15.08.2024
Happy Birthday! 10 years of ARENA2036
A decade of innovation and partnership
ARENA2036 is celebrating the start of its third funding phase and is looking back on numerous projects, partnerships, and successes from over a decade. Sensor and automation specialist Balluff has been an active member since 2017 and is involved in a number of interdisciplinary projects. They have achieve a lot in these seven years: the local team has been continuously expanded, and numerous exciting joint projects have been launched. Balluff actively contributes its expertise in sensor technology and industrial automation. With its own workspace and a team of up to five employees, Balluff has a permanent presence in ARENA2036. This close proximity to partners in research and industry enables flexible and effective collaboration in projects and beyond.
Celebrating successes together
The Über:morgen event took place on June 13 and 14 2024 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of ARENA2036 and the start of the third funding phase. The event included a project fair and inspiring keynotes and panel discussions. The event provided a platform for partners and members to showcase their progress and achievements and discuss future projects. It was an opportunity to explore the visions and technologies of the next decade and create new synergies. Balluff presented an innovative vibration demonstrator that shows how predictive maintenance can be used to detect anomalies. This technology enables the early detection of deviations and makes it possible to failures, which significantly increases the efficiency and reliability of production processes.
Balluff also presented its advances in 5G technology—in particular the connectivity concepts for machine control systems. Together with the technology company Nokia, solutions were presented in which a virtualized PLC communicates with sensors and actuators via 5G. This can significantly improve the efficiency and flexibility of production processes. "It was a great opportunity to present our latest developments and receive direct feedback from the participants," says Christoph Böckenhoff, Innovation Manager at Balluff.
"It was a great opportunity to present our latest developments and receive direct feedback from the participants."
Christoph Böckenhoff, Innovation Manager at Balluff
Exclusive insights and family festival: ARENA2036 and Balluff inspire with innovative projects and technologies
On Thursday evening, the event was open to invited guests, who were given a deeper insight into the current projects and research initiatives. One of the three new ARENA projects is Connect4HCA (Human-Centered Automation), which focuses on effective collaboration between automation components and people. Balluff is focusing on the reliable transmission of necessary sensor data. On Friday, the doors of the event were open to all visitors. Numerous university students took the opportunity to find out about career opportunities. Many of the colleagues' families were also guests, and the younger visitors in particular had great fun with Balluff's wireless fabrication demonstrator, which fascinated even the youngest guests with its colorful lights and movements. "The open research campus allowed us to actively engage with visitors and explain and demonstrate our innovative solutions," added Böckenhoff. We look forward to the next few years full of new challenges and opportunities and wish ARENA2036 congratulations on its 10th anniversary.
Interview with Dr Thomas Meissner about the collaboration with ARENA2036 and Balluff GmbH:
How does Balluff benefit from collaborating with ARENA2036?
Dr Thomas Meissner: The collaboration with ARENA2036 is very interesting for Balluff, as it enables us to work together with external partners, universities and research institutes. This co-operation allows us to identify and test technology and market trends at an early stage, which gives us a clear competitive advantage from which our customers benefit. In the past, we have been able to gain valuable insights, particularly in the area of condition monitoring, which has significantly strengthened our position in the market.
What contribution is Balluff making to ARENA2036?
Dr Thomas Meissner: ARENA2036 benefits from the cooperative collaboration of various specialists from different fields. Sensors and network technology are an integral part of every project and play an important role. As an expert in the automation sector and the manufacturing industry, Balluff is actively involved in numerous projects. Automation is essential for manufacturing, and Balluff is a point of contact for innovative solutions, technologies and expertise.
Is there a concrete example of the success of this partnership?
Dr Thomas Meissner: A great example is our research project on the 5G synergy area, in which we are working closely with Nokia. This collaboration has enabled us to explore the possibilities and limits of 5G technology and make significant progress towards market-ready products. We have also been able to develop innovative solutions and gain new insights through collaborations in the field of gripper concepts in robotics, such as with Schunk. A prototype of a battery-operated gripper was developed here. The control signals for the gripper and sensor signals of the gripping status were transmitted wirelessly via the new IO-Link Wireless radio standard. In addition, an RFID system from Balluff for contactless tracking of intralogistics processes was integrated into the "Intelligent Floor" platform from Bosch Rexroth.
