The Smart Hub Lanarkshire, a new centre of excellence for manufacturing innovation and robotics, based at New College Lanarkshire (Motherwell campus) opened its doors for visits and demonstrations at the end of October 2021.
Since formally opening, the Centre has hosted many interested visitors and businesses wanting to better understand the ‘art of the possible’ of the latest robot and Cobot technologies and opportunities.
On 9th December 2021, a CeeD members visit brought a large and keen audience to the Hub as their experienced team explained what the centre can provide and how new Cobot equipment can improve traditional and more manual manufacturing methods.
The visit and tour allowed everyone to observe Cobots operating up close and even have a go at basic programming and understand Cobot task capabilities. There were opportunities to learn all about the multiple applications for Cobots in different manufacturing settings and, importantly, understand the costs and Return on Investment (ROI) potential.
The centre includes a Robotics demonstration facility with six-axis robotic arms with adaptive grippers, controllers and polyscope software and an impressive Hub space for manufacturing companies to meet, learn, access industry-specific business support and enable collaboration.
The Smart Hub centre aims to become an easy access drop-in hub for anyone looking for Manufacturing support and guidance to either make their current operations better and safer, or even to bring their business ideas to life through the free support they can provide to SME organisations.
David MacGregor, Business Development Manager, at CeeD who helped to facilitate the visit commented:
"It was a really positive and well attended event and tour. We enjoyed great demonstrations and hands on opportunities with knowledgeable and engaging staff only too willing to help, advise and support."
To find out more about Centre and how the Smart Hub team and North Lanarkshire Council business team can help with your support needs, get in touch with Caroline Brown, the Project Delivery Lead.
Smart Hub Lanarkshire is a new centre of excellence for manufacturing innovation and robotics. It has been established to support small to medium sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) from the Lanarkshire area and beyond. The Smart Hub is one of the Advancing Manufacturing Challenge Fund projects which have a thematic, regional and/or a Scotland-wide focus and whose aim is to support the advancing manufacturing capabilities of SMEs within Scotland, leading to long-term transformational change. Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
