Towards industry-oriented and applied research on Machine building & Mechatronics

The foundation of the Machine Building & Mechatronics (M&M) industry lies in the province of West-Flanders. Further digitalisation, robotisation, and automation within the M&M sector is essential for increased output and reduced dependence on high labour costs as well as to circumvent the scarcity of good professionals. Together, KU Leuven and VIVES want to be the go-to institutes for companies (large companies as well as SMEs) regarding this area of expertise. This trajectory aims to achieve this goal by intensifying and significantly extending the collaboration between KU Leuven and VIVES. During the foreseen 2-year period, the mandate holder will further refine the joint roadmap of KU Leuven Bruges Campus and VIVES, organise regular internal match-making events, foster research collaborations, and initiate concrete collaborations with industry. The joint roadmap will focus on follow-up initiatives in two subjects: “autonomous mechatronics systems” and “machine upgrading & IoT, smart-sensor networks”.

Keywords:Mechatronics, Make-industry, Retrofitting, Smart Automation, Safety

Disciplines:Mechatronics and robotics not elsewhere classified