Artificial intelligence is making its way into the day-to-day production processes of the plastics processing industry. With the ENGEL Virtual Assistant (EVA), ENGEL is presenting a groundbreaking collaboration at Fakuma 2026 that, for the first time, makes valuable industry knowledge regarding injection molding defects directly available in an AI-powered assistant solution. The ENGEL Virtual Assistant (EVA) combines ENGEL’s expertise in injection molding and AI with the practical know-how of the SKZ Plastics Center and Meusburger’s expertise in tooling and processes.

AI avatar of EVA (Source: Engel GmbH Austria)

The focus is on the ENGEL Virtual Assistant (EVA): an intelligent assistant for injection molding production that understands questions asked in natural language, takes the machine and process context into account, and provides operators with specific recommendations for action. EVA draws on machine-specific knowledge, documentation, and stored expert information. A new feature is the ability to transfer approved actions to the machine control system in a controlled manner after confirmation by the user, thereby not only providing answers but also actively supporting problem-solving.

Industry Expertise for the Industry
For the (further) development of EVA, SKZ – The Plastics Center and Meusburger have contributed their extensive expertise on injection molding defects. The basis for this was the freely available defect catalog, which describes typical defect patterns, their causes, and possible corrective actions.

By integrating this content, EVA is enhanced with valuable process knowledge. In the future, users will not only be able to ask questions about their machines but will also receive in-depth support in analyzing and correcting injection molding defects. This makes expert knowledge built up over decades digitally available and usable at any time at the point of value creation.

The SKZ contributes its many years of expertise as Europe’s leading plastics institute in the areas of research, continuing education, testing, certification, and knowledge transfer. Since 1961, the institute has supported companies along the entire value chain of the plastics industry. In particular, the know-how from the SKZ continuing education course “Injection Molding Defects—Causes and Troubleshooting” is put to targeted use in EVA.

Meusburger complements the project with its comprehensive expertise in tool, mold, and machine manufacturing. As a leading international manufacturer of standard parts and a provider of innovative solutions for mold making, the company possesses in-depth know-how regarding tool design, process stability, and defect prevention in injection molding production.

From defect description to concrete action
In day-to-day production, there is often a lack of time and available experts to quickly identify the causes of defects. EVA fills precisely this gap. Operators can easily describe a process deviation or a defective part via text or voice input. The AI analyzes the request in the context of ongoing production, combines machine, process, and expert knowledge, and suggests suitable solutions.

By incorporating defect knowledge from SKZ and Meusburger, EVA will, for example, help to more quickly detect typical defect patterns such as sink marks, weld lines, warpage, flash, or air entrapments and derive appropriate corrective actions. This reduces the time spent troubleshooting, shortens downtime, and particularly supports less experienced employees in dealing with complex problems.

Premiere at Fakuma 2026
The solution will be unveiled for the first time at Fakuma 2026 in Friedrichshafen. Visitors can experience EVA live and see for themselves how artificial intelligence and expert knowledge work together to make production processes more efficient and robust.

Interested trade visitors can find the project partners at the trade show at the following booth numbers:

• ENGEL: Hall A5, Booth A5-5203
• Meusburger: Hall A2, Booth A2-2313
• SKZ – The Plastics Center: Hall B3, Booth B3-3000

Shaping the Future of Injection Molding Together
The collaboration between ENGEL, SKZ, and Meusburger demonstrates how industrial know-how, research and educational expertise, and modern AI technologies can be combined to create real added value for the plastics processing industry.

The shared goal: to make knowledge available more quickly, stabilize production processes, and support companies in successfully meeting the growing demands for quality, efficiency, and securing a skilled workforce.

With EVA, collected expert knowledge is transformed into a digital assistant that supports users exactly when they need help—right at the machine, around the clock, and within the specific production context.