Moriz Walter, Head of Product Development, with a LADS-enabled vacuum pump in the Lab Control Center
© WALDNER Lab Space Solutions
Pioneers in laboratory digitalization
Moriz Walter holds a degree in Mechatronics Engineering and has many years of experience in laboratory automation solutions – from benchtop devices to room-filling systems. At WALDNER Lab Space Solutions, he is Head of the Product Development department. His areas of focus include electronics, software, networking, and control technology. Walter played a key role in developing the Lab Control Center (LCC), a manufacturer-independent software platform for digital monitoring of laboratory infrastructure and equipment.
Lab Control Center (LCC)
A manufacturer-independent software platform for centralized monitoring of laboratory equipment. The vision: A digital infrastructure that is just as flexible and universal as WALDNER laboratory furniture – integrated from day one, not as a retrofit solution.
The LCC supports the open standards LADS OPC UA and SiLA, enabling different equipment manufacturers to connect their products. It provides centralized dashboards, alarm management, and automated process documentation, and integrates seamlessly into existing IT environments.
Digitally connected vacuum pumps at analytica
WALDNER and VACUUBRAND have been working together for years. How did the cooperation at analytica come about?
Moriz Walter: Vacuum technology is a central topic in many laboratories and is routinely planned very early as an important part of the infrastructure. We have been physically integrating VACUUBRAND pumps into our furniture for a long time: The vacuum controller is visibly built into the furniture as an operating unit, while the pump works hidden in the base cabinet to save space. Digital integration was then the logical next step.
At analytica, we wanted to demonstrate together that LADS OPC UA represents a true cross-manufacturer standard specifically for laboratory equipment: simply connect via plug & play, with no need to program drivers or invest time and money.
Laboratory fume hood with Lal Control Center (LCC) and digitally integrated vacuum pump at the analytica trade fair
In the "Live Lab" special exhibit, the LADS-enabled vacuum pump was directly integrated into the LCC. What reactions did you receive from visitors?
Moriz Walter: The best moment for me was when a visitor said: "Everyone talks about standard interfaces and easy networking. But here I've seen with standard products from different manufacturers that it really works." That's exactly what we wanted – not just talk about connectivity, but make it a real live experience.
The key moment for many visitors was: Digitalization in the laboratory doesn't have to be complex. They could see directly how the vacuum pump's status is visualized in the LCC and all device information is centrally available. For many visitors, that was a very concrete demonstration, not of the future of the connected laboratory, but of the here and now.
The preparation was also exciting for us: The LCC software and the vacuum pump physically met for the first time on Sunday before the trade show. We plugged them together in the fume hood – and it worked immediately. This shows how standardized interfaces allow complete functioning solutions to be realized this quickly – significantly more efficient than traditional individual integrations. That's exactly what LADS OPC UA is designed for.
