About Us

„We connect science and industry, tradition and innovation, people and technology, into one functioning ecosystem.“

The rapid development of digital technologies creates barriers for small- and medium-sized enterprises in terms of their adoption and integration of processes. The DIH-B4I was created as a support tool to enhance the competitiveness of business through the introduction of digitisation, new technologies, and artificial intelligence in business or production processes. B4I services target mostly small- and medium-sized enterprises. We provide our clients with institutional, knowledge-based, and infrastructural support. A one-stop shop.

Members

The Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences

The main DIH-B4I coordinator and the largest research institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The Institute of Physics covers scientific and technology fields that permeate additive design and production. The Institute has more than thirty years’ experience with developing, operating and using high-performance lasers. It has a first-class innovation infrastructure, which has been widely used by companies from both the Czech Republic and abroad in recent years.

HiLASE

The HiLASE Laser Centre is part of the Institute of Physics, the largest institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, whose program includes the physics of elementary particles, condensed systems and solids, optics and plasma physics. HiLASE is focused on the experimental development of a new generation of diode-pumped lasers with high average power and a high repetition frequency.

CARDAM

A unique research and development centre that provides applied research and development services, and complete engineering solutions for the creation of new products and production processes. CARDAM helps companies create the necessary knowledge, skills and know-how in the fields of digitisation, artificial intelligence, additive design and production.

STAR Research and Innovation Cluster

A science and technology cluster made up by a strong community of research organisations, businesses, investors, and enthusiastic local patriots. STAR is an innovative eco-system that is among the fastest-growing economies in the Czech Republic. The STAR region is home to three top research centres of transnational importance: ELI Beamlines, HiLASE and BIOCEV. Companies such as RIGAKU and EXBIO, which are leaders in their industries.

Central Bohemian Innovation Center

SIC supports research, development and innovation in Central Bohemia, establishes partnerships and new collaboration between businesses and academia. SIC contributes to the growth and development of innovative, mainly small and medium-sized businesses, and strengthen the competitiveness of Central Bohemia within the Czech and global economy.

The Institute of Thermomechanics of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Long-term, successful collaboration with industry and a wide range of expert knowledge throughout the entire spectrum of the B4I DIH specialisation make the Institute of Thermomechanics a good partner for top research in the field of mathematical simulations. The Institute devotes a significant part of its efforts to research cooperation not only with large industrial enterprises, but also with small- and medium-sized technology-oriented companies

Partners

MATCA

Materials, Advanced Technologies, Coatings and their Applications is a consortium of academic and commercial entities. It develops mainly additive, plasma and laser technologies. Due to their impact on industry, economics and security, the management and development of these technologies is of strategic importance.

Beneš a Lát, a.s.

A traditional engineering company focusing on the manufacturing of quality foundry semi-finished products from Al and Zn alloys, plastic injection, and the first generation of NTL machines for aluminium alloy casting. The company offers comprehensive services from cooperation on the design, simulation and construction of casting equipment and tools, through the actual creation of prototypes and serial deliveries to finishing operations in the form of machining, surface treatment, and assembly of complex units.

The Association of Foundries of the Czech Republic

The Association of Foundries of the Czech Republic is an employer and professional organisation uniting foundries, model shops, trade organisations, design and research organisations, and schools. Its common goal is to ensure progressive growth throughout the field and to ensure the promotion and dissemination of new trends brought about by Industry 4.0. Thanks to this, the Association is moving towards advanced production technologies, which will be an integral part of classic foundry production in the future.

Experts

DIH B4I aims to enable, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, access to key knowledge, software, technology platforms, prototype samples and test systems, which improve the quality of production and business processes and enable the production of high value-added products and team and support development knowledge-based economy.

Jakub Beneš

Coordinator DIH Brain 4 Industry

Andrej Chrzanowski

General Manager Brain4Industry, Director EDIH B4I

Digitization and advanced technologies such as 3D printing and additive production are essential for Czech companies to increase their productivity. The B4I center concentrates the expertise of corporate and academic partners who can help them with digital transformation.

Pavel Jovanovič

CEO, Central Bohemian Innovation Center (SIC)

The mission of HiLASE is the application of laboratory super lasers in an actual business environment. Thanks to the DIH, we now connect our state-of-the-art laser technologies with 3D printing methods and are helping to innovate Czech industry.

Tomáš Mocek

Head of the HiLASE Centre

The B4I DIH focuses on the management of production processes, and especially on costs associated with production. Other technologies such as 3D printing only help to optimize processes and reduce the overall cost of component production. The DIH will help businesses emphasize things that have the greatest impact on the final quality and price of each product during production.

Jan Brajer

Head of the Industrial Laser Applications Research Team

BENEŠ and LÁT is a modern company that has been putting digitisation into practice since 2004. Since 2014, it has been consistently implementing Industry 4.0 standards in its plants, which are functional and based on the practical needs of production with regard to the price of solutions for medium-sized enterprises.

Zdenko Piovarči

Head of the ICT Team, Beneš a Lát, a.s.

Czech industry and Czech science must work closely together. Finding a common ground is often complicated as these are two completely different worlds; however, it has become evident that the connection between science and industry is both possible and extremely useful.

Jan Lát

CFO and co-owner, Beneš a Lát, a.s

Sharing the experience and existing know-how of the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, in the field of material technology within the DIH, opens new opportunities for the development of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the Czech Republic.

Alexandr Dejneka

Head of the Optics Section, The Institute of Physics of the CAS

CARDAM is a unique research and development centre which proves that collaboration between academia and industry can be very effective. Through our connection with the DIH, we can offer small- and medium-sized enterprises opportunities that will not only increase their competitiveness, but will also open the door to further technological development.

Ondřej Kurkin

Executive Director, CARDAM Solution s.r.o.
More experts

Infrastructure

The B4I DIH is able to provide a significant part of its services using existing infrastructure, both within the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences and through other members of the consortium. In the field of additive technologies, this involves mainly 3D printing of metallic materials with laser sintering of powdered metals. For this purpose, one device of a research nature for the development of materials and also a device of a production nature for application use are available. To support project solutions, it is also possible to use the well-equipped laboratories of the Institute of Physics , which offer a wide range of analyses needed for materials research and development (analyses of material microstructure, mechanical properties, physical properties, corrosion properties, fatigue properties, etc.). The HiLASE centre disposes of unique laser systems, state-of-the-art experimental stations, and other equipment that can be used in a wide range of industrial applications.

Coming soon

 

B4I – the Innovation Centre for Advanced Technologies is a shared infrastructure based in Dolní Břežany. It provides services for small- and medium-sized enterprises in one place. Businesses will be able to use the services of AdditiveLab, DigitalLab, and TechnicalLab, equipped with state-of-the-art technologies for additive production and digitisation. At B4I, the client will be able to try out an innovative solution that they can subsequently apply to their production processes. The advantage of the innovation centre is that it comprehensively covers all technological steps. From the strategy of digitisation, the performance of data collection, and the implementation of solutions, to the search for new technological solutions, the optimisation of design, preparation, to production itself, subsequent processing and quality control. Businesses can also use office facilities at all times.

Ambassador