Fraunhofer IPA showcases automation solutions at Automatica 2025

At Automatica in Munich from June 24 to 27, 2025, Fraunhofer IPA will be showcasing a whole range of solutions that use AI technologies to massively simplify and accelerate the planning, programming and teaching of robots by (partially) automating these processes. Scientists led by David Breunig from the IT Architectures for Production research team at Fraunhofer IPA have developed a software framework that companies can use to automate their entire production processes. The programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that currently control the operation of machines and systems and are installed in large numbers in factories can thus become superfluous. "If you buy a PLC from an established manufacturer today, you become dependent on their hardware, development environment and programming language," says Breunig, "and that's exactly what we want to change with our software framework." To show how this software-defined automation works, Breunig and his team have set up a demonstrator that shows how the framework works and how it can be used. Visitors to Automatica can use it to get to know the individual modules of the software framework on screen and create or optimize an automation project themselves.

Automation of robot programming and laboratory work

Robot programming is still often a bottleneck when it comes to efficiently setting up or converting an application. A new user interface shows how the specialist knowledge required for this can be reduced and robots can be programmed in a time-efficient manner, even with a large number of variants, using the example of a simulated disassembly application at the trade fair stand. The user interface makes it possible to combine individual skills, i.e. robot capabilities, into a complete task. Skill modules from the Fraunhofer IPA's "pitasc" software are used for this purpose, which can be assembled and combined for specific applications without any programming knowledge. Another trade fair topic is flexible laboratory robotics for handling and dosing liquids. Fraunhofer IPA is developing a customizable software kit for autonomous laboratory robots that enables routine work to be automated efficiently to counter the prevailing shortage of skilled workers in laboratories and medical facilities. For example, the aim is to enable robots to collect process-relevant consumables, dispense chemicals or samples independently, procure sensitive samples "just in time" from cooling or heating cabinets or, in the long term, carry out experiments completely autonomously. To do this, the robot must be able to perform tasks such as locating and gripping a wide variety of containers, precisely weighing various liquids and solids, opening cabinets and doors and autonomous navigation. Fraunhofer IPA will be exhibiting at Automatica 2025 in Hall A4 at Stand 314.