The M&M Centre offers expertise in the field of Industry 4.0 to prepare manufacturing businesses for the future.
SMEs can test new tools on demo and testing infrastructure at 5 different laboratories of the M&M Centre and be inspired by specific business cases.
Before the development of the competence centre, West Flanders represented as much of 40% of employment in the mechatronics sector, while it only represented 10% of the research and technological support in this sector. Therefore, there was a real need for a competence centre to bridge the gap between the industrial needs and research availability.
The M&M Centre was realised by close cooperation between the partners Sirris, Howest, KU Leuven, Ghent University, TUA West and POM West Flanders. It consists out of 2 innovation labs, 2 application labs, 1 technology lab and an open innovation platform. Strengthening the technological support for SMEs is a key feature of the centre.
The objectives of the M&M centre are manifold:
- Improving the position of West Flemish SMEs in the technology driven economy, both regional and global
- Researching, developing and demonstrating new technology, in close consultation with local industry and research institutions
- Close proximity of knowledge development within Industry 4.0 for all West Flemish SMEs
The main stakeholders of the M&M Centre are:
- Sirris
- KU Leuven
- Ghent University
- Howest
- TUA West
- POM West Flanders
- VLAIO
- Province of West Flanders
The main beneficiaries are the West Flemish SMEs, dealing with mechanical engineering and mechatronics.
Resources needed
Funding: €4.270.521
Evidence of success
Development of:
- Innovation lab ‘The Ultimate Machine’
- Innovation lab ‘The Ultimate Factory’
- Technology lab 'Augmented & Virtual Reality'
- Application lab 'Smart Assembly & Production'
- Application lab 'Smart Production Organization'
- Open innovation platform
Potential for learning or transfer
The M&M Centre is:
1) Based on needs of local manufacturing industry
2) A unique cooperation between different regional knowledge institutions that bring together complementary knowledge
3) A combination of complementary laboratories, based on the needs of the manufacturing industry, as it provides support on AR/VR, collaborative robots, big data and Internet of Things
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