New centre for giant robots at Lindø set to push the boundaries of industrial production
On 18 June, the Centre for Large Structure Production (LSP) will open under The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute at SDU. The construction has been made possible by a donation of 90 million Danish kroner from the A.P. Møller Foundation. At the centre, researchers, students and companies will develop robot technology for the production of very large structures for, for example, ships and wind turbines.
With the LSP, SDU and industry gain access to a unique research and testing centre. Among other things, the centre offers one of the world’s largest gantry cranes, where robots can move freely around the large structures, unlike standard industrial robots. This provides researchers and companies with a unique opportunity to develop, test and demonstrate robotic solutions on a scale that is normally difficult to work with in research environments.
LSP was designed by Christensen & Co Architects and realised with a donation of 90 million Danish kroner from the A.P. Møller and Wife Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation for General Purposes. In connection with the announcement of the donation in 2022, Ane Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla, Chair of the A.P. Møller Foundation, said:
“The Port of Odense and Lindø are a special and historic place for A.P. Møller Mærsk and the A.P. Møller Foundation. It is gratifying that the area once again hosts many jobs and businesses. The Foundation’s donation towards a new building at Lindø will support the unique robot development on Funen and follows on from the Foundation’s previous contribution to the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, which bears my father’s name. This new robotics initiative will enable new research, provide space for students, and thereby support the development of robots for industrial production involving physically large products. The Foundation’s donation will thus be relevant to a large part of the Danish business community, including the maritime sector.”
LSP builds on The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute and SDU’s work with robotics, automation and collaboration with industry. For SDU, the opening of the new facilities marks entirely new opportunities for researchers and collaboration with industry.
“With the opening of LSP, SDU and our partners gain a unique platform to further develop an excellent research environment in an area where the need is significant and the technological solutions are demanding. The centre strengthens SDU’s international position in the field of robotics and gives us even better opportunities to generate knowledge, technologies and graduates who can make a difference both nationally and internationally. LSP is a fine example of how a strong university environment, working closely with industry, can create value for society. We are very grateful for the donation from the A.P. Møller Foundation, which has been crucial in ensuring that the new facilities are now ready at Lindø,” says Rector Jens Ringsmose.
Facts about the SDU Centre for Large Structure Production
- The SDU Centre for Large Structure Production has been established under The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense.
- The centre aims to strengthen research, development and testing of robotic technologies for the production of very large structures.
- The centre houses, among other things, a purpose-built robotic gantry measuring 30 x 20 x 10 metres. A robotic gantry is a large portal structure where robots can move across and around large workpieces, thereby performing automated processes on a scale that is normally difficult to work with in research environments.
- The robotic gantry is one of the largest of its kind in the world.
- The facilities enable the development, testing and demonstration of robotic solutions on an industrial scale.
- Among other things, the centre works with technologies that can be used in the production of large structures within sectors such as wind energy, construction, infrastructure and shipbuilding.
- One of the centre’s major current projects is working towards developing highly robotised technologies for shipbuilding.
- In addition to the grant of DKK 90 million from the A.P. Møller Foundation, the SDU Centre for Large Structure Production has been established on the basis of broad funding from several public and private stakeholders. In total, the centre has already helped to attract investments of approximately DKK 530 million for LSP and its partners for research, facilities, robotics and the development of new solutions for the production of large structures.