Walter AG opens its Technology Center
Walter AG presents its new Technology Center in Tübingen to trade journalists at the AMB trade fair in Stuttgart. Here, the company will develop, test and demonstrate high-tech solutions for the machining systems of the future.
Comprising a total area of approximately 5000 square metres, the building at the company’s site in Tübingen combines the functions of an interactive experience centre and a research factory. Customers, partners and staff from all over the globe are now able to collaborate on future solutions. “Our customers today expect reliable, bespoke processes. In the new Walter Technology Center, they can help to shape the development of their machining processes live,” says Mirko Merlo, Chairman of Walter AG. The Walter Technology Center will be officially opened at an international customer event in October.
The Walter Technology Center is an innovative environment, encouraging the development of solutions that go far beyond just tools. In this practical setting, the digital factory of the future is becoming a reality – production, logistics, engineering, control and management processes are digitally connected and will be able to communicate with one another in real time using an application platform. Walter AG is helping to shape the world of the Smart Factory by developing intelligent products that provide information and demonstrate new potential for optimisation to its customers. Walter acknowledged the importance of digitalisation, visualisation and networking some years ago with the Walter Tool ID and the company continues to lead the way with its new Technology Center.
The entire life cycle of a customer component is depicted in the Walter Technology Center. Customers can watch the tools, machining processes and digital applications live and have the opportunity to try them out. In this futuristic factory, Walter will collaborate with customers in the automotive, aerospace, general mechanical engineering and energy production industries to create and optimise prototypes for real-world work applications. They will be ready for use in the on-site “plug & play” production environment immediately and without the need for complex, time-consuming tests. Walter calls this “Real Life Engineering”. “The Technology Center interactively demonstrates process and tool solutions. Using new types of functions, networking the “intelligent” systems and other innovations will permanently change how we think and work with customers,” says Holger Langhans, Director of Walter Multiply.
The Walter Technology Center is equipped with the latest processing and communication technology. Augmented Reality helps to visualise complex process connections and machining scenarios. Thanks to live broadcasts from the machine hall, staff at all Walter distributors will be able to take part in global training sessions. The spacious auditorium, which is equipped with the latest presentation technology and can seat up to 200 people, will host expert conferences and customer events.
