As an internationally active materials engineering and machine design company, SCHUNK has been a regular exhibitor at HANNOVER MESSE for many years, and will be there again this year. Can you already give a preview of the new products and solutions you will be showcasing at this year's event?

This year in Hannover we will provide an insight into our vision of the future, in which sustainability and technological advancements work hand in hand and make for a healthy factory environment. There are numerous aspects to this. Stable, efficient, and profitable processes are just as much a part of it as is a healthy working environment with climate-friendly technologies. We are focusing our investment power in this direction, and increasingly digitalizing our portfolio so as to fully harness the benefits of flexible production in which energy and resources are conserved. This is reflected at SCHUNK in intelligent automation technologies offering full flexibility and transparency with the help of software and artificial intelligence (AI). At the same time, we aim to create user-centric value added. This year, for example, we're introducing a new software platform that will make for an even more intuitive and consistent user experience. This means that, in the future, comprehensive digital modules offering familiar app features will enable users very easily and swiftly to avail themselves of our diverse SCHUNK portfolio, beginning with our mechatronic grippers.

Robust growth is expected in the robotics market worldwide. What trends are currently emerging?

Robot density will continue growing – not least due to benefits in terms of efficiency, simplified implementation and utilization, and the use of AI. The new generations of robots consume less energy and boost efficiency through speed and flexibility. What's more, interacting with them is becoming increasingly straightforward. This also applies to the integrated end effectors. As a result, workers can also get into programming without previous experience, which in turn helps counteract the general skills shortage. The fact that robot applications are easier and more intuitive to implement is due not least to the operating software. This is where we at SCHUNK come in, making our mechatronic components future-proof and open to any interface. Advanced software makes it not only possible to use various gripping modes but also to boost performance potential further via updates. There can be no doubt that AI will have the greatest impact on future robotics applications. For one thing, it will simplify the development of automation software, making it much faster, more effective, and also more application-specific. And, for another, it will also accelerate autonomous handling and processing with robotics. To give users a flying start in the use of these new methods, SCHUNK already offers an AI-supported application kit for handling individual and randomly arranged parts.

What do you expect from the upcoming HANNOVER MESSE? And what significance will the trade event have for the robotics market in the long term?

The international nature and political impact of HANNOVER MESSE give it the power to attract considerable global attention. It is there that we shape tomorrow's industry, explore new business opportunities, and consolidate shared values for a healthy future. This is why cross-sectoral data space initiatives, such as Manufacturing-X, are in particular focus there, in which we actively participate and advocate for greater transparency and trust. In general, cooperations and partnerships will play a crucial role toward the swift and successful implementation of innova-tions. Robotics is an integral part of this because there is vast potential still to be tapped in the automated, networked manufacturing environment.