The German Council of Science and Humanities recommended funding for the new building on Friday, 27 April 2018. Subject to the final decision of the Joint Science Conference on 29 June 2018, the project is thus included in the funding programme.
This paves the way for the building, where research is to be conducted into more efficient and sustainable production methods for large components, such as those used in wind turbines, for example. "scale" stands for "scalable production systems of the future": The focus is on research into scale-independent production technology with a focus on the development of generally applicable, efficient and sustainable production methods. For the state of Lower Saxony, "scale" is the only approved research building in the funding phase 2019. The construction and installation of the large-scale equipment will cost a total of around EUR 44.613 million. Completion is planned for 2023 and construction will begin in 2019. The federal and state governments each share half of the funding in the research building programme.
"I am very pleased that the location of Leibniz Universität Hannover in Garbsen can be expanded and significantly strengthened by this further research building," says Prof. Dr. Volker Epping, President of the University. "The planned research building will support and promote top-level research at our university. It is affiliated to the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, but the association of members of the Faculties of Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Economics and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the research programme of scale promotes interdisciplinary exchange within the university. In this way, further university-wide synergies will be created and the scientific axis of our campus will be filled with new life".
The new research building will be built in Garbsen directly next to the Hannover Centre for Production Technology (PZH) of Leibniz Universität (east between PZH and Bremer Straße). The second section of the Campus Maschinenbau is currently being built in the immediate vicinity. All in all, all institutes of mechanical engineering will be located on a common nine hectare site at the Garbsen site - an ideal location for "scale".
At the new research site, university competencies in the field of scalable production in mechanical engineering, information technology and production management are going to be pooled. With the help of a modular manufacturing approach, existing limits of scaling in production technology are to be overcome. For future users, the aim is to increase efficiency while simultaneously reducing capital expenditure. Research is also being conducted into a closed material cycle that is intended to promote holistic material recycling.
A central hall with a height of ten metres and the laboratory areas of the building enable the processing of large-format components. It is planned to acquire eleven large devices such as a mobile servo press, assembly platforms, indoor laser GPS or a multi-axis dynamic load test stand. Around 135 employees are to move into "scale".
Note to the editor:
For further information please contact Mechtild Freiin v. Münchhausen, Press Officer of Leibniz Universität Hannover and Head of the Department of Communication and Marketing, at +49 511 762 5342 or by e-mail at vonmuenchhausen@zuv.uni-hannover.de
