By: Jürgen Steiner, Messer Austria
Reading time: 3 Minutes
◤ INTERVIEW
Tinkering and getting started in the heart of Vienna
A conversation with: Roland Stelzer, General Manager of Happylab
What exactly is Happylab? What is on offer there and what do people do? Happylab is a makers’ space – an open workshop – where people can work on their projects around the clock and get support for implementing their ideas. We offer access to digitally controlled production machines such as 3D printers and laser cutters, professional prototyping machines for woodworking and metalworking, and an integrated co-working space. Our training courses and workshops communicate the necessary know-how for handling the machinery.
What would you like to accomplish with Happylab? With Happylab, we want to help implement as many ideas as possible – even crazy ones. Our maker’s space gives people an innovative environment where they can try out those ideas without any hassle. People who like to tinker around as a hobby in their free time are just as welcome at Happylab as start-ups with their next product idea. That really sounds great. What gases does Happylab use? For welding in our metalworking shop, we use argon and the gas mixture Ferroline C18. Nitrogen and oxygen are used for the laser cutting of metals.
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We are glad that Messer had an open ear for innovative concepts like our makers’ space right from the very start.
Roland Stelzer, General Manager of Happylab
What role does the quality of the gases play in experiments and prototype production? A very significant one! Above all in laser cutting, the quality of the process gas is very important to the sectional cutting pattern. Why did you choose Messer as your gases supplier? That’s easy to explain: Messer’s competent advice, fast and flexible delivery, and attractive prices persuaded us immediately. To your way of thinking, what makes a good gases supplier? Fast delivery, a good product assortment and competent advice! We are glad that Messer had an open ear for innovative concepts like our makers’ space right from the very start. Messer will also support us with our training program and provide our community with more detailed information about welding technology.
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About Happylab
Happylab was founded by its two general managers Roland Stelzer and Karim Jafarmadar in 2006. On April 21, 2021, the new location was opened together with Austrian Minister of Economy Margarete Schramböck, Vienna City Councilman Peter Hanke, Managing Director of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency Henrietta Egerth and Managing Director of the Vienna Business Agency Gerhard Hirczi. From the very beginning, Happylab has been offering its users – not just tinkerers but also tech start-ups – the chance to implement their product ideas with high-tech machines in a 900-square-meter facility right in the heart of Vienna. As a local innovation and production center, Happylab is Vienna’s largest innovation workshop and at the same time a flagship project of the Vienna Coalition Agreement as well as the Economic Strategy Vienna 2030, which focuses on topics related to “Smart production in the city.”