Engel: AI assistant EVA integrates troubleshooting expertise from SKZ and Meusburger

At Fakuma 2026, Engel will present an expanded version of its AI-powered “Engel Virtual Assistant” (EVA). The assistant can process freely formulated questions about ongoing injection moulding operations, take the specific machine and process context into account, and recommend appropriate next steps based on the information available to it. A new feature allows approved changes to be transferred to the machine control system after explicit confirmation by the operator (see also plasticker-news dated September 24, 2026)
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To broaden the system’s knowledge base, SKZ – The Plastics Center and Meusburger are contributing specialist expertise on the analysis and correction of typical injection moulding defects. The content is based on a freely available troubleshooting catalogue covering defect patterns, possible causes and suitable corrective measures. This adds external expertise in plastics technology, training, and tool and mould making to EVA’s existing machine- and process-specific knowledge.

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SKZ contributes plastics and troubleshooting expertise
SKZ plays a key role by providing application-focused knowledge on injection moulding defects. The institute has decades of experience in research, testing, training, certification and knowledge transfer in plastics technology. For EVA, this includes content from the field of injection moulding defects, their causes and troubleshooting.

The SKZ knowledge base covers common defects such as sink marks, weld lines, warpage, flash and air traps, along with potential causes and corrective actions. By integrating this information into EVA in a structured form, the expertise becomes directly accessible in the production environment. Operators can describe a deviation by text or voice input, while EVA combines the query with machine and process data to derive possible corrective measures.

SKZ’s contribution therefore focuses primarily on systematic defect analysis. The approach transfers know-how that has traditionally been available through training, technical documentation and expert support into a digital assistance environment that can be used directly at the machine.

Meusburger adds tooling and process know-how
Meusburger complements this with expertise from tool, mould and machine construction. The standard-parts manufacturer, headquartered in Wolfurt, Austria, contributes knowledge relating in particular to tool design, process stability and defect prevention in injection moulding production.

This adds a tooling perspective to SKZ’s plastics-focused defect analysis. When investigating the causes of component defects, EVA can therefore take into account not only machine and process parameters, but also possible design- or tooling-related factors. This is particularly relevant because many injection moulding defects cannot be traced back to a single cause.

From defect description to approved machine action
The Engel Virtual Assistant processes natural-language queries and draws on documentation, machine-specific information and stored expert knowledge. According to Engel, the system can incorporate the current machine context and use it to recommend appropriate next steps.

With the version being shown at Fakuma 2026, EVA is designed to go beyond providing information. Once the operator has confirmed a proposed change, approved adjustments can be transferred to the machine control system. Final approval therefore remains with the operating personnel. The technical basis is the “Engel AI Interface”, which provides machine information in a structured format for approved AI applications.

By combining Engel’s machine expertise, SKZ’s plastics troubleshooting knowledge and Meusburger’s tooling competence, the system is intended to help users identify defect causes more quickly and derive suitable countermeasures more systematically. This can be particularly valuable in production environments where experienced specialists are not immediately available.

Presentation at Fakuma 2026
Engel will present the solution at Fakuma 2026 in Hall A5, Stand A5-5203. Meusburger will be exhibiting in Hall A2, Stand 2313, while SKZ can be found in Hall B3, Stand 3000.

Fakuma 2026, Friedrichshafen, Germany, 12–16 October 2026

More information: engelglobal.com, www.meusburger.com, www.skz.de

Engel Austria GmbH, Schwertberg, Austria + Meusburger Georg GmbH & Co KG, Wolfurt, Austria + SKZ - Das Kunststoff-Zentrum, Würzburg, Germany

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