- Digitalization for small and medium-sized businesses
- Joint service packages for the manufacturing industry
KUKA and T-Systems are getting companies in shape for the digital transformation. With this in mind, the automation specialist and the IT service provider have now concluded a partnership. Together, they have created a package of solutions for digitalized production.
The coronavirus pandemic is accelerating digitalization in all segments. Small- and medium-sized businesses are increasingly making use of automation and digitalization. KUKA and T-Systems offer digital solution packages to small- and medium-sized businesses. Companies operating in the manufacturing industry can thus immediately benefit from digitalization. Michael Otto, Head of Sales at KUKA Robotics, and Frank Strecker, responsible for T-Systems’ cloud business, today signed a joint agreement in Augsburg.
Digitalization at a package price
KUKA robots and software provide lots of opportunities. From small production cells to entire manufacturing lines in almost all sectors, many tasks can be reliably automated with the assistance of robots. The right software ensures additional benefits. “Analog robots become smart thanks to digital services. Customers can benefit from a consistent data acquisition and processing. The information can be analyzed and processed in order to prevent or minimize unplanned downtime. This maximizes the availability of the plants. Not only that, production processes and production times are optimized and costs for servicing and maintenance are reduced,” explains Michael Otto.
Integrating robots in the IT infrastructure and simultaneously connecting digital services present many customers with challenges. Small companies as well as small- and medium-sized businesses frequently lack resources and expertise. With its Edge portfolio, T-Systems solves this problem. The company offers all IT services from a single source. This includes servers, integration, servicing, support, as well as safeguarding. Consequently, robots as well as IT hardware and services become a single unit which can easily be integrated and used efficiently.
Selecting the best of both worlds
“High-performance IT systems are needed in order to use the full scope of our automation solutions,” explains Strecker. “For many customers, infrastructure and digital services are not their core tasks. T-Systems is now plugging this gap with the right hardware, high-performance IT services, and data security.” In concrete terms, this means for our customers that KUKA and T-System are providing a complete digital package for manufacturing companies, comprising modular hardware as well as digital and managed services that can be flexibly selected. This makes life easier for IT departments, and ensures a rapid return on investment.
All data is processed in the local IT infrastructure of the respective customer. Cloud connections are also possible on request. “Together with KUKA, we provide the Edge services to ensure secure and exact automation services that are tailor-made for our customers’ requirements,” emphasized cloud expert Strecker.
Perfect for novices, switchers, and upgraders
As a result, companies can use automated solutions and be able to accurately plan the costs. The Edge solutions from T-Systems are also ideal for companies that already use robots. On a project or product basis, the manufacturing process can either be automated and digitalized fully or in part. The partnership is also open for systems integrators. They can integrate in-house services on the Edge servers. This reduces servicing and management costs.
KUKA
KUKA is an internationally active automation group with revenue of around 3.2 billion euros and roughly 14,000 employees. As one of the world’s leading suppliers of intelligent automation solutions, KUKA offers its customers everything from a single source: from robots and cells to fully-automated plants and their interconnection for markets such as automotive, electronics, general industry, consumer goods, e-commerce/retail, and healthcare. The company is headquartered in Augsburg. (Last revised: December 31, 2019)
About Deutsche Telekom: Companyprofile
About T-Systems: T-Systems company profile