European firms Hexagon Robotics and Fill Maschinenbau have partnered to push manufacturing autonomy through humanoid robotics.

The partnership will deploy the Swiss robotics firm’s AEON humanoid across the Austrian engineering company’s advanced production environments.

The system is designed to handle machine tending, inspection, and operational support in real-world factory settings. Hexagon claims the move reflects rising use of humanoids in workflows, positioning AEON as a scalable tool for efficiency and smarter manufacturing.

Earlier this year, BMW Group deployed the AEON humanoid robot at its Leipzig plant, expanding physical AI integration across its global production network following a US pilot.

Humanoid robot enters manufacturing

Hexagon and Fill Maschinenbau are looking to advance humanoid-led automation through a pilot deployment of the AEON humanoid robot in Gurten, Austria.

The multi-purpose humanoid will be tested in a real client use case to demonstrate its integration into existing manufacturing workflows and its role as a complement to established automation systems.

The pilot focuses on practical applications such as machine tending, inspection, and operational support, combining physical AI with current production technologies. The initiative aims to validate how humanoids can enhance autonomy, improve efficiency, and expand workforce productivity, particularly in complex environments like high-mix production and precision assembly.

AEON is designed to operate alongside human workers, supporting manipulation, inspection, and data capture tasks. Its capabilities are enabled by sensor fusion, spatial intelligence, and a wheel-based locomotion system, allowing it to function effectively in industrial settings.

According to Hexagon, the deployment is expected to generate insights into system performance, integration, and scalability. The collaboration underscores a broader push toward next-generation automation, focusing on flexible, data-driven manufacturing solutions that deliver measurable operational value.

Simulation-driven robotics

Hexagon AB’s Robotics Division, based in Zurich, focuses on physical AI and introduced its first humanoid, the AEON humanoid robot, in June 2025. Following early evaluations and lab validation, AEON entered its first real-world pilot at BMW Group’s Leipzig plant in December 2025

AEON humanoid robot is engineered as a general-purpose industrial system combining advanced mechatronics, multimodal sensor fusion, and real-time physical AI. Designed for sectors including manufacturing, aerospace, transportation, and logistics, it performs precision tasks such as part manipulation, inspection, asset scanning, and operational support in complex, dynamic environments.

A core element of AEON’s development is its simulation-first approach. The robot is trained extensively in virtual environments using NVIDIA Isaac Sim and NVIDIA Isaac Lab. Within simulation, it acquires navigation, locomotion, and manipulation capabilities before real-world deployment, significantly reducing training cycles from months to weeks.

For on-device intelligence, AEON operates on NVIDIA Jetson Orin, enabling real-time perception and decision-making. Future upgrades to NVIDIA IGX Thor are expected to support enhanced collaborative safety in industrial settings. The robot also utilizes NVIDIA Isaac GR00T and Mimic tools to learn from human demonstrations and generate synthetic motion data, accelerating skill development.