Food and drink manufacturers looking to invest in automation could soon find it easier to deploy industrial robots following the launch of a Siemens modular robotics platform designed specifically to simplify integration, operation and maintenance.

Unveiled during Siemens’ Transform 2026 event in Manchester, the open robotics platform has been developed in collaboration with Wymbs Engineering and HMK Automation & Drives.

Built using Siemens automation technology and its Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) Portal, the system enables robotic applications to be controlled within the same engineering environment used for the wider production line.

The approach removes much of the complexity traditionally associated with industrial robotics, where manufacturers often need specialist programming knowledge and separate robot-specific software to integrate and maintain automated systems.

Instead, the platform allows manufacturers to manage robotic applications alongside existing automation infrastructure, lowering the technical barriers to adopting robotics across food production.

The fully modular robotic cell has been designed to support a wide range of food manufacturing applications, including pick-and-place handling, product depositing, cream filling, decorating bakery products and packing operations.

Manufacturers can reconfigure the cell through software rather than investing in entirely new machinery, helping production lines respond more quickly to seasonal demand, recipe changes and new product launches.

The platform is also recipe-driven, allowing operators to switch between different production requirements with greater speed and flexibility. Siemens says this makes it easier to automate highly customised production, including batch-size-one applications where individual products require unique decorations or finishes.

Looking ahead, the system can also be equipped with an industrial-grade agentic AI application capable of analysing production data and supporting operators with contextual recommendations. For example, if an abnormal machine temperature is detected, the AI can suggest potential causes and recommend corrective actions based on real-time operational data.

The additional AI capability is intended to reduce reliance on specialist engineering expertise while helping production teams diagnose faults more quickly, minimise downtime and improve maintenance efficiency.

Cybersecurity has also been considered as part of the platform’s design. Built using off-the-shelf components compliant with IEC 62443 standards, the system is intended to support manufacturers’ cyber resilience strategies while simplifying maintenance and replacement of components.

Lucas Laurie, key accounts manager – OEM at Siemens UK & Ireland, said: “There’s huge potential for robotics and industrial AI to help food manufacturers overcome long-standing challenges around cost, labour availability and operational complexity. But the technology has to be practical. Companies need systems that are easy to integrate and simple to support.

“With Wymbs Engineering and HMK Automation & Drives we’re bringing robot control into the same standard automation environment many manufacturers already use across their production lines. That means robotics can be operated and maintained in a more familiar environment, rather than sitting apart as a separate system.

“The future addition of industrial AI is significant because it can help operators and engineers interact with the machine in a more intuitive way. That lowers the practical barriers to automation and helps manufacturers get more value from the technology on the factory floor.”

Thomas Kirkham, automation and robotics manager at Wymbs Engineering, added: “Food manufacturers are looking for practical ways to increase flexibility and productivity, particularly where processes are labour-intensive, repetitive or difficult to keep consistent at scale.

“Thanks to our close collaboration with Siemens and HMK, we’ve developed a robotic platform that can be adapted for different food production applications through software, rather than requiring a completely new machine design every time.”

As food manufacturers continue to face rising labour costs, skills shortages and increasing demands for production flexibility, technologies that simplify automation are becoming increasingly attractive. By integrating robotics into familiar automation environments, Siemens and its partners hope to lower the barriers that have traditionally prevented many manufacturers — particularly SMEs — from investing in robotic production systems.