From Mechanical Engineering to a Learning Production System: Durst and TUM Venture Labs Cooperate on Robotics, AI and Automation

Durst Group has entered into a multi-year partnership with TUM Venture Labs to advance industrial production through robotics, artificial intelligence, and automation. As a Platinum Partner, Durst will collaborate with the Robotics/AI Lab in Munich to integrate its Kyveris production system with autonomous physical processes. This initiative marks a significant shift for the Italian manufacturer as it seeks to transition from traditional mechanical engineering to connected, learning production environments.

Durst Group and TUM Venture Labs, a joint initiative of the Technical University of Munich and UnternehmerTUM, have launched a multi-year collaboration focused on the Robotics/AI Lab in Munich. This lab serves as a deep-tech ecosystem for embedded systems, industrial automation, and artificial intelligence. By joining as a Platinum Partner, Durst becomes the first Italian company in the network, aligning the engagement with its 90th anniversary program. The partnership aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application by connecting Durst with a network of talents, founders, and research teams.

Central to the collaboration is Durst’s Kyveris intelligent production system, which integrates software, data, and AI to connect industrial machinery. The partnership specifically targets the development of the AuRo-Layer, a component designed to extend digital intelligence to the physical production floor through robotics and material flow management. This system is intended to facilitate increasingly autonomous processes, making production more transparent and reproducible. CEO Christoph Gamper emphasized that the goal is to move away from isolated machinery toward a model where production is connected and capable of learning.

The collaboration provides Durst with a direct interface to young companies and researchers working on cutting-edge technologies like digital twins, human-robot interaction, and physical AI. According to Dr. Philipp Gerbert, CEO of TUM Venture Labs, the partnership combines technological excellence with concrete industrial challenges to foster new automation solutions. Durst plans to contribute real-world production data and challenges where automation and AI-based process control converge. While the initial focus is on the printing industry, the resulting innovations are expected to have cross-industry applications, influencing the broader robotics and automation sector.