Viam, the open source platform for smart machines, is pleased to announce a new partnership with KUKA, the leading global supplier of intelligent robot-based solutions. The partnership enables streamlined deployment and integration of the Viam software platform with KUKA robotic arms through a flexible and powerful public driver, now available in the Viam Modular Registry. The collaboration brings Viam’s modern capabilities in machine interoperability, code deployment, and data analytics to KUKA’s best-in-class equipment, giving automation experts and systems integrators a powerful new way to help their customers build a competitive advantage.
Automation and digital transformation are top of mind for executives and developers in industrial sectors. The shift to Industry 4.0 has heralded a new era of “smart manufacturing,” bringing Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, data analytics, and machine learning capabilities to sensors, embedded software, and robotics — ultimately leading to accelerated engineering velocity, operational efficiency, and increased yield returns. McKinsey & Co estimates that smart automation initiatives drive up to a 30% increase in throughput, 30% increase in labor productivity, 50% reduction in machine downtime, and 85% improvement in forecasting accuracy.
With this new partnership, Viam and KUKA are helping manufacturers, innovation teams, and machine operators drive business efficiencies, advance smart automation, and broaden the reach and accessibility of working with KUKA robotic arms. Viam enables multiple-language programming, hardware interoperability, and more so that more engineers can work with KUKA arms, while also expanding the arms’ technical capabilities.
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KUKA and Viam will debut the partnership together at the KUKA Connexions 2024 conference in Destin, Florida from April 15-18, 2024, KUKA’s main event for system integrators and partners in North America.
Viam will also present the new Viam driver for KUKA robotic arms, which gives users sophisticated control and automation features, such as intuitive programming interfaces in contemporary programming languages, real-time data analytics, integrated machine learning pipelines, advanced motion services, and seamless IoT device integration for comprehensive, smart operations. The driver is available on the Viam Modular Registry, and is the inaugural collaboration in an array of joint R&D projects planned for the coming months.
Viam is a fully modular, interoperable, and open source software solution that works seamlessly across all hardware and any fleet of machines. Its open architecture removes costly barriers to automation and the need for complex integrations, and instead simplifies human-machine interaction through a cloud-based portal.
SOURCE: PRNewswire
