Smart Production Lab

Focus on future technologies

The successful cooperation between NTS and the University of Applied Sciences Joanneum sets a strong example for the support of research and innovation. NTS supplies the network inclusive of all the secure configuration that goes with it to the Smart Production Lab of the University of Applied Sciences in Kapfenberg. This collaboration showcases how science and economy are able to jointly promote innovation. With the Smart Production Lab at the core of this cooperation, a unique platform is created, where theory and practise merges. This is how trendsetting technologies for industry 4.0 need to be developed and how their application should be put in practise.

What is the Smart Production Lab?

The Smart Production Lab at the University of Applied Sciences FH JOANNEUM in Kapfenberg is a 600-square-meter teaching and research facility dedicated to digitalization and industry 4.0. It was established in 2017 with an investment volume of 2.9 million Euros, and it is equipped with up-to-date infrastructure as well as with the newest production technologies.

It is the goal to develop and to optimize smart production systems that are more efficient as well as more resistant towards the challenges of modern industrial processes. Here, state-of-the-art technologies such as automation, robotics, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are tested and further developed in production environments that are close to reality. The focus is on the merger of Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT). The lab provides a practical environment where digital order processes and the interlinking of machines, human beings and services are perceptible throughout the entire production processes.

“The partnership with the FH JOANNEUM within the framework of the Smart Production Lab allows us to develop practical solutions for the digital transformation together with students and partners from the industry.”

Helmut Hödl Product & Technology Director

Merging OT and IT

Operational Technology (OT) describes the deployment of hardware and software for the control of industrial installations. It is used in areas such as manufacturing, energy, the medical field and construction. In contrast to IT, which targets data systems and commercial applications, OT focusses on physical processes. Due to the increasing interlinking of OT systems with IT, overlaps are evolving as OT is generating and processing more and more data.

Practical research and development

Real production environments are simulated in the Smart Production Lab in order to find innovative solutions for key challenges like for instance:

  • Automation and interlinking: How do machines, sensors and control systems communicate securely and efficiently?
  • Cyber security: How does one protect critical infrastructure from attacks?
  • Predictive maintenance: How can breakdowns be avoided by early detection?
  • Sustainability: How can production processes be designed in an energy- and resource-efficient way?

 

The practical research approaches that are followed in the Smart Lab provide businesses with the opportunity to directly integrate innovative technologies into their production processes and to test their potential in a realistic environment. Thereby, students and researchers benefit from insights into the future of the industry, and they collect valuable experience with state-of-the-art technologies.

“By providing our expertise and infrastructure, we contribute to strengthen the competitiveness of the mid-size sector and to put innovative technologies into practice.”

Helmut Hödl Product & Technology Director

Together for a sustainable production

The NTS team introduces comprehensive know-how to the areas of network infrastructures, Cloud technologies and IT security. Thus, together with the University of Applied Sciences in Kapfenberg, a bridge is built between academic innovations and industrial applications. The close collaboration not only creates concrete solutions for the challenges of industry 4.0, but it also strengthens the innovation power of the region.