Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (amtc) Application-Oriented R&D and Excellence in Education in a Sino-German Context
The Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center, or amtc, is an application-oriented research and development laboratory jointly operated by the wbk Institute of Production Science and Tongji University in Shanghai.
The amtc combines production engineering research, industrial application, and international collaboration between Germany and China. Its work focuses on the development and optimization of production processes, with a particular emphasis on the manufacturing of components for electric mobility. The amtc provides a framework in which scientific expertise is combined with local market knowledge.
R&D and Technical Market Analysis for German Companies in China
For German companies with activities or interests in the Chinese market, the amtc provides support in production engineering as well as in technical pre-development, the assessment of emerging technologies, and the analysis of market and supplier structures.
In doing so, the amtc combines the production engineering expertise of wbk with direct access to China’s industrial and innovation ecosystem. This gives companies a sound basis for identifying technological opportunities in China at an early stage, better assessing local developments, and deriving concrete options for cooperation or implementation.
The amtc’s areas of support include:
- Pre-development of localized production and automation solutions
- Technical market and competitor analyses
- Identification of relevant technology providers and industrial partners
- Support in initiating and structuring research and development projects
Joint Research Projects with Industrial Relevance
Another key focus of the amtc is the implementation of joint research and development projects with industrial partners. These projects address production challenges that require state-of-the-art solutions and develop new approaches through close integration of research and industrial application.
Specific examples include the reduction of scrap in the production of mechatronic components based on machine control data, as well as potential analyses for the deployment of humanoid robots in manufacturing.
Opportunities for Students from KIT and China
The amtc offers students from Germany and China a range of opportunities to gain international experience in a technically demanding and industry-oriented environment.
German students can contribute to activities at the Shanghai site through thesis projects or as student research assistants. In doing so, they gain insights into the Chinese manufacturing and technology market and work on concrete topics at the interface between scientific research and industrial application.
Chinese students also benefit from the close cooperation between Tongji University and KIT. The amtc provides opportunities to participate in joint research and industrial projects.
The double-degree Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering plays a particularly important role. The amtc supports the program, which gives students the opportunity to complete part of their studies at Tongji University and part at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and, upon successful completion, obtain the regular Master’s degrees from both universities.
