Engel adds action capability to EVA assistant

Engel will present an expanded version of its inject AI concept at Fakuma 2026. The autonomous injection moulding cell will retain the appearance of the system shown in the previous year, but its functionality will be extended through the Engel Virtual Assistant, EVA. The assistant is designed to understand questions entered in natural language by text or voice, relate them to the machine and the current production job, and use Engel's machine, process and service expertise to propose the next step.

The main development is EVA's ability to support action as well as provide information. After an operator approves a proposed change, the assistant can prepare it and transfer it directly to the machine control system. Engel positions this controlled confirmation step as the distinction between EVA and a conventional chatbot. The concept is intended for day-to-day production situations involving the part, process, machine, service cases and operational decisions. It also considers the individual production context, including the machine, mould, material, order and quality requirements.

From natural-language query to controlled action

The interaction follows four stages:

• Understand: Operators ask questions in their own words by text or voice. EVA relates the request to the machine and the current job.
• Interpret: The available data is linked with Engel's machine, process and service expertise.
• Explain and recommend: EVA presents complex relationships in an understandable form and recommends the next appropriate step.
• Act with control: EVA prepares approved changes and transfers them to the machine control system once the operator has confirmed them.

Johannes Kilian, Vice President Process & Application Technology at Engel, said: "The skills shortage in production really bites when a fault occurs and the right expert isn't available. At the same time, valuable knowledge is often held by just a few people, and not always available in the language you need. EVA brings Engel's expertise directly to the people on the shop floor – around the clock, in plain language, and tailored to the situation at hand. That means faster problem-solving, more targeted process optimisation, and production that keeps running reliably."

AI interface supports new machines and retrofits

The technological basis of the assistant's new functions is the Engel AI Interface. It provides machine context in a controlled manner for approved Engel use cases. The interface relies partly on the Model Context Protocol, MCP, which supplies machine information to AI applications in a structured and context-aware format.

The Engel AI Interface is available for every new Engel and Wintec injection moulding cell. It can be specified as an option on new machines and retrofitted to existing machines fitted with a CC300 or C3 control unit. According to the company, this allows customers to plan the virtual assistant as a standard equipment option for their production systems.

Gerhard Dimmler, CTO of the Engel Group, said: "We're seeing AI change the way people work and access knowledge. Asking a question and getting an instant, understandable, context-aware answer is fast becoming the norm. With inject AI, we're bringing that shift into injection moulding production. Our goal is to give users a tool that makes them more efficient in their daily work – from simple knowledge queries, through support during faults, to optimising the machine itself."

Development towards self-regulating production

The cell presented at Fakuma forms part of Engel's broader plan for automated, self-regulating production that could eventually operate without lighting. Through EVA and the Engel AI Interface, the company is combining machines and digital solutions within one system. Engel is developing further use cases with customers and selected partners, validating them in stages and introducing them into production environments.

Visitors will be able to interact directly with the machine and test inject AI at Fakuma 2026 in Hall A5, Stand 5203.

inject AI gives the Engel injection moulding cell a voice: questions become answers, and answers become action