iiQKA Ecosystem

With its digital ecosystem, KUKA will provide a powerful network of intelligent automation and robotic solutions that enable manufacturing companies to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

The perfect environment for future-proof industrial automation

Since the beginning of this millennium, digital ecosystems have improved technology usability and access for everyone. Built on software and hardware platforms, these powerful partnerships of industry players make incredibly complex things easy to accomplish, allowing all participants to react faster to demands. Inspired by nature, they bring simplification to a completely new level, delivering an intuitive and user-friendly experience. They already reshaped the world of mobile devices. Now, KUKA brings its own digital ecosystem to the field of robotics – to make automation quicker, easier and more intuitive for everyone. With iiQKA.

Easy, intuitive, reliable: the iiQKA Ecosystem

With iiQKA, our 120 years of expertise in automation, robotics and global collaborations are intuitively distilled and delivered digitally. Built on the iiQKA.OS platform and delivered via KUKA’s my.kuka customer portal, the iiQKA Ecosystem is the key to making automation easier and opening it up to many more potential users. But the true power of the iiQKA Ecosystem comes from the content inside it: from easy-to-use and implement components such grippers, safety sensors and vision systems, to software for automation solutions. Thus, the iiQKA Ecosystem allows for intelligent industrial automation in a reliable environment.

Extending the possibilities of robot-based automation

Right now, KUKA is teaming up with partners to expand the iiQKA Ecosystem step by step. Together, we are making smart applications, enhanced functionality and digital services available that will be the core of value to everyone with a need for robotics. The iiQKA Ecosystem grants its users convenient, intuitive and reliable access to both KUKA and third-party solutions.

To provide the most benefits to everyone working with it, the iiQKA Ecosystem focuses on three key elements: intuitive self-help, easy system extension and consistently clear governance.

Intuitive Self-help

The iiQKA Ecosystem offers intuitive and ample self-help opportunities to increase customer confidence and success. This kind of intuitive self-help will be integrated across the user journey, from the first steps into robotics to the end of the robot’s lifecycle, making it possible for users to continue achieving their goals efficiently and without disruption. As the iiQKA Ecosystem aims to cover the complete range of automation solutions from simple to highly complex, its service will do the same: for high-level applications, the iiQKA Ecosystem will improve and ease access to professional trainings, for which KUKA is already known as a gold standard worldwide.

smart_help: will quickly provide answers to upcoming questions around the iiQKA Ecosystem and the robot’s lifecycle

Powerful yet simple extension

KUKA’s new operating system, iiQKA.OS, provides open interfaces to the software and hardware platform, subsequently making it easy to extend. In this way, it enables software developers and technology partners to quickly and intuitively create exactly those solutions and innovations on KUKA products the customers need in order to achieve their goals. Offering the perfect environment for a fruitful coopetition, the iiQKA Ecosystem stimulates innovation for enduring and sustainable growth.

Smart_extensions: will make it easy to create powerful applications such as for KUKA robots.

Clear and consistent governance

One of the key benefits of the KUKA iiQKA Ecosystem is that it allows providers and consumers to effortlessly achieve their goals regarding process automation as quickly as possible and in a fair way. This goes back to a governance model showing all Ecosystem participants a clear way of actively joining it and creating value within it, while at the same time ensuring that they are protected and able to extract value from it. So, providers and everyone within the community will both benefit equally from easier collaboration and implementation, as well as increased speed to the market.

iiQKA Ecosystem Keystone Partners

The iiQKA Ecosystem will be filled with a growing and global network of experienced automation and robotics experts, software and process developers, and other types of providers. At the start, it will be launched with a group of iiQKA Ecosystem Keystone Partners – each a leading supplier in their fields of expertise. These are partners who have been working closely together with each other and with KUKA for decades – creating synergies, sharing the same dedication to quality, embracing innovation and a common vision of the future.

SCHMALZ GmbH

Schmalz is the market leader in vacuum automation. The plug & work capable gripping systems are used in a wide range of applications on industrial and lightweight robots.

SICK AG

One of the leading providers of safety sensor solutions. Their advanced microScan3 pro laser scanner is deeply integrated into iiQKA for an easy commissioning experience.

Roboception GmbH

Provider of cutting-edge 3D-vision solutions. Their rc_visard systems are integrated into iiQKA to make complex vision-dependent applications easy to commission.

SCHUNK GmbH

The world’s number 1 when it comes to gripping systems. Their co-act gripper is offered as a pre-configured, pre-installed option for the LBR iisy – working directly out of the box.

Are you a component supplier, software developer or provider of other extensions?

The iiQKA Ecosystem will expand rapidly during the next years, offering an easy and fast way for you to deliver your value on top of the KUKA platform. Sign up to be notified about iiQKA roll-out and availability.