FOCUS

Future 
Production

JOANNEUM RESEARCH works for the future-proof production

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Kostengünstige, energieeffiziente Herstellungsverfahren von gedruckter Elektronik

The production of goods represents a fundamental pillar of European prosperity and competitiveness in a global market. In order to protect the region’s economy, substantial advances ranging from increased digitalization to optimization in the sense of a functioning low CO2 circular economy in production processes are necessary.

At JOANNEUM RESEARCH, more than 250 interdisciplinary experts work in the area of »Information and Production Technologies« for national and international clients and together with partners in the following areas of research:

  • Digitalization in production
  • Optimization of production technologies and processes
  • Climate-neutral production

JOANNEUM RESEARCH’s contribution can range from initial analyses and feasibility studies up to the development of industrial solutions for quality assurance systems, production processes and technology, materials, and the analysis of industrial production data, depending on the area of application.

Our research infrastructure is aligned with the needs of business and industry. Access to state-of-the-art international technological developments is ensured thanks to the close cooperation with leading international research facilities.

Digitalization in Production
Kostengünstige, energieeffiziente Herstellungsverfahren von gedruckter Elektronik

Photo: JOANNEUM RESEARCH/ Schwarzl

Digitalization in Production

Digital innovation is a development driver: it changes existing production processes and methods while enabling new ones. Powerful sensors provide a wealth of data that can be used for automation, optimization and quality assurance purposes through the application of modern information processing techniques and artificial intelligence. Furthermore, modern robotic technologies enable the digital value addition chain to be connected to the physical world of production in a cost-effective and quality assuring manner.

Areas of Research

  • Optical and acoustic test procedures for product and process quality assurance in an industrial setting
  • Multi-sensor monitoring system for automated operation
  • Real-time Industrial Internet-of-Things (IIoT) to network the production machine park
  • Robots used as tools for digitalization and quality assurance
  • Design and validation of robot-based production processes
  • Investigation and test of physical and cyberphysical safety in automated production systems
  • Data analysis for the predictive maintenance and optimization of tool use

Infrastructure and References

Optimization of Production

Photo: JOANNEUM RESEARCH/ Bergmann

Optimization of Production Technologies and Processes

The development of new machines, software systems and materials has provided the technological basis for an economically justifiable optimization of new and existing manufacturing technologies and processes. JOANNEUM RESEARCH helps business and industry take advantage of these opportunities by providing holistic support in the areas of research, development and implementation.

Areas of Research

  • Generative manufacturing (laser production technology, 3D printing, plasma technologies)
  • Optics-Design, optical simulation, analysis and manufacturing of optical systems and micro-optical elements
  • Structuring processes (e.g. lithography, ion-etching)
  • Roll-to-roll-nano-imprint process
  • Coating processes (e.g. ink-jet, aerosol-jet printing)
  • Implementation of Robot-supported optimized processes
  • Prototyping using hands-on process development and validation

Infrastructure and References

Climate-Neutral Manufacturing

Photo: JOANNEUM RESEARCH/ Schwarzl

Climate-Neutral Manufacturing

The internationally agreed climate goals provide many opportunities for the European manufacturing industry during their transition to climate-neutral balancing of resource use,  environmental impact and economic viability. It is also essential to perform macro-economic analyses to safeguard both existing and newly established production locations and to consider increasing climatic risk in global value chains.

Areas of Research

  • Lifecyle analyses for production processes and products
  • Integration of lifecycle data in industrial digital data streams
  • Climate risk analyses in the global value chain
  • Macro-economic modelling of production processes in international competition

Reference Projects

ROBOTICS, Industrial Hall, Credit: JOANNEUM RESEARCH/ Schwarzl

For further information please contact

Best Practice

Digitisation in Agriculture

Digitisation in agriculture is based on three pillars: sensor-based technologies, evaluation using statistical methods and linking with farmers' knowledge.

PyzoFlex®

Printable sensor technology

We have developed an innovative sensor technology (PyzoFlex®) which enables the full-surface registration, recognition and processing of tactile and gestural information. The sensors can be shaped in any size and geometry and can be integrated directly into the surface of an object.
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The CoBot Studio

Intuitive human-machine communication 

How do man and machine communicate at the workplace? Robots, so-called "CoBots", are increasingly used in production alongside and with humans. How must human-robot communication be designed to enable efficient and safe work?
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Hands-on-Area

A test laboratory for robots

The heart of the building in Klagenfurt is the hands-on area for robot-based production, where industrial companies can simulate what employees in production and production planning are confronted with on a daily basis.
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Cyber Security

Cyber security is a hype - and rightly so?

Digitalisation makes research into new methods and the development of innovative technologies for protection against cyber attacks inevitable. Nevertheless, some basic measures remain more than ever justified.
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Human-robot work areas

Trustworthy robots

In the future, intelligent production processes will play an important role in industrial and manufacturing companies in maintaining and strengthening the respective location. In this context, the industry's demand for collaborative robots, which are used in a shared robot-human work environment and should not pose any danger to humans, will also increase significantly.
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Quality- control

Testing technologies for industrial wood processing

In an industrial manufacturing process, imaging sensors ensure seamless quality control in automated door production at full production speed. Cameras scan the passing doors and image processing programs check in the background whether the edges and surfaces of the doors are perfect.
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