MARC (Mälardalen University Automation Research Center)

2025-10-06

The research profile Mälardalen University Automation Research Center (MARC) is dedicated to advancing digitalisation and automation in industry through a comprehensive approach involving multiple research areas and industrial partnerships. The expected scientific achievements include the development of innovative solutions in portable and smart automation, robotics and control, as well as digital infrastructure. These advancements will enable significantly enhanced production flexibility, responsiveness, and sustainability, aligning with the vision of creating a leading research and education environment.

Photo: MARC Inauguration

Focus

MARC's overall objective is to enhance the level of digitalisation and automation in industry by addressing three major challenges: (1) improving the flexibility of automation systems and solutions, (2) advancing the application and automation of robotics and control, and (3) strengthening digital infrastructures. We will bring together academic and industrial experts, providing a unique opportunity for tangible impacts on academic and industrial practices.

In MARC the research at Mälardalen University (MDU) capitalizes on synergies primarily between the two research environments Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and Innovation and Product Realisation (IPR), and provide a solid base for junior researchers to grow into future research leaders. Combined with industrial partnerships, this aligns with the mission to combine research excellence with industrial relevance, emphasising co-production with external partners. MDU will put significant resources into MARC to strengthen and focus the existing interdisciplinary collaboration around industrial automation.

Photo:MARC full team members

Co-production with industrial partners

By bringing together expertise from academia and industry, MARC aims to tackle real-world challenges, facilitate knowledge transfer, and foster innovation as well as technology and competence transfer in both directions, which is expected to yield practical solutions applicable in various industrial contexts, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of Swedish and European industries.

In summary, MARC aims to deliver significant scientific advancements, foster the development of MDU's research capabilities, and create impactful collaborations with industrial partners, all contributing to the broader goal of digital transformation and automation in the industry.

Photo: MARC first off-site meeting with industrial partners