a generative AI-powered factory operations agent. This solution enables staff to gain insights into production and resolve issues faster by asking questions in natural language. Looking ahead, the technology will allow for the onboarding of virtual factories, where engineers and planners can interact intuitively with simulation data, making adjustments using voice commands and pulling up dynamic dashboards.
