On 20 April, Parliamentary State Secretary Brigitte Zypries visited Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences
Kleve/Kamp-Lintfort, 20 April 2016: At the invitation of Siegmund Ehrmann, Member of the Bundestag, and Dr Hans-Ulrich Krüger, Parliamentary State Secretary Brigitte Zypries took part in a panel discussion on Industry 4.0 that evening. Prior to this, as part of her visit to the FabLab at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, she was able to gain a first-hand impression of one of the region’s flagship projects in this field. Brigitte Zypries was welcomed by the University President, Dr Heide Naderer, Prof. Dr Andreas Schürholz, Dean of the Faculty; Prof. Dr Karsten Nebe, Professor of Computer Science and Internet Technologies at the Faculty of Communication and Environment and Director of the FabLab; and Dr Martin Kreymann, FabLab Project Manager and Head of the ZDI. Other guests attending the meeting included the Mayor of Kamp-Lintfort, Prof. Dr Christoph Landscheidt; Jens Stuhldreier from the NiederRhein Regional Agency; and René Wettengel, Managing Director at delego.
The FabLab at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences is one of 680 Fabrication Laboratories worldwide – so-called open fabrication laboratories – which provide members of the public with access to production equipment (e.g. 3D printers and laser cutters) and modern industrial production processes for one-off items. Here, interested school pupils, students and local businesses can familiarise themselves with modern manufacturing technologies, engage with the experts on site and develop their own ideas. In total, visitors to the FabLab Kamp-Lintfort have access to 16 different 3D printers, as well as other equipment such as laser cutters and milling machines. “The FabLab is an important facility at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. Practical work must be particularly encouraged at a university of applied sciences, and that is what the FabLab on the Kamp-Lintfort campus stands for,” explains Dr Heide Naderer. “Looking ahead, we would like to make the FabLab accessible to an even wider public, thereby becoming a key point of contact for interested members of the public, school pupils and regional businesses.”
The university already runs workshops for schools and nurseries in its FabLab, with the aim of sparking young people’s interest in these modern technologies as early as possible. It currently collaborates with 15 schools in the region.
In addition to schools, a growing number of small and medium-sized enterprises from the region are also making use of the FabLab’s diverse range of equipment to bring their innovative ideas to life in collaboration with the university. “Small, regional businesses with niche products, in particular, can benefit immensely from collaborating with the university,” confirms René Wettengel, Managing Director at delego. “Here, companies have the opportunity to exchange ideas with experts and, as part of student projects, to jointly develop new products or further develop existing ones.”
