Fields of Expertise

Smart Factory

 

In Austria, manufacturing industry accounts for 29.3% of total value added. In Styria this figure is even higher, at 35%, making it the most important sector of the economy. Added to this, every second job in Styria is directly or indirectly related to manufacturing industry. Consequently, all disciplines relevant to production technology need to be continuously advanced to ensure that Styria remains an economically and environmentally sustainable place to live and work in the long term.

Employees in production often feel threatened by the introduction of new manufacturing technologies, fearing the loss of jobs and their own futures. As a result, potential increases in production quality and efficiency often remain unused, with a negative impact on competitiveness.

The aim of interdisciplinary research at FH JOANNEUM is to apply intelligent technical and organisational measures to illustrate the potential created by introducing modern technologies and exploit this potential by involving the entire production workforce. That’s why experts from technical fields including production technology, electronics and applied computer sciences work hand-in-hand with specialists in the health and social sciences to design tomorrow's workplace, making it smart, human and sustainable.