A project, supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, formed the basis for the research institute ICM e.V. to open a training and application center (“SchAz”) in Chemnitz. In the "KUKoMo" project, new robot solutions for collaborative assembly activities in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were tested for their feasibility and transferred to demonstrator solutions for cross-industry applications. Automation components were further developed in an application center created especially for this purpose, thus increasing acceptance in SMEs. The ICM e.V. is a private, non-profit, application-oriented research institution (industrial research institute) whose primary objective is to open up new technical and technological possibilities for SMEs. In doing so, it draws on many years of experience and high competence. The knowledge in the field of automation and robotics has now been bundled in this training and application center to make it available to interested companies in the commercial and industrial economy. The focus is on the development of innovative automation solutions for production. Starting from the individual identification of productivity potentials, technical and technological approaches to solutions are systematically developed, evaluated and, if necessary, prototypically implemented. "Our training and application center is characterized by the fact that people and machines come together at one learning location, can deal with different problems and direct trial and error with professional feedback is made possible," says Isabell Grundmann, research assistant and contact person for the SchAz on site.