The future of the packaging industry: intelligent automation and AI for maximum flexibility and efficiency

Tobias Gerhard, Business Development Manager Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Bosch Rexroth AG

"The framework conditions for packaging machine manufacturers and operators is undergoing profound changes. Shorter product lifecycles and the e-commerce boom require adaptive production processes, even down to batch sizes of one. Volatile supply chains are increasing the need for resilient manufacturing strategies, and personnel-intensive, repetitive tasks are increasingly being automated – not least because qualified operating personnel are becoming increasingly difficult to find. At the same time, legal requirements and corporate goals for greater sustainability and a circular economy are leading to new design principles for plants and packaging.

To ensure the industry’s competitiveness, we see three key technology trends: the shift toward software-defined automation based on open ecosystems, the migration of AI applications to the network edge, and the integration of sustainability goals into core processes.

Thanks to open interfaces and standardized engineering tools, machine designs can be implemented with significantly reduced integration effort, and variant changes can be made in minutes rather than hours. With our automation platform ctrlX AUTOMATION, we enable collaboration within a broad partner ecosystem. Artificial intelligence is evolving from a purely analytical technology into an operational tool directly at the machine. Instead of sending large amounts of data to a cloud for processing, powerful edge devices enable AI-supported decisions in real time – for example, for predictive maintenance, adaptive process control in the event of material fluctuations, or inline quality control. Decentralized intelligence is essential for significantly increasing the efficiency and autonomy of production lines, if IT/OT security is considered from the very beginning.

To reliably process new, sustainable packaging materials and further reduce the energy consumption of packaging machines, we rely on a holistic approach to the automation of packaging machines. Through data-driven energy optimization and adaptive motion profiles, we can measurably reduce energy consumption and material waste – without compromising performance.

We continuously develop our automation solutions for future-proof packaging machines – for open, intelligent and self-optimizing production in which machines, materials and people work together seamlessly."

Infobox: Bosch Rexroth at the interpack 2026

At interpack 2026 in hall 6, booth A42, Bosch Rexroth will present how open, modular automation solutions work together on three levels: in the machine, between machines and above machines. On this basis, machine manufacturers and end users can tailor future-proof machine concepts to their specific needs:

Within the machine, the automation system ctrlX AUTOMATION provides a flexible basis for developing machines more quickly and adapting them to changing challenges throughout their lifecycle. Bosch Rexroth also continuously adapts its linear motion technology product portfolio to changing market conditions. Whether for packaging, palletizing, stacking, or even end-of-line inspection – the Rexroth standard portfolio enables a wide range of guidance tasks in the packaging sector to be implemented economically, efficiently, and quickly. Customers can now also obtain linear guides, for example, in a cost-optimized variant featuring the familiar Rexroth quality. The electromechanical cylinders are available in approximately 3,000 different configurations. With lifetime lubrication available for many applications, these maintenance-free actuators offer greater flexibility in machine design.

To ensure seamless, flexible material flow and interlinking between machines, modular transport systems are available – ranging from the VarioFlow plus chain conveyor system and the VarioFlow belt for transporting bulk and film-packed products to the planar system ctrlX FLOW6D for contactless high-performance transport and positioning with six degrees of freedom.

Intelligent data integration is crucial for communication above multiple machines. Open interfaces, for example, enable OEE monitoring, energy management, and predictive maintenance to be carried out using a shared database, including from third-party providers. When combined with collaborative robots, this allows personnel-intensive and repetitive tasks to be automated.