Motivation

Targeted research transfer is more important than ever. With the initial project "Smart University Grid", the transfer network Saxony⁵, consisting of the five Saxon Universities of Applied Sciences (HAW), was established. The resulting structures and findings as well as innovations form the basis for the establishment of a future-oriented, cross-university structural transfer system "Sustained University Grid". Thus, the Co-Creation Lab (CCL) "Factory of the Future" was founded in the initial project. In addition to the Industrie 4.0 model factory of the HTW Dresden as a core element, elements of collaborative robotics of the HTWK Leipzig and HSMW, Smart Factory of the WHZ Zwickau as well as the laboratory technology for research in the field of gerontology of the HSZG were expanded to a factory distributed throughout Saxony. The goal was to create an interdisciplinary research environment with a focus on the topics of Smart Factory, Smart Operations, Smart Products, Data-driven Services, Smart Worker and Digital Leadership in the area of Industry 4.0. By bundling the competencies, a value network has been created that pool the essential core elements for the digital transformation in manufacturing and represents a central contact point for companies on the topic of the factory of the future.

Objective

The aim is to expand the activities of the established CCL "FdZ" within the framework of the second project on the transfer field of production to include the topics of "resilience", "sustainability", "human-centeredness" and "human-technology interaction".  This is intended to address currently relevant economic and social challenges such as supply bottlenecks, environmental protection regulations, and the acceptance of technology by older generations.

Measures/implementation

• Establishment of "Resilient Manufacturing" competence cluster
• Expansion of existing transfer rooms
• Establishment of new demonstrators
• Creation of a knowledge platform
• Further development of transfer formats
• Networking and transfer work