Simplified Robotic Automation For Metalworking

Name: IMTS 2026
Start: 2026-09-14T0:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-19T0:00:00+02:00

From machine tending and robotic machining to autonomous mobile robots and intelligent software, see how KUKA helps manufacturers increase productivity, improve quality, and move toward flexible, lights-out production.

Flexible Automation for Modern Manufacturing

From machine tending and robotic machining to autonomous mobile robots and intelligent software, KUKA is bringing the future of manufacturing to IMTS 2026. See live demonstrations that help manufacturers increase spindle utilization, improve part quality, reduce labor dependency, and move toward flexible, lights-out production.

Whether you're exploring automation for a single machine or planning a connected manufacturing environment, discover how KUKA robotics, AMRs, software, and integration partners make machine tool automation easier to implement and easier to scale.

Visit KUKA in the North Building, Level 3, booth 236807 to experience live demonstrations throughout the show. Click here to register today.

Machine Tool Automation Without the Complexity

At IMTS 2026, KUKA will showcase new technologies and strategic partnerships designed to make machine tool automation more accessible than ever. Featured demonstrations include a collaboration with Formic that highlights a Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, giving manufacturers a low-investment path to robotic machine tending with full-service support.

Machine tool automation with Formic and KUKA — Machine tending cell simulation made by Visual Components.

KUKA will also demonstrate standardized machine tending solutions alongside multiple machine tool OEMs, showing how pre-engineered robotic systems simplify deployment across a variety of CNC platforms. In the SYIL demonstration, Siemens SINUMERIK software and KUKA's mxAutomation enable operators to control both the CNC machine and robot from a single interface, reducing the need for specialized robot programming experience.

Interested in learning more? Watch KUKA's recent Modern Machine Shop webinar with Formic to discover how full-service robotic automation can help manufacturers adopt machine tending with lower upfront investment and reduced complexity. Click here to watch.

EMAG grinding machine with KUKA automation — At IMTS, Formic will show a machine tending demonstration on an EMAG grinding machine.

Featured Demonstrations

Matsuura MX-520 machine tool with KUKA robot automation
SYIL R1 robotic machine tending system
EMAG WPG 7 grinding machine, commissioned by Formic
Digital twin virtual simulation and interactive display by Visual Components
Renishaw robotic probing system
Mairotec automation system for a CNC lathe, including robotic machine tending, AI-based 3D vision for automated bin picking, and mobile automation

SYIL uses a KUKA robot to load and unload machines — SYIL R1 shown in use with a CNC machine tool.

KUKA Robots load and unload Matsuura machine tool — Matsuura offers machine tools with standard automation packages. This MX-330 is shown with a KR CYBERTECH and drawer system.

Autonomous Mobile Robots

At IMTS 2026, multiple mobile robots will be traveling in the KUKA booth. See how robotics and autonomous mobile robots work together to automate part movement between machining operations, reducing manual handling while creating a more connected production environment.

The KMP 600P AMR will deliver materials to machining cells
The KMR iisy mobile robot will transport tooling to machine tools
The KMP 3000P mobile platform will transport a heavy payload casted part
The KUKA.AMR Fleet Manager manages mobile fleets with a simplified interface, allowing easily scalable fleets

KUKA AMR and mobile platforms as well as mobile manipulators

Robotic Milling

The KUKA booth will feature two robotic machining applications featuring autonomous material handing.

Heavy Duty Robotic Finishing by STS

KR TITAN ultra will handle a 400kg casted railyard part
KR FORTEC Ultra MT robotic grinding with PushCorp tooling
Autonomous material handling with a KMP 3000P AMR
KUKA KP1-MB4000-2 HW workholding

Precision Milling by KUKA Systems

Robotic milling with a KR QUANTEC nano robots
KUKA DKP positioner workholding

KUKA robots used for CNC machining — At IMTS 2024, KUKA showcased a robotic milling application with system partner Robotic Solutions Inc.

Robotics Connectivity in Industry 4.0 and Beyond

The advent of machine learning, AI and Big Data holds the promise of assisting manufacturing workers to achieve new levels of efficiency. Applying these technologies to processes requires reaching beyond the capabilities of software and hardware of robots and their controllers. Taking advantage of the best technologies often requires many of the capabilities to be offloaded to specialized hardware or the cloud. Flexibility is key to accessing the latest software and hardware technologies. However, simplicity and intelligence of integration is also very important. Robots that offer high fidelity open interfaces are well suited to interaction with humans and operation with advanced technology.

Monday, September 14
11:00 AM - 11:55 AM Central
West Building W194-A

CNC Driven Robotics: How Siemens and KUKA are Simplifying Automation for the Modern Shopfloor

This joint Siemens and KUKA session explores how tighter integration between SINUMERIK CNC controls and KUKA robots is simplifying machine tool automation. Learn how a CNC-driven approach embeds robot programming, operation and diagnostics directly into the CNC environment, allowing operators to manage both the machine and robot through a single interface using familiar NC programming. Real-world examples and digital twin technology demonstrate how this strategy reduces complexity, speeds deployment and supports scalable, cost-effective automation for high-mix manufacturing.