KUKA has achieved Security Level 2 certification under IEC 62443-4-2 for its iiQKA.OS2 operating system and KR C5 controller platform. According to the company, it is the first robotics manufacturer to receive this certification for a robot system.
The development comes as increasingly connected and software-controlled manufacturing environments create additional cybersecurity requirements for industrial automation. KUKA says the platform also already meets the requirements of the EU Cyber Resilience Act and complies with EN ISO 10218-1:2025.
Cybersecurity moves into robot control
The IEC 62443 certification addresses security requirements including controlled system access and secure communication within connected industrial environments. This is particularly relevant as manufacturers increasingly integrate robots into broader digital production and data infrastructures.
“With iiQKA.OS2, we are creating the foundation for a new generation of industrial automation: more intuitive, more connected, and more secure,” said Marc Steigerwald, Strategic Program Manager at KUKA. He added that “Cybersecurity is no longer an add-on topic today, but a central requirement for robust, future-ready production systems.”
Alongside cybersecurity, KUKA says robot systems running iiQKA.OS2 already meet requirements associated with the new EU Machinery Regulation. Integrated safety functions include normal stop, restart interlock and monitoring of robot axes.
New controller architecture targets higher performance
KUKA is combining iiQKA.OS2 with its new KR C5 controller family. The architecture is intended to provide higher performance and simpler operation while supporting increasingly software-driven automation processes.
The operating system combines elements of KUKA's established system software with a web-based interface and scalable architecture. The company is positioning iiQKA.OS2 as a common platform designed to simplify robot operation and shorten engineering processes across different industrial applications.
Digital twin integrated into engineering platform
KUKA is also linking the operating system with its iiQWorks engineering environment. While iiQKA.OS2 provides the runtime and control platform, iiQWorks covers digital planning, simulation and commissioning.
The iiQWorks.Sim component allows manufacturers and integrators to configure, program and validate robotic cells virtually before physical commissioning. An AI-based iiQWorks.Copilot is intended to assist engineers with programming and other engineering tasks.
By combining cybersecurity certification, robot control and digital-twin-based engineering, KUKA aims to establish a more integrated platform for connected industrial automation.
