KUKA KR 800 R3200-2 PA

“A robot must not look like a lame duck – it must act with power, move with precision and perform like an athlete among machines.” – What Mario Selic, the designer of the KUKA KR 800-2 PA heavy-duty palletising robot, expresses so succinctly here is a design maxim that requires a very high level of technical expertise and close cooperation with research and development. The KUKA KR 800-2 PA was developed for precise handling in the shortest possible cycle time. It has a reach of 3.2 metres and can move loads of up to 800 kg. For such a performance, a robot also needs a lot of “unbridled power” – and a slim body at the same time. Weight optimisation is not a design vanity, but a prerequisite for efficiency, precision and energy efficiency. The challenge was to model all the cast components in such a way that they appear formally reduced, but at the same time can withstand the high loads in continuous operation. The aim was to create a slim, dynamic body without functional or visual overload. “The KUKA KR 800-2 PA is not just a machine; it clearly expresses its purpose. Its design makes the potential visually tangible. You can feel its energy and manoeuvrability even before it starts moving. This is exactly what shows how design can translate technical performance into emotional presence,” said the enthusiastic jury. “This robot combines immense power, speed and precision in an amazingly compact form.” Targeted form-finding and computer-aided simulations resulted in a structure that harmonises technical resilience with aesthetic lightness. Flowing transitions, overlapping surfaces and balanced proportions give the KUKA KR 800-2 PA an organic appearance that visually conveys speed, precision and endurance. All cast components have been reduced to what is structurally necessary in order to minimise weight, energy consumption and inertia. The design consistently follows the mechanical flow of force. The highly torsion-resistant construction enables precise handling of heavy loads, while the silhouette radiates light-footedness and dynamism – a machine athlete with attitude.