Koenig & Bauer and Siemens say their strategic collaboration on software-defined machine architecture is moving ahead as planned, with engineers now working directly on a Rapida 106 prototype rather than confining development to theoretical models. The two companies first announced the partnership in April 2025, setting out a multi-year effort to build more sustainable machinery concepts and a more coherent digital foundation for future printing presses.
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e project is a shift towards a consistent, object-oriented IT structure designed for high-performance industrial equipment. According to Koenig & Bauer, the aim is to break complex press functions into modular software elements that are independent of specific hardware, making future systems easier to adapt, scale and integrate into modern factory environments. Siemens says the collaboration is intended to help define a new standard for machine automation in the premium end of mechanical engineering.
The work is being carried out in an iterative development phase, with both teams programming and testing control functions on the prototype itself. That includes precise synchronisation of machine and sheet travel, washing programmes and timing in positioning sequences. Koenig & Bauer says this hands-on approach is intended to speed up validation while ensuring that new software concepts meet the demands of live production.
The companies frame the project as a response both to technical change and to a widening shortage of specialist automation engineers. By using Siemens’ SIMATIC AX development environment and object-oriented programming, they are building a library of standardised components that can support both serial production and bespoke installations. Koenig & Bauer says that approach should provide greater flexibility as customer requirements evolve.
The planned architecture is also meant to support deeper data integration, predictive maintenance through the myKyana service portal, and future digital-twin applications for virtual commissioning. Siemens says the platform is designed to help machine builders simulate and refine configurations earlier in the process, while Koenig & Bauer points to longer-term possibilities such as pre-certified safety libraries and remotely activated features on demand.
Stephen Kimmich, chief executive of Koenig & Bauer, said the company sees the partnership as a continuation of its technology strategy, extending current hardware strengths into what he described as the operational agility of the next decade. Michael Thomas, senior vice-president of factory automation at Siemens, said the collaboration is meant to combine advanced software tools with the performance requirements of high-end machinery.
Koenig & Bauer says the project will move through further development stages before industrial testing in a real market setting, with the first concrete automation functions due to be shown at drupa 2028. For now, the companies are presenting the work as a long-term platform for the next generation of printing presses rather than a near-term product launch.
Source: Noah Wire Services
