AMAG for the first time lets public enter their new CMI research centre and Smart Factory during the Long Night of Research

AMAG, the leading Austrian premium supplier of high-quality cast and rolled aluminium products, has opened the doors to its latest Center for Material Innovation (CMI) research centre and Smart Factory during the Long Night of Research. For the first time, citizens were allowed inside the premises and the number recorded at least 350 intrigued visitors.

Answers were given at this station to the question: "Why does aluminium have to stick?
(©AMAG)

"The Long Night of Research was a complete success for us. Our numerous guests, both young and old, were enthusiastic about the content as well as being able to take away lasting impressions from AMAG at the end of a long day of research,” Leopold Pöcksteiner remarked, the Head of Group Communications.

Situated in Übersee am Chiemsee, the AMAG components division utilises industry experience and proficiency to manufacture ready-to-install metal parts required by the aerospace industry. AMAG holds a 20 per cent stake in the Canadian smelting company Alouette which produces high-quality primary aluminium with a flawless life cycle evaluation. The aluminium products by AMAG have usages in various industries like aircraft, sporting, automobile, transportation, lighting, mechanical engineering, packaging and construction.

More than 350 visitors took the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of
chemistry at AMAG. (©AMAG)

The Long Night of Research is one of the most innovative events for the scientific and research community speaking the German language. At an interval of two years, this enormous event opens to the Austrian audience for one evening, a chance to participate in analysing revolutionary breakthroughs and path changing technologies.

As a part of this Long Night of Research programme, the visitors could "take a closer look" at laboratories and fully automated processes in the Smart Factory while glancing at the production system.

At this station in the CMI, the question "What is an alloy?" was explored. (©AMAG)

AMAG enjoyed the cooperation of its employees and their families, who remained amazed during the whole programme in the afternoon.

The essence of the display, as put down by Austria Metall AG (AMAG), has been: "Fancy a journey into the world of aluminium?" During their first visit to the new CMI facility and Smart Factory, the entrees were allowed to handle some of the minor pieces of machinery to make it more exciting for the audience. Moreover, they received a guided tour of the CMI chemistry and surface laboratory with the metallography and Smart factory, where experiments were performed at four research stations for visual fantasy.

The factory tour offered exciting insights into production, here in the hot rolling mill
(©AMAG)

Among the 350 guests, there were people of different ages and genres, yet all of them seemed very interested in all the activities. Some important questions were explored at the research stations like: "What is an aluminium alloy? Why does aluminium have to stick? Why does material for an aircraft have to be looked at with a magnifying glass? What are the tasks of robots in material testing?"

At last, the guests went on a journey around the entire plant, which enlightened them about the interiors of AMAG. The visitors could follow the production method of the hot and cold rolling mills from their podium as it was occurring.

Robot in the Smart Factory, which uses artificial intelligence to carry out fully automatic
material sampling. In future, 500,000 samples per year will be processed here. (©AMAG)

Hundreds of guests were catered with local sweet and savoury preparations to quench the summer heat. Also, they arranged for a bus to look like a photo booth, with participation code #amagforscht for social media, to hold on to the enigmatic moments of the function.

Even before the official show began, AMAG employees and families deliberately snatched an early opportunity to appear early and troll around the four CMI research stations.

“Thanks to all visitors for the high level of interest, and a big thank you to the AMAG teams for the great organisation," said Pöcksteiner ending the show on a generous note.