Packaging

New in digitalisation: From the AI-supported Ask Arburg app to the Virtual Twin

Monday 13. October 2025 - Arburg has extensive expertise and fields a wide range of digital products and services. These are continuously being developed in line with market requirements to enable new customised digital solutions to be implemented.

Arburg has always been a pioneer when it comes to digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI). Arburg will be presenting numerous innovations at its K trade fair stand 13A13. Highlights include the new Gestica lite control system for standard machines, including a virtual twin of an exhibit, as well as AI-supported assistants and pilots such as the “aXw Control MoldlifeAssist” for communication between machine and mould and the “aXw Control RecyclatePilot” for recyclate processing. There are also new features in the Arburg ALS host computer system and the arburgXworld customer portal. The enhanced customer portal app “Ask Arburg” is a striking case in point.
Gestica lite: Remarkably easy and intuitive to use
Gestica lite, a new control variant that is extremely interesting for standard machines, is celebrating its premiere at K 2025. It features a distinctively robust industrial panel. The software basis is identical to Gestica and their data records are fully inter-compatible. The new version is reassuringly easy and intuitive to operate using the extended user interface, even for non-specialists; at the same time, flexibility is maintained for experienced operators. The “Dashboard” is a distinctive new feature on the user interface. The screen homepage clearly displays all the crucial functions for day-to-day work in a clear format. Those functions include information on the job, the current process and direct access to the most important parameters and key figures – all supported intelligently and actively by assistance functions. The touch function can be used to jump directly to the detailed parameter pages for the clamping and injection unit, temperatures and robotic system. The new “Status Center” offers added value with access to all pending alarms, while the “Help Center” provides access to online support. The “Tasks” area is dedicated to maintenance, material supply and parts disposal. Here, individual notes can be added to the digital “Pinboard” for collaborative work, eliminating the need for paper notes on the machine. This is complemented by simplified navigation and search with AI functionality as well as rapid support for the operator when troubleshooting thanks to assisted workflows with visual solution trees. Assistance and pilot functions such as the “aXw EnergyAssist” or the “aXw Control RecyclatePilot” are available as options. At the K 2025, four exhibits – the electric Allrounder Trend and the vertical Allrounder 475 V – are already equipped with this new control variant. Individual features can also be explained on a demonstrator monitor.
MoldlifeAssist: set up, monitor and maintain the mould
Arburg offers smart assistants and pilots for its machine control systems to make everyday injection moulding work much easier with digital products and services. The “aXw Control MoldlifeAssist” – the “Moldlife Sense” computer system from partner Hack Digital Solutions, which is fully integrated into the Gestica – is new and particularly predestined for complex moulds and endurance runners. This now enables “smart” communication directly between the machine or production cell and the injection mould on base of the the Euromap 82.5 interface. The associated hardware is a connector on the fixed mould plate and a box on the rear of the machine. This means that one system can be used for several moulds.
The “MoldlifeAssist” function supports the set-up, monitoring and maintenance of the mould and improves availability and operator safety. Its “Set-Up Assistant” with digital alignment aid guides the operator step by step visually through the entire set-up operation and process. During daily operation, the tool is monitored over its entire life cycle in terms of temperature, acoustics, breathing and alignment using integrated sensor technology (condition monitoring). The measured values from various sensors can be visualised in the Gestica control system and individual “Events” – such as warnings, alarms and error messages – can be displayed and the tool data logged and documented. Another major advantage is the option of predictive maintenance. This prevents expensive unscheduled downtime periods while also avoiding the need for costly maintenance. Instead, the “MoldlifeAssist” enables condition-based maintenance cycles and also assists with maintenance. A maintenance logbook can be called up via Gestica and all maintenance points can be acknowledged and documented.At K 2025, the “MoldlifeAssist” will be getting showcased as part of a digitally networked production cell based around an electric Allrounder 570 A, which produces caps for injector pens.
(for more see press release Allrounder 570A NextGen)
New pilot features for recyclate processing
While the digital assistance functions in the machine control system support the operator in everyday tasks, the pilots independently optimise the injection moulding process once activated.
The “aXw Control RecylatePilot” improves part quality by using the existing machine sensors to reliably compensate for material fluctuations and keep the shot weight constant. This is of equal interest to recyclate processing and to batch changes or inhomogeneous virgin material. A new feature of the “RecyclatePilot” is the ability to adjust the holding pressure level to the viscosity of the material. During a cycle, the injection volume is regulated via the switchover point from shot to shot. In addition, the metering volume can be corrected across cycles to compensate for long-term volume fluctuations.
Virtual twin in the arburgXworld
The arburgXworld customer portal with its numerous apps and features is no less intelligent than the assistants and pilots in the control system. One highlight at K 2025 is the virtual twin to Gestica lite. This new feature will be available in the “Virtual Control” premium app from 2026. This will not only make it possible to optimise a program directly on the PC, but also to run it in an automatic cycle in order to further optimise the process and cycle time.
Based on the data set of an injection moulding application, the complete cycle, including injection, holding pressure, etc., can be simulated and the associated graphics and curve diagrams displayed. The integration of automation or the time span until the granulate container needs to be refilled can also be simulated in advance using such a virtual twin.
At K 2025, the virtual twin of the Allrounder 1000 e Trend, which produces connectors at the trade fair stand, will be demonstrated live on a monitor.
Help wanted – “Ask Arburg” delivers
Artificial intelligence (AI) creates completely new perspectives and possibilities when it comes to processing large amounts of data or querying injection moulding knowledge. The premium app “Ask Arburg” is a pioneering example of integration in the customer portal. The AI-supported feature works like ChatGTP – but in a secure, self-contained environment – and can answer specific questions about all Arburg products and processes relating to injection moulding. The answers are now even more specific, as the app is supplemented with machine-specific knowledge about the customer machines via an interface to the master data. In various customer portal apps such as “DataDecoder” or “Programs”, “Ask Arburg” provides contextual support using an AI agent that can perform tasks without human intervention. Furthermore, the intelligent app can now also be called up within the Arburg host computer system ALS and directly on the Gestica control system.
Access is also possible “offline” using a QR code or, with the latest software version, online via smartphone. A new app for the free basic version of the customer portal is the “Energy Calculator”, which can be used to create energy calculations in accordance with Euromap 60.2 – an important prerequisite for applying for subsidies or certifications. E-mail notifications are available to integrate the customer portal into daily work. In addition, “Notifications” can now also be used to display push messages directly on a smartwatch or smartphone as soon as the status of tickets and machines changes, for example.
News about the Arburg ALS host computer system
Complex production environments and high-precision components in particular require precise process control. This is where Arburg’s own MES, also in conjunction with the customer portal, can achieve significant advantages in terms of transparency, process reliability, energy and production efficiency. For example, the digital “Shift Planner” tool for detailed planning and optimisation within the shifts will be presented. This provides transparency regarding responsibilities and enables the manual allocation of employees based on ALS data. To further digitalise individual processes in the production environment with the help of ALS, there is also the new “Workflow” module. Incidentally, event-driven push notifications can also be displayed directly on smartphones, PCs and other end devices in the host computer system via “Notification” – if required, also via the arburgXworld app. In future, users will also be able to have reports analysed via AI, e.g. to compare shift reports.