TRUMPF, a German machine tool and laser manufacturer, recently opened its new “Smart Factory” in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. The new space is both a factory and a showroom that turns high-tech machines and production processes into exhibition-like showpieces. The smart factory is fitted with digitally networked machines that present the entire sheet metal process chain as an interlinked, holistic process.
Designed by Barkow Leibinger, the new structure is divided into two volumes. The first is the showroom to the south and the second is the office and auditorium space to the north. These two volumes are connected at their corners and create two rectangular exterior zones – a driveway and parking lot to the southeast, and a curved terrace that overlooks an adjacent reflection pond to the northwest.
Courtesy of TRUMPF.
The building ranges from about 4.5 to 13-meters-tall and has a continuous pitched roof. At the front, the 12-meter-high glass facade presents the showroom space to passing traffic. The double glazing used has a low-E coating to protect against excessive solar radiation. The glass facades are made of anodized black aluminum and are recessed up to 1.5 meters back into the volume. Slim, recessed Corten steel I-Beams vertically divide the glass facades and support against horizontal wind loads. In addition to the glass, rust-colored corrugated Corten steel cladding was used on the exterior and charred wood siding was used on the facades of the inner courtyard and pond to achieve a softer appearance.
This charred wood look was brought inside the building, as well, in the form of ceiling-high wall paneling. Black steel, polished concrete floors, and expanded metal mesh juxtapose the wood surfaces on the interior.
The Skywalk. Courtesy of TRUMPF.
11 steel Vierendeel trusses, about 45 meters in length, span the showroom. These beams were customized from welded variable parts laser-cut on TRUMPF machines and function as another exhibit that showcases the company’s manufacturing machinery.
Running through these trusses at a perpendicular angle is a 6.5-meter-high skywalk that runs the length of the 180-foot-long production hall. The skywalk uses glass guardrails and grated flooring and has pocket-like inlets for special exhibits along the sides. It is connected to the “Control Center” that flanks the showroom on the east. The Control Center presents visitors with real-time production line performance figures via large touchscreen displays.
The Control Room. Courtesy of TRUMPF.
The lower volume on the building’s north side is linked to the showroom via public zones like the lobby, the water-facing café, and a large auditorium. An open-plan office space and meeting rooms for employees are also included and arranged around a central courtyard.
The building comprises over 50,000 sf and totaled $15 million in equipment investment and $15 million in construction investment. The new facility represents the fifth TRUMPF location in the U.S. and will house about 30 employees.
Courtesy of TRUMPF.
Related Stories
Self-Storage Facilities | May 19, 2022
A steady increase in new self-storage space is meeting growing need in large metros and their suburbs
Rent Café’s study projects a 9 percent bump in the nation’s existing inventory.
Adaptive Reuse | May 18, 2022
An auto plant in Detroit to get a retread as mixed-use housing
Fisher 21 Lofts could be the largest minority-led redevelopment in the city’s history.
Industrial Facilities | Apr 30, 2022
CapRock Partners taps into industrial space demand
The investment firm is committed to building 15 million sf of warehouses.
Industrial Facilities | Apr 14, 2022
JLL's take on the race for industrial space
In the previous decade, the inventory of industrial space couldn’t keep up with demand that was driven by the dual surges of the coronavirus and online shopping. Vacancies declined and rents rose. JLL has just published a research report on this sector called “The Race for Industrial Space.” Mehtab Randhawa, JLL’s Americas Head of Industrial Research, shares the highlights of a new report on the industrial sector's growth.
Industrial Facilities | Apr 6, 2022
Development underway for Missouri’s largest logistics park
Hunt Midwest envisions 27 buildings will be completed over the next 10 years.
Industrial Facilities | Apr 1, 2022
Robust demand strains industrial space supply
JLL’s latest report finds a shift toward much larger buildings nearer urban centers, which fetch higher rents.
Cladding and Facade Systems | Oct 26, 2021
14 projects recognized by DOE for high-performance building envelope design
The inaugural class of DOE’s Better Buildings Building Envelope Campaign includes a medical office building that uses hybrid vacuum-insulated glass and a net-zero concrete-and-timber community center.
Giants 400 | Oct 22, 2021
2021 Industrial Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. industrial buildings sector
Ware Malcomb, Clayco, Jacobs, and Stantec top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest industrial buildings sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Industrial Facilities | Sep 2, 2021
Design unveiled for new Ferrero Technical Center in Alba, Italy
Frigerio Design Group is designing the project.
Giants 400 | Aug 30, 2021
2021 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.
The 2021 Giants 400 Report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.